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This Man Rears Japan's Most Expensive Beef By Feeding Cows Beer

This Man Rears Japan's Most Expensive Beef By Feeding Cows Beer

Mr Tochigi also hand massages the cattle with alcoholic spirit before selling them for extortionate amounts of money

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

Would you pay £350,000 for one cow? Probably not. But what if we told you it had been fed beer and given alcoholic massages. Still, I bet you'd say thanks but no thanks.

One elderly Japanese man manages to sell his cattle for £350k ($462k) so that diners can enjoy some of the best steak in the world.

Mr Tochigi produces the Matsusaka wagyu meat but don't think you can nip to your local steakhouse for a sample as it can only be bought in Japan.

Mr Tochigi nurtures the cattle by giving them bottled beer.
JNTO

The 86-year-old uses a selection of weird techniques to nurture his animals. According to The Sun, he quenches their thirst with bottled beer and also gives them hand massages with an alcoholic spirit to promote better blood circulation.

On top of that he feeds them corn and soya beans in a rearing process which takes up to four years. Oh, and only the virgin females are sold.

Speaking to the Independent about why the meat is exclusively from females, he said: "Females have more fat than males; that's why they taste better than kobe."

People travel all over the world to try the steak.
JNTO

As well as the bizarre approaches that he adopts, Tochigi has a little cry when they're sold to one of the several wagyu restaurants in Matsusaka city.

Still not sure whether that's because the animal has flown the nest or because he's £350k better off in a matter of seconds.

Apparently, one restaurant owner revealed that he spends around £34,000 per cow - a bargain then compared to Tochigi's produce.

The fourth generation owner of Restaurant Gyugin, Mr Kobayashi, says that he then charges diners around £120 for three slices of steak.

Mr Kobayashi told the Independent: "Around 5 million yen per cow and we sometimes buy four cows per month. I have travelled across Japan and never eaten better beef."

According to Mark Stratton, who ventured to Japan to try the meat, the first slice (of the three) was a 'medium-rare slither, grilled yakiniku-style on a charcoal burner'.

He added: "The second is divinely fruity, accompanied by yuzu and ponsu dipping sauces.

"The third slice is naked and I consume it in several salivating bites, rolling my eyes skywards at the tender, melting savouriness of Matsusaka wagyu wonderment."

Anyone hungry yet or what?

Featured Image Credit: JNTO

Topics: Food, News, Japan