$1,199.99 for ONE 11-pound beef roast?

[kenny]

Costco is selling this in their holiday mailer.
How can meat be this expensive?

Have any of you eaten such meat?

 

[telephone89]

I don't think the US is actually allowed to sell actual Japanese kobe beef, so they have their own version - wagyu. So it should be labeled 'Japanese style', but perhaps Costco has some loop holes but I digress.

Anyways, I've had wagyu multiple times. It's really tender fatty beef. I believe they (cows) get daily massages and beer diets. Among other things I'm sure.

Idk why anyone would buy a wagyu roast though. Best raw - rare

eta - Upon further research, it looks like it is allowed in the USA. Interesting to see if it was real kobe.

 

[VRBeauty]

Apparently Wagyu beef is from the Kobe region, which would make it a subset of "Kobe beef." I have had Kobe beef appetizers that were quite wonderful. Given the portion size and what I paid, I probably paid somewhere around the $100-150/pound range, but for the beef alone (excluding preparation and other restaurant mark-ups) so I'm guessing it wasn't quite as special as the Costco beef. Was it worth it? Well, let's just say that I've ordered that appetizer more than once. But no, I wouldn't hand over $1,2000 for a beef roast.

 

[amc80]

I thought it surely had to be a typo. Nope. $109/lb.

http://www.costco.com/.product.100082950.html?cm_sp=RichRelevance-_-categorypageHorizontalTop-_-CategoryTopProducts&cm_vc=categorypageHorizontalTop|CategoryTopProducts

 

[telephone89]

Apparently Wagyu beef is from the Kobe region, which would make it a subset of "Kobe beef." I have had Kobe beef appetizers that were quite wonderful. Given the portion size and what I paid, I probably paid somewhere around the $100-150/pound range, but for the beef alone (excluding preparation and other restaurant mark-ups) so I'm guessing it wasn't quite as special as the Costco beef. Was it worth it? Well, let's just say that I've ordered that appetizer more than once. But no, I wouldn't hand over $1,2000 for a beef roast.

Technically, kobe is a city, but not all wagyu is kobe. Wagyu is the type of cow(4 breeds). Kobe comes from 1 specific type of wagyu cow, raised strictly to 'Kobe' standards. So all kobe is wagyu, not the other way around. Kobe is trademarked in Japan, and anything sold under their name has to meet their strict standards.
Most of what is sold in the US and Canada is a wagyu breed of cattle.

 

[telephone89]

I thought it surely had to be a typo. Nope. $109/lb.

http://www.costco.com/.product.100082950.html?cm_sp=RichRelevance-_-categorypageHorizontalTop-_-CategoryTopProducts&cm_vc=categorypageHorizontalTop|CategoryTopProducts

thank you for posting the link. They are not calling it Kobe in this link.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I would love to try it, but ain't no way my wife will pay over $100 per lb.

 

[kenny]

I would LOVE to have one bite.

Maybe 100 of us could pitch in $12 each for one bite at the next GTG.

 

[kenny]

Forbes on Kobe Beef.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/04/12/foods-biggest-scam-the-great-kobe-beef-lie/

Maybe I should chop off a leg and sell it.
I get beer and massages daily too.

 

[december-fire]

Forbes on Kobe Beef.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/04/12/foods-biggest-scam-the-great-kobe-beef-lie/

Maybe I should chop off a leg and sell it.
I get beer and massages daily too.

Daily beer and massages! And an Octavia!

Who are you in real life?!?!

 

[kenny]

Forbes on Kobe Beef.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/04/12/foods-biggest-scam-the-great-kobe-beef-lie/

Maybe I should chop off a leg and sell it.
I get beer and massages daily too.

Daily beer and massages! And an Octavia!

Who are you in real life?!?!

I'm DF's butler.
He calls me his bitch, but I prefer the term butler.

 

[momhappy]

I've had Wagyu. It's good (very tender and flavorful), but I don't know if it's worth the price tag.

 

[Rockinruby]

Wow! I would love to try it, but it is way too expensive.

 

[tuffyluvr]

I had Wagyu nigiri a few years ago when I was abroad (it was delicious), but I didn't think it was available in the U.S.. This article (below) says that the ban on Japanese beef import was lifted recently, so Wagyu is available and Kobe is even available in a few restaurants in the U.S., so it seems believable and the price seems right. A USDA Prime prime rib can easily cost $50-$60, so $109/lb for a super specialty cut of meat is believable:

http://www.thedailymeal.com/news.cook/legendary-japanese-wagyu-beef-available-costco-1200/120214?_mobile=1

 

[jordyonbass]

Had a cut of Wagyu when I was 19 at a restaurant in Crown Casino here in Melbourne (I was working in the bars at the time and got staff discounts at restaurants). It was $120 and while it was delicious, it wasn't the best steak I have had. Gimme a scotch fillet or prime rib any day and I'll shoe you a tastier steak.

I haven't worked in fine dining for a long time but IIRC the cow is fed beer and grains, then massaged every day for hours and hours which is what helps drive the price up of Wagyu steaks. I could be very, very wrong though.

 

[monarch64]

Jordy, did you know that in Australia you can get a discount on life insurance if you're vegetarian?

Sorry, just following you around here, harassing you. Also my mother has a signed Jaco Pastorius vinyl cover. Just saying. She may or may not have sold him her house in Florida in 1977.

 

[jordyonbass]

?

Jordy, did you know that in Australia you can get a discount on life insurance if you're vegetarian?

Sorry, just following you around here, harassing you. Also my mother has a signed Jaco Pastorius vinyl cover. Just saying. She may or may not have sold him her house in Florida in 1977.

If that's the case then they're going to be hitting me with premiums instead

Jaco...seriously?!?! Did she get to see the infamous bass of doom????

 

[monarch64]

Re: ?

Jordy, did you know that in Australia you can get a discount on life insurance if you're vegetarian?

Sorry, just following you around here, harassing you. Also my mother has a signed Jaco Pastorius vinyl cover. Just saying. She may or may not have sold him her house in Florida in 1977.

If that's the case then they're going to be hitting me with premiums instead

Jaco...seriously?!?! Did she get to see the infamous bass of doom????

Seriously. No...it was in 1976-77, I believe. He and his wife bought my parents' home in Pompano Beach, near Fort Lauderdale, shortly before his untimely demise. My mother speaks well of his wife but has always said she thought Jaco didn't seem quite right. From what I understand he was quite brilliant but had severe mental illness which led to his death.(I'm sure you've heard the story.) I think my mother has always felt sad for JP and has never spoken of seeing anything that might be newsworthy. She has mentioned a brief story of dealing with he and Tracy (his wife at the time.) She has always maintained that they were both "stoned and had been drinking." My mother never drank nor served alcohol. I can gather more of the story if you like. It's not something I usually tell, basically due to the sensitivity of the issues surrounding his life and death.

 

[jordyonbass]

Re: ?

Jordy, did you know that in Australia you can get a discount on life insurance if you're vegetarian?

Sorry, just following you around here, harassing you. Also my mother has a signed Jaco Pastorius vinyl cover. Just saying. She may or may not have sold him her house in Florida in 1977.

If that's the case then they're going to be hitting me with premiums instead

Jaco...seriously?!?! Did she get to see the infamous bass of doom????

Seriously. No...it was in 1976-77, I believe. He and his wife bought my parents' home in Pompano Beach, near Fort Lauderdale, shortly before his untimely demise. My mother speaks well of his wife but has always said she thought Jaco didn't seem quite right. From what I understand he was quite brilliant but had severe mental illness which led to his death.(I'm sure you've heard the story.) I think my mother has always felt sad for JP and has never spoken of seeing anything that might be newsworthy. She has mentioned a brief story of dealing with he and Tracy (his wife at the time.) She has always maintained that they were both "stoned and had been drinking." My mother never drank nor served alcohol. I can gather more of the story if you like. It's not something I usually tell, basically due to the sensitivity of the issues surrounding his life and death.

Wow, I'm speechless!

December '86 was when he moved back to Ft Lauderdale and he was dead about 9 months after that. I'm not the biggest Jaco fan out there (he is probably the #1 guy for being the favourite player for most bassists) but I know enough of his stuff and respect him highly as a bassist. Guys like him and Ryan Martinie (check Kenny's musical bling thread) are guys who have such an amazing approach to the bass guitar that they transcend whatever genre they play and become an entity to the instrument.

To get back on topic slightly, I'd have loved to sit down with him over a wagyu steak and a beer and discussed bass techniques. I'd love to hear more but if you would rather not post it and possibly tarnish his reputation then I completely understand

 

[december-fire]

... I'd love to hear more but if you would rather not post it and possibly tarnish his reputation then I completely understand

jordyonbass,

What a considerate and respectful comment.

 

[december-fire]

Forbes on Kobe Beef.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2012/04/12/foods-biggest-scam-the-great-kobe-beef-lie/

Maybe I should chop off a leg and sell it.
I get beer and massages daily too.

Daily beer and massages! And an Octavia!

Who are you in real life?!?!

I'm DF's butler.
He calls me his bitch, but I prefer the term butler.

 

[star sparkle]

Yes, I've had wagyu, and yes, I think it's worth it. I've had both Kobe and other Japanese A5 wagyu, and it's all amazing. But steak is my favorite food, so I'm willing to pay for it.

However, I wouldn't buy a roast of it. That seems crazy to me!

 

[Andelain]

I'd be afraid to cook it wrong.