Don't Be Fooled — Here's How To Easily Identify Real Kobe Beef

Famed for its impossibly tender marbling, Kobe beef is considered one of the best meats in the world. Its long list of fans include steak-loving U.S. presidents like George W. Bush, as well as the parents of the late NBA star Kobe Bryant, who named their son after this high-end Japanese beef. Because unscrupulous merchants always pop up when their sharp noses smell the chance to scam people, fake Kobe now infiltrates the market, and consumers may be charged high prices for a lower-quality product. Thankfully, identifying the real deal is easy if you're willing to do a little research.

Kobe is a type of wagyu beef that follows extremely strict guidelines. From the type of cow used, to where and how the cattle are raised, every part of Kobe production is tightly regulated. Of course, the Japanese government also controls the meat's exports. To battle the influx of fake Kobe in the international market, every export is given its own 10-digit identification number, which consumers can plug into the Tajima Beef Certification System to check if their purchase is legitimate. Traceability is so important that you can follow exports even if you aren't buying meat, since Japan has made export records available to the public. Beef aficionados can see when an order of Kobe left Japan, how much it weighed, and the companies responsible for exporting and importing it. This impressive level of detail makes identifying fake Kobe a breeze: if your purchase can't be traced, it's probably not real.

If you're wondering where to buy Kobe beef, you can check the Japanese government's shop list to see approved online or physical retailers. Be wary of retailers that advertise Kobe products but aren't on this list, and keep an eye out for misleading but legal marketing strategies that sometimes label meat cuts as "Kobe-style beef," or "American Kobe." These are just empty terms meant to catch your attention. The meat may taste great, but it's not Kobe unless it comes from Japan's Hyogo Prefecture.

A cut of real Kobe beef can cost as much as $145 for four ounces, or $430 for 13 ounces. Unless you're extraordinarily confident in your cooking skills, you may not want to spend that kind of money for a cut that you might ruin. In this case, take those hundreds of dollars to high-end restaurants where professional chefs will do the work while you simply enjoy the tender meat cooked to perfection. The official shop list also includes restaurants that buy real Kobe, and even tells you which distributor has been used to source it. You'll find prestigious establishments like Cote (Its New York and Miami locations have a Michelin star), and Bazaar Meat by José Andrés in Las Vegas on the list.

Alternatively, you can join the 43 year waiting list for Kobe beef croquettes. That'll give you enough time to save for a trip to Japan to pick them up.