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If you’ve ever looked at a Wagyu steak and noticed all those little white flecks running through the meat, that’s marbling.
Technically called intramuscular fat (IMF), marbling is the fat found within the muscle. As the beef cooks, that fat begins to melt, adding flavor, tenderness and juiciness.
And Wagyu is famous for it.
The biggest reason is genetics.
Wagyu cattle are genetically predisposed to develop more intramuscular fat than conventional beef cattle. How they’re raised and fed, their age, and the individual animal also influence the final amount of marbling.
Even the cut makes a difference. Ribeyes and New York steaks naturally tend to show more visible marbling than harder-working muscles from other parts of the animal.
For most of us, USDA beef grades are the easiest way to understand the difference:
You may also hear Japanese Wagyu described as A3, A4 or A5. Those aren’t simply higher versions of USDA Prime. Japan uses a completely different grading system, so the two aren’t direct equivalents.
American Wagyu combines Wagyu genetics with traditional American beef genetics, commonly Angus.
That gives you some of the beautiful marbling and tenderness Wagyu is known for, along with the familiar beefy flavor many people love in Angus.
It can be a great introduction to Wagyu if you’ve never tried it before.
As those little flecks of fat melt during cooking, they contribute to the steak’s:
Tenderness. Juiciness. Flavor. And that rich, buttery texture Wagyu is known for.
Wagyu fat also tends to contain a higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids than conventional beef and has a relatively low melting point.
But you don’t need to understand the science to enjoy it.
Pick a cut you already love, cook it simply, and taste the difference for yourself.
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