Saga beef … Gold you can eat?

I have mentioned Saga beef a few times and decided that it deserves its own entry. While I was researching wagyu, I noticed there wasn’t much information available about Saga beef, so I decided to promote it myself. I have truly enjoyed Saga beef every time I've had the chance to eat it.

So, let’s have a crash course on what wagyu is. Wagyu is a collective used to describe the meat from four specific breeds of Japanese cows. Wagyu is among the most expensive meats in the world and features extreme marbling in the meat. Making it often melt like butter when eaten. Wagyu is often known by the area it is found for example the most famous is perhaps Kobe beef. Cows raised in Kobe; many prefectures have their own wagyu. Making it a food paradise for those who love steak and fine ingredients.

Wagyu is expensive because there are very strict limitations on exporting the cows from Japan making them exclusive. However, there is a list of listed Wagyu herds in other countries I was very happy to see Scotland on that list… I may need to revisit the mountains of the north upon my eventual return.

Keeping this simple and as a summary Wagyu is given a grade depending on various aspects ranging from C1 – A5 the top! There is a different scale used when Australian Wagyu is included but for now, I will use this scale as its easier. This scale is based on the levels of marbling in the meat put simply. Wagyu is often graded by its deep red colour and its marbling and what percentage of the meat is marble.

Saga beef is the second most strictly regulated beef under the strict criteria of the Japanese meat grading associations in all of Japan. Saga cows are raised very strictly and only the pedigree cows are used. Calves spend more time with their mothers as it produces more oxytocin, and it’s believed to influence the taste of the meat. Diets are strict and aimed at promoting the fattening process, these cows eat in luxury. The cows also get massages and extensive grooming as it aids the oxytocin and is believed to enhance the flavour and condition of the cows. I had a lot of fun researching for this entry. It also made me very hungry as I was writing before lunch.

I have been informed whilst I researched for this blog entry that the place to be is Kira a restaurant that sees thousands flock to it to eat the premium cuts of Saga beef. The restaurants states that all the meat used is ranked A4-A5 which has the highest levels of marbling.

However, one does not need to go to the finest places to get Saga beef. The best perk of living in Saga is its everywhere. Saga beef can be found in supermarkets around the prefecture, yakiniku, burgers and at local festivals on food stalls. The grading may not be as high, but the flavour is still rich, and marbling is still present. The cuts I have seen in the supermarket have all had that beautiful marbling. The cuts I have also seen in the supermarkets are not steeply priced. For only 200-yen difference I purchased 200grams of Saga beef mince compared to the non-wagyu counter. If you time your visit right, you can also buy Saga beef at discounted prices as stores often reduce prices later in the night. Meaning you can walk away with Wagyu cuts for as little as a fiver.

I recently wrote a piece on Sasebo and my trip to the Saga beef yakiniku, and it was honestly one of the best experiences I have had at Yakiniku. The flavour was amazing, and the dice cut was the highlight for me and that was on the mid-priced menu. I have also bought Saga beef as mince and various cuts from the supermarkets and always found the resulting meals to taste better. Every prefecture has its own version, but there is a sense of pride now I live in Saga over our own version and do urge people to find some time to stop in Saga to try it to! Even if it is just a meal before continuing to the more famous spots in Kyushu.