Wagyu is the synonym of fine beef and…expensive as well. But you may see a lot of different versions of Wagyu beef, Japanese Wagyu and American Wagyu probably are the most common versions. What are they and what’s the difference actually? We’ve done all the homework for you. Let’s go!
Table of Contents
What Is Wagyu? Where Do Wagyu Beef Come From?
To know what American Wagyu Beef is, first of all, you need to know what Wagyu is.
Wagyu originates from Japan and literally translates to Japanese cow, in which ‘Wa’ means Japanese and ‘gyu’ refers to cow. But the fact is that not all Japanese cattle are equal to Wagyu. There is a specific requirement on the beef breed. Only the following four native breeds of Japanese cattle can be categorized as Wagyu. They are:
1. Japanese Black (黒毛和種 Kuroge Washu)
This is the most common breed in the market which comprises more than 90% of the Wagyu. It has a matchless marbling and so it tastes creamy and full-bodied.
2. Japanese Brown (赤毛和種 Akage Washu)
This breed has a firm but fine texture with a much lower content of fat. Therefore, it tastes mild and healthy.
3. Japanese Shorthorn (日本短角和種 Nihon Tankaku Washu)
The meat of this breed is also lean. And it has a mild but savory flavor due to the high level of inosinic acid and glutamic acid.
4. Japanese Polled (無角和種 Mukaku Washu)
It features high lean meat content that causes a chewy texture. Thanks to the great amount of amino acids, it tastes rich and robust. There are only several hundreds remaining today.
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Why Is Wagyu Beef So Expensive?
Wagyu beef is regarded as the finest beef in the world. This is credited to its genetic superiority mentioned in the above, plus strict management of the ranchers.
The cattle grow in a stressless environment under attentive care which results in the best quality. The breeders will raise them for the first 7 months, and then sell to fattening farms. The stress-free environment ensures the meat will not be too tense which will cause it tough due to the rise of adrenaline. Apart from that, the breeders offer the most considerate care to the Wagyu cattle. For examples, they will comb the cattle’s hair and massage the, regularly to promote blood circulation
Feed is another significant factor of meat quality. Most of the Wagyu cattle are fed with hay, wheat and grain while some special ranches feed in a special way. For instance, Olive Wagyu from Shodoshima Island eats toasted olive pulp and yields beautifully marbled and umami-flavored meat. No matter how the breeders raise cattle, they grow without any growth promotants, hormones, steroids or drugs added. Therefore, they need nearly 30-35 months to grow whereas regular beef takes only 15 months.
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What makes Japanese Wagyu cattle the assurance of quality is the birth certificate system. Every Japanese Wagyu cow holds their own birth certificate and a 10 digits individual identification number. This is to certify their pure bloodline and record all the important information in the database such as gender, breed, age and so on. With the unique ID number, everything about the cattle is traceable and so guarantees high quality of meat.
All of the above strict and thoughtful quality control measures and the five-star features surge the price of Wagyu beef.
Then…What Is American Wagyu Beef?
If Wagyu means specific breeds of Japanese cows, then how come American Wagyu beef?
In fact, it is a crossbreed of purebred Japanese Wagyu and traditional American cattle, typically a full blood Wagyu with Angus. Wagyu cattle were imported in 1975 for the first time. This is unprecedented. The incredible marbling of Japanese Wagyu and the robust flavor of American beef merge which creates the perfect combination of both worlds. American Wagyu Beef possesses the pleasant marbling, tenderness, juiciness and flavor at the same time. And it’s more like what we are used to in the U.S.
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American Wagyu vs Japanese Wagyu: What’s the Difference?
1. Rearing Method
As mentioned previously, Japanese Wagyu cattle require about 30 to 35 months to grow while American Wagyu cattle need a shorter time, around half of that.
Moreover, Wagyu cattle are raised strictly in Japan (refer to Why Is Wagyu Beef So Expensive?) whereas American Wagyu beef is less strictly controlled.
2. Quality: Marbling, Texture and Flavor
Japanese Wagyu beef is noted for its wonderfully marbling. Once the marbling begins to melt, it will coat on the muscle fibers of beef. And the meat will be just like butter that melts in your mouth with an extremely tender, juicy texture and rich flavor. Japanese Wagyu beef is versatile to enjoy, you can prepare it as steak. But it’s especially suitable to serve as thin slices for shabu shabu and yakiniku (Japanese barbecue).
On the other hand, American Wagyu beef combines the advantages of Japanese Wagyu and indigenous American beef. But also because of the genes mixing, the level of marbling and texture of American Wagyu beef cannot compare to that of pure Japanese Wagyu.
However, it is also delightfully marbled and even more intensely flavored. Since it comes with a relatively firm mouthfeel and less marbling (note: it’s relatively), American Wagyu beef is ideal for grilling, pan searing and roasting as steak. If you care a lot about the flavor of beef, American Wagyu may be your cup of tea.
3. Grading Systems
These two kinds of beef use different grading systems which are under their own countries.
Japanese Wagyu Beef Grading
In Japan, the graders grade beef by two aspects—Yield Grade and Meat Quality Score. Yield Grade means the percentage of edible meat of the Wagyu carcasses. It is indicated by letter A to C, with A being the highest yield rate.
Meat Quality Score refers to four factors of the beef which are (1) meat marbling; (2) meat color and brightness; (3) meat firmness and texture; (4) fat color, luster and quality. The score of each factor is from 1 to 5 while 5 stands for the best. And the final meat quality score depends on the lowest score among these four factors. For instance, if the beef only scores 3 in marbling, the final Meat Quality Score is 3 even if the other three factors score 5.
Lastly, the grades of these two aspects will combine into the overall grade of Wagyu beef, just like “A5 Wagyu”.
American Wagyu Beef Grading
American Wagyu Beef is graded under the famous USDA grading system. It divides grades according to tenderness, juiciness, flavor. The grades for steaks are USDA Prime, Choice, Select, with Prime being the best.
However, the quality of Wagyu is outstanding and goes beyond this system. Therefore, Snake River Farms who are the pioneer of American Wagyu classify their beef as Gold and Black Grade. The marbling level of SRF Gold Grade beef is equivalent to that of A5 Japanese Wagyu while Black Grade could be converted as A4-5.
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4. Price (American vs Japanese Wagyu Beef)
A5 Japanese Wagyu Ribeye 
Gold American Wagyu Ribeye
Price of beef is mainly determined by grades and cuts. A5 and Gold grade are more expensive than A4 and Black grade respectively. For the cuts, Ribeye Steak has a heftier price tag than that of Sirloin Steak generally.
And here, we are excluding the above factors and just simply comparing the price of Japanese and American Wagyu beef. Let’s take the A5 Ribeye and SRF Gold Ribeye as comparison since they have similar marbling levels. For 15 oz, A5 Japanese Wagyu Ribeye costs nearly $160 while Gold American Wagyu Ribeye takes about $100.
So you can see that Japanese Wagyu is much more pricey than American Wagyu beef. This is because its raising techniques and management are highly strict which results in a higher cost, and the marbling is unbeatable.
To lower the budget, you can opt for the beef with a lower grade, or a less expensive cut such as chuck eye. Alternatively, try the combo box that offers you both Japanese and American Wagyu with a more economic price!
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Is American Wagyu Beef Healthy?
As a kind of meat, American Wagyu beef is a good source of protein. Protein is essential for building and repairing body tissues.
Furthermore, Wagyu beef has a higher monounsaturated to saturated fat ratio than other beef. Monounsaturated fat is a kind of healthy fat that you can find a lot in olive oil and avocado. It can help reduce cholesterol level which is good for your cardiovascular system. Yet, it is also a kind of fat which will be harmful if you overdose it.
Summary
In conclusion, American Wagyu beef was produced by crossbreeding pure Japanese Wagyu cattle and local beef. They share the features and combine into this exceptional breed with nice marbling and rich flavor. Its marbling may not be as good as that of Japanese Wagyu but they are more robust in flavor and budget-friendly. It totally depends on your personal preference!
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