Kobe beef burgers are made from Wagyu cattle, known for their marbled meat and luxurious lifestyle. The meat’s high quality is attributed to the cattle’s diet, massages, and low stress levels. Kobe beef can come from other countries, but is most commonly associated with Japan. It is a luxury item, with a price tag ten times higher than regular beef burgers. The burgers are typically larger and can be served with traditional or luxurious toppings.
Kobe beef burgers are at the luxury end of the burger market. Made with ground beef from a Japanese breed of cattle called the Wagyu, the burgers are bought by customers who want what they consider to be the highest quality beef. Wagyu beef has a distinctly strong marbling and a very red color. The taste difference between Kobe beef and regular beef, connoisseurs say, is in the way the cattle are raised, which can include a diet of beer and grains and regular animal massages.
The origin of beef is in a part of Japan called Hyogo, which has a capital called Kobe. The type of cattle that produce the beef, Wagyu, includes the Japanese Black, Brown, Polled and Shorthorn breeds. It is the Japanese black, more precisely the Tajima subgroup, which is the source of Kobe beef. All Wagyu cows originally had both European cows and Japanese wild cattle as ancestors.
Technically Kobe beef comes from Japanese cattle, but in the world market, the name can also refer to Wagyu beef from other countries, such as the United States. The market for beef from these cows is global, with a target customer of expensive restaurants and individuals who can afford to pay ten times more for Kobe beef burgers than regular beef burgers. The Wagyu cattle’s legendary life of luxury, coupled with the characteristics of the meat, reinforces the expensive image of the beef.
A distinguishing feature of Kobe beef is that it has a large amount of marbling in the meat, where the fat runs through the meat and the meat itself has a strong red color. Massaging the cattle, presumably with Japanese rice wine, is supposed to increase marbling and distribute the fat evenly in the meat. Proponents of massage also claim that relaxed, happy beef cattle have tastier meat, as stress hormones are lower than usual in the body. Typically, Wagyu cattle are given special feeds that help improve the meat, such as grains and sometimes beer.
The Japanese eat Kobe beef both raw and lightly cooked. Kobe steaks, experts say, require only external cooking and should be cooked no more than medium rare. Cooking more than this seems to release the fat that gives the meat its flavor and tenderness. Depending on your preference, it may not be necessary to cook Kobe beef burgers, although raw ground beef can contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning, especially meat that hasn’t been ground recently. Salt and pepper are common additions to Kobe beef burgers, to enhance the flavor.
Typically, a Kobe beef burger comes in a larger patty than regular burgers. Traditional burger accompaniments such as lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise are well suited to complement a Kobe beef burger, but if money is no object, then more luxurious toppings may be in order. Truffle oil mixed with freshly made mayonnaise is a popular option.
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