Wagyu beef from Japan has is deemed to be one of the best meats in the world, it’s unique marbled fat, the diet of the animals and the way they are reared, gives the meat a unique texture and taste.
Black Angus is a Scottish breed of cow, also famous for it’s deep marbling and the idea of crossing the two breeds is to produce a wagyu-like experience with the bite and chew of Angus. A piece that’s not quite as opulent as a full hit of fatty wagyu, but one that elevates way above the usual slice of steak.
There are a number of breeders working to cross wagyu with angus in the U.S but only one, Japan Premium Beef, have trademarked the name Washugyu. They produce their meat in Oregon alongside breeder and feed programmer Tad Yano. Yano uses the same technique applied to wagyu feeding in Japan, giving the cows a 100% vegetarian diet consisting of “all-natural, high energy grain feed diet”.
It’s this diet, a much longer feeding program and a step away from hormone led rearing that gives Wagyu its top A5 grade in the beef world. So, why play with it? Why breed such a prized cow with another one from the other side of the world?
Anyone who has eaten a decent portion of wagyu will tell you that it’s fills you fast, it’s often served raw because it’s so soft and tender, the idea of having a big chunky steak of wagyu fried high in the pan seems totally outrageous. But take all that goodness, that marbling and that deep umami hit of wagyu and cross it with the chunkier, tougher bite than the butter like texture wagyu often presents.
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