When it comes to the most famous beef in the world, Kobe beef has a place. As a specialty of Japan, Kobe beef often appears at banquets for state guests. The fragrant but not greasy, melt-in-your-mouth feeling makes people unable to stop eating. However, if you know that Kobe beef grew up drinking beer and enjoying massages, you will not wonder where this delicious taste comes from.
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The Emperor of Japan once banned beef
In fact, it was not the Japanese who first discovered the deliciousness of Kobe beef; Western businessmen who came to Kobe in the first year of Keio (1865). At that time, Japan did not have the habit of eating beef, and cattle were usually only used for farming and transportation. Due to the influence of Buddhism, the Emperor of Japan issued the "Order of Compassion for Living Things", prohibiting people from eating meat. As a result, there are no open slaughterhouses in the market, and the people who want to eat meat can only secretly feast on it. By the early Meiji period, Japan was further westernized. People were proud to wear Western clothes, speak foreign languages, and imitate Western lifestyle habits. The emperor also believed that eating beef was good for improving the physical quality of the people, so he not only lifted the ban but also promoted the eating of beef. Those Western businessmen who first arrived in Kobe bought cattle from everywhere and slaughtered them themselves. After a lot of hard work, they were greatly impressed by the beef they ate. From then on, Kobe beef became famous all over the world. British businessmen also established Japan's first beef shop. It was not until 1872, when the first Japanese-run edible meat slaughtering market, the Birds and Beasts Trading Company, was established that beef was taken off the tables of foreigners and wealthy people and became a delicacy for the Japanese people.
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Kobe beef once sold for a “sky-high price”
After experiencing this period of “flowering inside the wall and fragrance outside the wall” After its history, Kobe beef has become more and more popular and has become the pride of Japanese people today. The beef is delicious and of course not cheap. Usually an ordinary "Kuroge Wagyu" cow sells for a mediocre price in the market. In contrast, Kobe beef must be obtained through auction at several times the price. It is said that a Kobe cow that won the gold medal in the competition even commanded a high price of 7.22 million yen (approximately RMB 500,000)! The price of a steak made from such meat can be imagined.
Drinking "mineral water" and eating "medicinal diet" grew up
The Tajima region of Japan, where Kobe beef is produced, is a place with mountains and streams. The stream water is rich in minerals and is truly "mineral water"; the grass growing on the mountain is also mixed with medicinal herbs. This is how Kobe beef grows up drinking "mineral water" and eating "medicinal diet". However, this is not all the reason for its delicious taste. Legend has it that Kobe beef also drinks beer and enjoys massages. Out of curiosity, the reporter visited local farmers raising cattle. According to farmers, because cattle will lose their appetite when they grow to a certain extent, they feed their beloved cattle beer to increase their appetite. In addition, in order to help the cattle reduce "mental stress" and grow with peace of mind, cattle farmers will regularly massage the cattle with a comb and smear their fur with soju. It is said that this can strengthen the blood circulation of the cattle and make the subcutaneous fat more even, and it is also The process of communication between humans and cattle. With so much love put into it, it’s no wonder that the Kobe beef produced is so delicious.
According to this old farmer, not all cattle produced in Kobe can be called "Kobe beef". The requirements for real Kobe beef are very strict. First of all, it must come from a "well-known family", and not a drop of miscellaneous blood can be mixed into the bloodline; secondly, the selected cow must be a virgin cow, otherwise it will taste slightly milky; in addition, it must also pass the fat mixing rate, color, and fineness Only those items that reach Level 4 or 5 are qualified to be called "Kobe Beef".