Texas Akaushi

Beef that's better than prime

Texas Akaushi herd produces high-quality gourmet meat for the U.S. market

"The cattle are a national treasure in Japan," says Catherine O'Gorman, senior vice-president of marketing for Heart Brand Beef. "Through a legal loophole, the cattle were allowed out of the country in 1994."

But after public outcry in Japan over the breed's export, the loophole was closed and exports ceased, she says. Since then, Heart Brand Beef says it has maintained the purity of its Akaushi herd, allowing no crossbreeding (unlike some domestic Kobe that have been bred with Angus).

The company has good reason to keep the breed pure: Akaushi beef is renowned for its quality. Its intense marbling surpasses the benchmark set by the USDA for prime designation, the grade typically served in high-end steakhouses. Ms. O'Gorman says that although Akaushi beef is guaranteed to be "prime plus," the majority of the product grades at two to three levels higher.

Dallas Morning News
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