Have you ever had Japanese Kobe Beef? Think again.
The only way you could guarantee that you have eaten Kobe Beef is if you have gone to Japan. Why? Up until just a few years ago, you could not buy Japanese Kobe beef in this country. No matter how much money you spent.
Kobe beef in America has been one of food’s biggest scams on diners.
Even if your favorite waiter at the upscale steakhouse swore on his dear departed mother that you were getting Kobe beef it was probably fake Kobe. “Fobe.”
This is because up until recently, it has been illegal to import Kobe beef. Prior to 2010 you could import boneless fresh Japanese beef, but it still wan’t Kobe. Under Japanese law, Kobe beef can only came from Hyogo Prefecture, where no slaughterhouses were approved for export by the USDA.
In 2012, the USDA changed its rules and allowed a very small amount of Japanese Kobe into the US. But the change is unlikely to have replaced the counterfeit Kobe on your dinner plate. The first head of cattle arrived in 2013… all five of them.
The reason food lovers and expense account diners want Kobe beef, and are willing to pay a huge premium for it, is strictly a matter of reputation.
Japanese beef and regular beef, have about the same nutrition information: high protein, high iron, moderate fat, and moderate sodium. While it’s true that Kobe beef’s marbling and higher fat content may be a delicacy, the idea that USDA beef is any less tasty is dismissive.
So keep in mind that you don’t have to eat meat from grass-fed virgin heifers from Norway or Japan to eat well. US Beef, like our 100% Angus Beef patty are extremely satisfying to your pocket book and stomach to eat.
Plus we bring it right to your door! Saving you the expense flying half-way around the world…or driving across town to eat out.
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