Matsusaka beef

Before the 19th century, beef was not typically a part of the average Japanese diet. ==Original standards==

'' The cows take roughly three years to mature. In order for the meat to be sold under the Matsusaka name, it must meet strict standards. To prevent cheap meat from being sold under the Matsusaka name, all authentic stores have an "Association Member's Certificate". The Mie Prefecture Matsusaka Shokuniku Kosha public corporation implemented a system for tracking the cows to ensure authenticity. All cattle are given a 10-digit ID. The date of birth, location of birth, date it was slaughtered, shipping information, and the bloodline of each cow can be found by entering the ID on a website. ==Cooking==

While Matsusaka beef can be eaten as a steak, there are more traditional methods of cooking the meat. Shabu-shabu is prepared with very thin slices of meat which are quickly dipped in a kelp broth and then eaten. Sukiyaki is a method that involves simmering thin slices of meat in a pot with a sauce of sugar, sake and soy sauce. After the meat has been cooked, it is removed from the pot, dipped in a raw egg and eaten. The melting in one's mouth sensation comes from the unsaturated fatty acids in the beef. ==Gallery==

File:Raw meat - Japan - Jan 24 2021 various 18 30 58 678000.jpeg|At a store File:Matsusaka beef and Korean barbeque.jpg|Barbeque on a shichirin grill File:Matsusaka Beef Sushi (183622615).jpeg|As sushi File:Shabu-shabu-01.jpg|Prepared for shabu-shabu File:Omi Beef Rice & Matsusaka Beef Hamburg Steak Bento.jpg|In a bento File:Matsusaka beef gyudon 1 by nmy in Tokyo.jpg|In gyūdon File:Horumon of Matsusaka beef at Isshobin Hisai 02.jpg|Matsusaka beef horumon ==References==