Increasingly American ranches have been raising Wagyu, from at least two Japanese breeds of cattle, and there are now many sources making the rich, well-marbled beef available not just to chefs, but also home cooks. Kurt Beecher Dammeier, the founder of Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, is the chief executive of Mishima Reserve, a company that contracts with ranches across the West to raise the cattle; he has just started selling the meat retail online. Another source, KC Cattle Company, based in Weston, Mo., is run by and employs only veterans. Ten percent of the profits go to veterans’ causes. The company was started by Patrick Montgomery after his military service and raises all its own cattle. I compared several cuts of Wagyu from both companies. All were delectably tender, but I found that the KC Cattle strip steak had more umami-like complexity than Mishima Reserve, which had a simpler beefy flavor. The Mishima Reserve rib-eye cap, which comes in several grades, could not be beat. KC Cattle offers more big cuts for roasting and braising, while Mishima Reserve is a better source for interesting steaks like the zabuton (Denver steak). Both companies ship their beef frozen.
Steak prices start at $14.99 at KC Cattle Company, kccattlecompany.com; $19 at Mishima Reserve, mishimareserve.com.
