Japan’s treasured Akaushi beef makes its way to KC
All it took was a little American ingenuity.
That and a loophole in the Trade Act of 1992, two years of litigation, a specially equipped 747 airplane and a team of bodyguards — all to bring a small herd of cattle from Japan to the United States.
But now, Akaushi Wagyu beef (pronounced ah-kah-oo-shee), considered a national treasure of Japan and the only free-grazing cattle in the island nation, is available in Kansas City. The beef, raised by Donald and Ronald Beeman in Texas — the only place outside Japan — has a lineage that can be traced back 30 generations.
Because of this meticulous record keeping, both in Texas and Japan, the Texas-raised beef is the only all-natural, 100 percent source-verified beef in the United States.
The original herd of eight cows and three bulls has grown to more than 5,000 head; only now is the beef being marketed. North Kansas City-based Arrowhead Specialty Meats is one of only two American distributors for the highly coveted, exquisitely flavored beef.
Each animal is finished for 450 to 500 days on a diet that includes corn, clover and several secret ingredients. The result is a meat that is so intensely marbled that every cut is guaranteed to be prime plus, a designation that is several times above prime. And because of its diet, the fat in the Akaushi has a higher concentration of monounsaturated fat, as opposed to saturated fat.
The meat also is high in oleic acid, the same compound found in olive oil. The flavor is pure and steely, the texture, velvety.
John Telge, vice president of sales and marketing for Arrowhead Specialty Meats, offers these grilling suggestions:
-Use only natural lump charcoal, never gas or charcoal briquettes.
-Grill only to medium rare over indirect heat.
-Use sea salt to season, applying just minutes before grilling.
-Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.
And yes, the government of Japan closed that loophole. Representatives of the Japan Association of Akaushi have traveled to Texas to inspect and ultimately to put their imprimatur on the rearing practices.
Akaushi beef can be purchased at Rancher’s Gourmet Meats in Overland Park and Paradise Lockers, Trimble, Mo. Prices range from $8 per pound for ground beef to $110 per pound for whole tenderloin.
Kansas City area diners can also feast on Akaushi beef at Starker’s Reserve, Bluestem, Justus Drugstore, Trezo Vino and Phillips ChopHouse in the Hotel Phillips.
Akaushi beef is a meat that is so intensely marbled that every cut is guaranteed to be prime plus, a designation that is several times above prime.To reach Lauren Chapin, columnist, call 816-234-4702, or email lchapin@kcstar.com.
