Wagyu is a breed of Japanese cattle that is renowned for its rich flavor and marbling. In Japanese, the word Wagyu literally means “Japanese Cow.” The most famous type of Wagyu beef is Kobe Beef, the expensive Japanese delicacy that is rarely found outside of Japan. Wagyu is also raised in Australia, the USA, and around the world. Regarded as some of the best beef in the world, 100% Fullblood Wagyu Beef is a gourmet product that ranks alongside Caviar, Truffles, and Jamon Iberico de Bellota.
At Lone Mountain Wagyu, They are proud to exclusively raise 100% Fullblood Wagyu cattle that have never been crossbred. They individually DNA-Certify each of their cattle to ensure direct lineage to its Japanese heritage.
Wagyu is the breed of cattle and can be raised anywhere in the world. Like Bordeaux or Champagne, Kobe is a place, a city in Japan. Kobe beef is beef from Wagyu cattle that were born, raised, and slaughtered with specific practices in the Hyogo Prefecture—the capital of which is Kobe—and meet very strict guidelines. Kobe beef is from cattle that have never been crossbred, maintaining pure Wagyu cattle genetics.
Lone Mountain beef ranges between 28–40% Intramuscular Fat (IMF, the percentage of marbling), orders of magnitude above the 10–12% IMF that is USDA Prime beef.
100% Fullblood Wagyu isn’t only the most amazing beef you’ll ever eat, it’s the healthiest. Like the fat in salmon, the marbling in Wagyu beef offers the Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids our bodies need. The monounsaturated fat to saturated fat ratio is higher than in any other beef, deemed by nutritionists to be beneficial in decreasing LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol, making Wagyu beef a nutrient-dense protein that tastes like an indulgence.
Lone Mountain cattle are pasture-raised, supplemented with a traditional corn-free blend of grain to cultivate marbling, developed specifically for Wagyu. The Ranch implements slow-feeding, allowing the cows to gain weight at a steady and natural pace over 500-600 days, rather than induce rapid weight gain like conventional operations. This is for the best treatment of the animals and also creates a delicate and even marbling.
Please see To-Table's Blog on Cooking Tips for Wagyu Cooking Wagyu is different than preparing regular beef or grass fed beef. Check out the important differences.
Daniel Asher, Co-Owner/head chef at River and Wood