Man Buys Lower-Grade Steaks For His In-Laws And Wagyu For His Parents, Wonders If That’s Fair

According to Insider, Grade A certified Wagyu raised in Japan can cost upwards of $200 per pound. Meanwhile, the American Wagyu meat is a less pricey alternative, made from a cross-breed between wagyu and more common beef cattle breeds. Both are considered one of the most luxurious meats, prized for flavor and rareness.

This man who goes as Late-Enthusiasm3751 on Reddit has a taste for Wagyu, just like his parents. In an Ask Reddit post, he explained that he occasionally treats his parents to Wagyu, but buys “select-grade meat” when his in-laws visit.

This doesn't sit well with his wife, who thinks that both families should get equal treatment.

Wagyu beef is known not just for its rich, buttery taste often referred to as “umami,” but also its hefty price tag that fascinates (or repels) diners around the world. Yet, the meat has earned a reputation of one of the world's most treasured delicacies.

Joe Heitzeberg, the co-founder and CEO of Crowd Cow, argues that “it’s an extremely fascinating but confusing world.” The luxurious Wagyu refers to a specific breed of Japanese cattle that have special genetic qualities.

“There are four breeds native to Japan. Of those four breeds, one of the breeds is genetically unique,” Heitzeberg explains.

“It has a genetic predisposition to create this crazy marbling of fat inside of muscle tissue. No other livestock does that.” In Wagyu, the cow metabolizes its fat internally, so it’s already inside the muscle.

Meanwhile, the biggest difference between American Wagyu and Japanese Wagyu is that Japanese Wagyu is purebred while the American one is crossbred. Henderson explains that “[American Wagyu] is still going to be crazy marbled with intense flavor, but it’s most likely Wagyu bred with angus.”