These are some of the World’s most expensive beefs.
Kobe Beef: This beef comes only from Kobe, Japan; therefore, costs more the further you travel from Japan. What makes it so special? Well, it comes from Wagyu cows that have been massaged with sake-fed grain fodder and given one beer a day. This makes the beef tender, flavorful and wonderfully marbled.
You can find this in most of the top, high-end steakhouses in the U.S. like Japanese in Chicago. At the Renga-tei Restaurant in Kobe, a cut of Wagyu, wrapped in rice paper and seared on an iron grill, then served with salmon and salad is $206. Chef Varley’s “Triple Seared” Japanese Kobe in Las Vegas costs $33 an ounce. So, an eight-ounce serving is $264.
American Wagyu: This type of beef comes from Wagyu cows imported from Japan but raised here in the U.S. They are rare (there aren’t very many of them) so they are expensive. They, too, are tender and very flavorful. You can find this type of beef at BLT Steak in New York City. There, an American Wagyu 12-oz. rib eye runs $92.
Tenderloin: Typically, the most expensive cuts of beef are taken from the most tender parts of the cow. These are the parts that don’t get “overworked” in the animal’s lifetime. Therefore, they’re tender. Tenderloin is an amazing example of this. The Tenderloin Room in St. Louis. The “Pepperloin a la Tenderloin” dish at the Tenderloin Room (which consists of slices of specially seasoned, marinated tenderloin) costs $38.
Filet Mignon: It is taken from the small end of the tenderloin (called the short loin) and is known as the “king of steaks.” It can often be cut with a fork, it’s so tender. Kansas City Steak Company are widely known for their corn-fed beef – especially the filet mignon. A 12-oz. filet at BLT Steak in NYC is $42. Six 6-oz. filets from Kansas City Steak Company run $64.95.
Kansas City Strip: Strip steaks, taken from the short loin, are particularly tender, but not as tender as the tenderloin. They can, however, but cut into thicker portions which is appealing to lovers of more rare beef. Sometimes called New York Strip or Delmonico, you can find strip steaks just about everywhere!
Porterhouse: Part tenderloin and part strip steak, this hefty favorite divides the two with a bone that helps provide amazing flavor. The Porterhouse has a larger side of tenderloin than the strip. A single Porterhouse at the Tenderloin Room in St. Louis runs $39.
T-Bone: The yin to the Porterhouse’s yang, the T-bone is a more conventional favorite, yet still pricey in upscale restaurants. The fact that this type of steak comes from the short loin section of the cow (and, thus, the most tender) makes it expensive.
Bone-in Ribeye (Cote de Boeuf): It’s the bone that gives this cut its flavor. Leave the bone in and you leave the rich flavor intact. The ribeye comes from the rib section of the cow, which gives it its hearty flavor.
