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Dry aging Kobe...worth it?

Focker
Focker Posts: 8,364
edited January 2013 in EggHead Forum

Anyone have experience dry aging Kobe beef?  Any personal opinions/comparisons between that and aged choice?

Local farm has Kobe bone-in ribeye primals for $13.50/lb.  Is this reasonable?

Just purchased a compact fridge dedicated for this.  What is the optimum temperature range?

Thanks

 

Brandon
Quad Cities
"If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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Comments

  • HDmstng
    HDmstng Posts: 192
    Local farm?  I was under the impression that Kobe beef has to come from Kobe Japan.
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    I believe, in the US, it has more to do with the type of cattle, diet, and activity. 
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • MikeP624
    MikeP624 Posts: 292

    That price is pretty good.  I pay more than that for choice grade ribeye primals.

    I would be careful with what they are calliing Kobe beef.  Could be just a gimick to try and get more money per pound.  My understanding is that you cannot get authentic kobe beef in the USA.  You can get a cross bread of the wagyu cattle and angus cattle that will produce similar quality beef as a pure bread wagyu cattle.  Kobe beef is a wagyu cow that was raised in kobe japan under strict regulations.

    My butch swears that good prime ribeye is as good or better than wagyu available in the USA.  He will not carry wagyu, but will special order it for you.

  • HDmstng
    HDmstng Posts: 192
    Ah, so Kobe style beef.  
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    edited January 2013
    I assume that they are offering "Kobe-style" or "Wagyu" beef. True Kobe comes from directly from Japan and would cost around $45/ounce. That seems to be the going rate in high-end restaurants.
    "Wagyu" is available at my local grocery for 52.99/lb.

    I can get Prime for 8 or 9 bucks per pound at Costco, so if that is Wagyu breed or the Wagyu/Angus hybrid, I would consider that an alright price.

    Edit: I just looked around online, Wagyu rib roasts go for around $35/lb. That's a steal at a 3rd of the price, as long as it is Wagyu.

  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364

    @HDmstng,

    "Is this heaven?  No...its Japan"   ;)

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364

    @MikeP624,

    Thanks.  The lady over the phone explained the cross breading used.  She also invited me out for a tour of the farm and said I could take some pics.

    For the Berkshire bellies on order, she said they have to be skinless due to strict German regulations.

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    I assume that they are offering "Kobe-style" or "Wagyu" beef. True Kobe comes from directly from Japan and would cost around $45/ounce. That seems to be the going rate in high-end restaurants.
    "Wagyu" is available at my local grocery for 52.99/lb.

    I can get Prime for 8 or 9 bucks per pound at Costco, so if that is Wagyu breed or the Wagyu/Angus hybrid, I would consider that an alright price.

    Edit: I just looked around online, Wagyu rib roasts go for around $35/lb. That's a steal at a 3rd of the price, as long as it is Wagyu.

    $45/oz, wow.  Appreciate the help. 

    Would you age Kobe "style"? 

    Or would it be best not to?     

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • It's usually great quality meat. They call it Kobe or Wagyu but that is really the marketing part of it. It's usually a cross betweens some version one of the japanese cattle (Wagyu litterally translates to Japanese Cattle- it's not a breed name) and Angus or something similar.  No biggie what they call it if it's great quality meat. That is an awesome price for it. I would not dry age it, but that's just me. No reason not to, I just prefer the texture and taste of wet aged
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414

    MikeP624 said:

    That price is pretty good.  I pay more than that for choice grade ribeye primals.

    I would be careful with what they are calliing Kobe beef.  Could be just a gimick to try and get more money per pound.  My understanding is that you cannot get authentic kobe beef in the USA.  You can get a cross bread of the wagyu cattle and angus cattle that will produce similar quality beef as a pure bread wagyu cattle.  Kobe beef is a wagyu cow that was raised in kobe japan under strict regulations.

    My butch swears that good prime ribeye is as good or better than wagyu available in the USA.  He will not carry wagyu, but will special order it for you.

    Kobe has been available in the US since last fall. It is only available by import directly from Japan. It's basically the same thing as Champagne. The bubbly only comes from one area of France, everywhere else it is "sparkling wine". Same analogy with Wagyu. The US just has really lax laws regarding stuff like this.
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    edited January 2013
    It's usually great quality meat. They call it Kobe or Wagyu but that is really the marketing part of it. It's usually a cross betweens some version one of the japanese cattle (Wagyu litterally translates to Japanese Cattle- it's not a breed name) and Angus or something similar.  No biggie what they call it if it's great quality meat. That is an awesome price for it. I would not dry age it, but that's just me. No reason not to, I just prefer the texture and taste of wet aged
    True. The actual cow is the Tajima-ushi. Many people like to eat it raw like sashimi or tartar, as it is supposed to be melt-in-your-mouth buttery.

    There was a really interesting article in Forbes from last year about this whole topic.


  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    Thanks CT for the input.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    edited January 2013
    @focker,
    It sounds like you have a found a nice, honest farmer/rancher. It is insane what some places charge for this stuff. Especially the ranches that have online stores.
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364

    @Eggcelsior,

    The Forbes article was a good read.  I will be meeting them in a couple of weeks.  Going to give it a try and see what all the hype is about.  ;)

    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • Focker said:
    Thanks CT for the input.
    No worries. I would totally ignore the name and look at it with your eyeballs. You know what a great cut of steak looks like. There have been a ton of dubious people call it Kobe or Wagyu and i think it does the honest producers more harm than good when they use those names (especially after that Forbes article). If it looks like a super marbled piece of beef (which it sounds like it is) and they seem to be honest small batch producers I would definitely give it a rip. You aren't going to get hurt at those prices and you might have just found a gold mine. I say go for it.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    Will do. :)
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

  • billyray
    billyray Posts: 1,275
    Felton, Ca. 2-LBGE, 1-Small, PBC, PK360, Genesis Summit, Camp Chef Flattop, Smokefire 24, Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet with a Smoke Daddy insert, Gateway 55 Gal. drum, SNS Kettle w/acc.
  • Don't try to over analyze it. Go ahead and try it. If you like it then you have a good source of quality meat. If you are not satisfied then you always have Costco or your favorite butcher shop.
  • GaryLange
    GaryLange Posts: 418
    Last I heard you can't export Kobe Beef from Japan. So somebody is blowing smoke!
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    GaryLange said:
    Last I heard you can't export Kobe Beef from Japan. So somebody is blowing smoke!
    That was the last I heard too (until eggcelcior commented today), but apparently no longer true.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/09/28/kobe-beef-is-back-new-rules-allow-some-japanese-beef-in-u-s/

    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • At one point in time, true Kobe grade beef was unavailable in the U.S. That is no longer the case.  When I was last in Vegas I went to CUT (wolfgang puck steakhouse located near the Palazzo) and they had A4 grade Kobe.  8 oz precooked was $165 to eat.  When the waiter brought it around he showed Prime, US Wagyu and the Kobe grade.  There was a difference between the Kobe grade and the Wagyu mostly because there is no U.S. beef that rivals the marbling of an A4 or A5 grade of Kobe.  In summary Kobe grade can be had in the U.S. and can be on a different plane that U.S. Wagyu.
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    The American raised Wagyu is a hybrid between Japanese breeds and more heat-tolerant local breeds.  
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Jes Jes, Angus and Hereford
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817

    Kobe cattle get twice daily massages don't they?

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    "full wagyu" is available online from ranches like Strubes. 378 for a 15-18 lb rib roast. I can get a grass-fed quarter of beef for that.
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
    Kobe at that price sounds like the Tolex watch I bought on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn once.
  • IrishDevl
    IrishDevl Posts: 1,390
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    "full wagyu" is available online from ranches like Strubes. 378 for a 15-18 lb rib roast. I can get a grass-fed quarter of beef for that.
    I considered this today - looked up the cost to run it - about $30/year for me, slightly less volume needed to store a half cow (I think you need 14 cf on average).....just don't have the space, but tempting....

    http://www.spoofee.com/deals-Frigidaire_12_9_cu_ft_Chest_Freezer_for_296_10_Shipped-793536.htm#.UPCl4OhaKvw
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    You should see the Air Jordins I got. They were a steal.