Wagyu beef is not the most expensive in the world

Europe in command, or rather France

The famous Japanese beef is something sublime, refined, exceptional, yet it seems that in the ranking of the "most expensive meats in the world" it inexorably falls to second place. Silver medal, still a precious metal, but never as much as it fully deserves to the queen of the ranking: the Blonde d'Aquitaine.

A refined, superlative, elegant reputation precedes beef of French origin. After all, France boasts various excellences in the food sector and among these France stands out! It seems that a "simple" steak can cost up to €3000, in short, more than a simple dish it seems to be a real experience intended for a select few. They call it "2000 vintage cote boeuf" so as to further enhance the prestige and desire to taste this renowned excellence with a French flavour.

More expensive beef. Where exactly?

When it comes to "superlative things", several clarifications need to be made. In fact, saying “France” is a bit too simplistic and risks devaluing the value of the French meat breed. The rib is on sale at the restaurant-butcher shop “Maison Polmard” (also called the boutique butcher shop), Paris in one of the most famous neighborhoods. The presentation of the restaurant is already an experience in itself, a very refined and chic place where customers - strictly extra luxury - can choose the cut of meat to cook.

Polmard - the owner -, an astute entrepreneur has chosen to associate his being a farmer with the dissemination of his knowledge, thus amplifying the family business with a history dating back to 1846. A young man, breeder, butcher and restaurateur who chooses to add a touch personal to family tradition, commendable.

High Cost and Motivation: The Value of Beef

The simple, obvious and seemingly simplistic motivation associates the high price with the rarity of the resources. Sometimes, a commercial policy aimed at extreme attention to quality leads to a scarcity of raw materials which, if used in the right measure, thanks to the potential of the primary ingredient, becomes an attraction for many tasters.

The Polmard farm chooses to slaughter 4 cattle a week and the reason is easy to understand. The obsessive attention to the growth and production chain of animals must come first, to the detriment of a commercial policy aimed at increasing consumption. Statistics say that between '98 and 2009 just over 103 ribs of beef were sold, it seems like an insignificant number but it has its reason.

Value Blonde d'Aquitaine beef

Trade policy is just one factor determining the high price of French cut meat. In reality, the motivations are much more noble and much less linked to the mere commercial element. In fact, French beef, sorry Parisian, must undergo a rigid, rigorous and traditional maturation method before being put on sale. This seems to be the true - perhaps only - added value of the more expensive rib compared to wagyu beef.

Beef and maturing

Maturation is a natural process of resting the meat, a bit like what happens with wine which takes on value when it responds to specific vintages. To simplify, the maturation of beef can be translated as a rest period during which the flavor is amplified, resulting in a unique and sublime taste. Maturation is a process that must be done using specific tools and lasts between four and eight weeks.

During this period, the French beef is sealed in special refrigerators and then transported to the freezer where the meat is hibernated in spaces that reach a constant -43°. In this way, longer and more constant conservation is achieved without compromising the nutritional value of the product.

Beef: tradition and wisdom

Another aspect that resonates when reading legends and truths regarding cuts of fine French beef is the farming method. The Polmard family chooses to prefer open-air breeding where, among woods and meadows, the animals can graze freely and live in a semi-wild state.

This condition allows you to have perfectly marbled and balanced meat, perfect for subsequent processing. The slaughterhouse is also a particular environment since the family has chosen to invest in creating a space in which stress is reduced to a minimum and avoids the entry of lactic acid into the circulation which could compromise the quality of the beef.

Japanese beef, second and winner

Japanese wagyu beef, although in second position, keeps its allure intact and shares several characteristics with the winning French one. On the one hand the breeding method that chooses to refine ancient traditions and methodologies, on the other the rules that revolve around the slaughter and preparation of the final product. Once again, it is the attention to every process that is successful and allows us to offer the public first choice products with attention to every detail.

Carne online Genuina is a family-run farm that embraces these methods with flying colors, which is why it offers particular, little-known and sought-after cuts alongside more common solutions. The desire to disseminate different knowledge regarding cuts of meat allows you to broaden the customer's vision and taste something new without compromising the quality of the main ingredient.