Wagyu Beef is on the menu at Ocean Grill Southampton

When it comes to grading Wagyu beef, it all comes down to the marbling. Just as regular beef follows a standard USDA grading system including choice, prime, select, etc, Wagyu also has its own grading standard. This grading standard measures the meats’ intramuscular fat, also known as ‘marbling’. Marbling is defined as the ‘creamy white fat that riddles a cut of beef’. It is this marbling which gives the beef its spectacular tenderness, juiciness and richness. This is the score known as the BMS or Beef Marble Score.

JAPANESE MARBLE SCORE SCALE

When it comes to grading Japanese Wagyu, the BMS scale starts at 3 and goes to 12, 3 is the basic minimum of marbling that a steak should have, while 12 is a steak that is almost white with the marbling. The numbers 1 and 2 are not even considered as they show almost no marbling. The more marbling the meat has means the meat is more tender and has a creamier texture. This is what connoisseurs of Wagyu and Kobe beef highly prize. The higher the BMS score, the more expensive the cut of beef will be.

THE AUSTRALIAN WAGYU MARBLING SCALE

One of the biggest producers of Wagyu beef in the world is Australia, and they use their own grading scale known as the AUS-MEAT marbling system. This scale starts at 0, no marbling exists, to 9+ which is marbling of extraordinary amounts, 9+ is the highest grade on the scale. The Australian scale is identical to the Japanese marbling scale, this means an Australian Wagyu BMS5 is the same as a Japanese Wagyu BMS 5. However, grade 9 is the highest on the Australian scale, so numbers above will be graded at 9+.

USDA GRADING AND AMERICAN-STYLE WAGYU

The American grading system is different as the UDSA divides the higher-quality meats into three categories:

1. Select
2. Choice
3. Prime (Highest tier)

When you compare USDA grading to the Wagyu and Kobe marbling system, the best Prime steak would have a rating equal to BMS 3 or 4. There are a few select American producers of full-blood Wagyu breeds of cattle, however, most American Wagyu beef is a cross between Japanese Wagyu breeds and other classic breeds such as Angus. American Wagyu follows the Japanese BMS scale when it comes to grading meat.

MARBLE SCORE DESCRIPTIONS

Marble Score 3 And 4
Wagyu beef with a MS (marble score) 3 and MS4 rating denotes the cut has a good amount of creamy white fat marbling. The result will deliver sensational, mouth-watering flavour. The texture is softer than any supermarket steak, this is credited to the flavour profile of the Wagyu cattle genetics. Any Wagyu steak with this marble score is the perfect introduction to Wagyu beef, of for those who like to indulge regularly.

Marble Score 5 And 6
These cuts of Wagyu are premium cuts and are denser and richer in flavour. With a Marble Score of 5 and 6, this cut of steak will have significantly more gorgeous webbing of fat. Not only that, but you will also notice with each bite a much creamier texture, buttery and luxurious yet not too rich.

Marble Score 7 And 8
Cuts of Wagyu with a Marble Score of 7 and 8 is taking a step into the billionaire beef club. These cuts of steak are on a whole new level of richness, so soft it is almost like cutting into butter. Succulent and juicy, the web of creamy fat (marbling) spreads more and throughout the meat, giving you the melt in the mouth texture that you will never forget.