Wagyu – Japanese beef

by Abdon FLORES

The Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council (J-LEC) is promoting for  December holidays one of its premium products: the Wagyu or Japanese beef. In case you don’t know, “Wa” means Japan, and “Gyu” means beef. Five years ago its importation was finally allowed into Europe. Since at this time also cattle began to be grown in France, Wagyu is referred only to the imported meat.

As of 2007 just one breed, the Kuroge Washu, has the certified label to be sold as Wagyu. Every piece of commercialized meat has a QR code containing detailed information of the meat. This “delicacy” has a white marbling more evident than other type of beef and the red pulp has a fine and juicy texture, rich in amino-acids and oleic acid.

 

 

For the Christmas season, twenty Michelin starred chefs will propose this premium meat in their dishes. They come from all the regions in France, and each one of them has conceived a signature dish to honor this noble product. Some of the dishes are:

Beef brisket à la bourgeoise by chef Didier Goiffon (La Huchette, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes).

Japanese wagyu tartar seasoned with Gillardeau oyster No. 2 by chef Raphaël Vionnet (Restaurant Raphaël Vionnet, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes).

Barbecue of Japanese wagyu sirloin, Pontoise cabbage, celeriac and shungiku by chef Julien Lemarié (Ima, Bretagne).

Japanese wagyu stew, ceps, burned urchins, Tokyo turnip by chef Keisuke Yamagishi (Etude, Paris).

Japanse wagyu popsicle and raw oyster tartar, beetroot gel by chef Laurent Lemal (La Cooperative, Pyrénées-Orientales).