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Presidential beef: Have you tried Ramaphosa Wagyu?
Tumelo Ramaphosa's Studex Meat is among a handful of local Wagyu producers, flexing its well marbled muscles in this competitive industry.
Presidential beef: Tumelo Ramaphosa’s Studex Meats is one of few farms that sell the ‘monarch of meats.’ Picture – Studexmeats elements created by Narissa Subramoney.
Wagyu steak was once reserved only for Japanese aristocrats.
But these days the beautifully marbled prime beef cuts are available at selected retailers all around the world, including some in South Africa.
Son of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Tumelo, is one of few local farmers producing the ultra juicy beef breed.
Tumelo’s Studex Meat boasts a range of wagyu cuts, from fillets to ribeye cuts, including wagyu wors and biltong.
But this presidential-grade beef can retail for well over the average R700 per kilo.
A 500gr piece of steak can cost anything from R400- depending on the cut.
According to the Studex Meat website, Tumelo describes himself as a ‘fourth-generation farmer breeding various cattle including black wagyu.
Studex Meat wagyu is halaal certified and can be delivered right to your doorstep.
What makes Wagyu so special?
The transcendently tender, fatty, umami-rich steak— is considered to be as luxurious as caviar or black truffles.
Wagyu is a Japanese beef cattle breed, derived from native Asian cattle, where ‘Wa’ means Japanese and ‘gyu’ means cow.
Wagyu is a horned breed cattle which are either black or red and marked by their unique intramuscular fat cells – or marbling.
Wagyu cows are raised by speciality breeders until they are between seven and 10 months old when they are sold to a farmer along with a birth certificate certifying their pure bloodline.
Not only is it a gastronomic delight, but it’s a healthier cut of meat.
The mono-unsaturated to saturated fat ratio in wagyu cuts is said to be higher than in other beef, while the saturated fat contained in Wagyu is different.
The rich flavours and tenderness, of the ‘sweeter’ beef, make for an unrivalled eating experience, which is why Wagyu beef is finding its way into the repertoires of gourmet cooks and fine restaurants across the country.
