A few weeks ago, my dad’s good friend came down to visit Arizona and left us with a wonderful gift of Kobe beef. If you’ve never had a Kobe steak and you love red meat, I highly urge you to try some! For the uninitiated, Kobe beef is a special grade that is raised based on the methods developed in Kobe, Japan. There are stories of how the cattle are fed beer and massaged with sake. Whether or not those stories are true, the meat is incredibly tender and marbled. It is, of course, extremely expensive to get the real deal, but nowadays you can buy American-raised, Kobe-style beef which is still pretty good.
If you’ve ever had the real deal, then I’m sure you will never forget your first experience. Although I can’t quite remember how old I was or which exact restaurant it was, I can definitely remember the sensation of eating my first Kobe steak. It was a family dinner and I distinctly remember Dad ordering a steak that was supposed to be very special and insanely expensive (something like $200+). Each of us got just one bite, but I will never forget that bite. It literally melted in my mouth and exploded with flavor… Since then, I’ve had a couple Kobe burgers here and there but only a couple other Wagyu/Kobe experiences. One experience was last year in Phuket, Thailand at the Rivet Grill at the Indigo Pearl Hotel. For my birthday dinner, Chris treated me to a delicious Wagyu steak that melted in my mouth.
However, I must admit that no one can cook a steak like my Dad. If you are a “meat-a-tarian” (like Chris), then you’ll know that THE best way to eat a steak is charred rare. This requires very high heat and creates a perfect crust. So no matter how great the quality of meat, it’s not the same if it’s not cooked properly. And when you bite into a steak like the one below (a charred rare Kobe steak), your eyes will close, you’ll probably moan and you’ll know in your heart that you’ll never be a vegetarian.
