Why the Marbling in Ocean Beef Matters
Marbling refers to those white veins of intramuscular fat visible in red meat. The fat melts during cooking, enhancing the meat's texture and taste. Marbling is a key factor in beef grading systems worldwide. Higher marbling is associated with premium beef grades, such as USDA Prime, Wagyu, and Kobe beef, and with certain breeds such as Angus beef.
In the USDA grading system marbling is what separates Prime (highest marbling), Choice (moderate marbling), and Select (minimal marbling). Perhaps the most prestigious grading system in the world is the Japanese Beef Marbling Score (the BMS Scale) used for grading wagyu beef on a scale of 1-12. The higher numbers indicate extreme marbling, with A5 (BMS 8-12) being the highest grade.
How Marbling Happens
Marbling develops due to several factors: genetics; diet, age and growth rate; hormonal influences as cattle matures; and management of stress levels throughout the animal’s life cycle.
Some cattle breeds, like Wagyu and Angus, have naturally higher marbling potential because of their genetics. A diet that includes grains promotes more marbling. Younger cattle allowed to grow steadily over time deposit more intramuscular fat. Marbling increases as cattle mature, though meat from very old cattle can be tougher because of aging connective tissue. Low-stress environments from birth to harvest promote better marbling, as stress can deplete fat deposits and raise pH levels.
How Ocean Beef Develops Intense Marbling
Marbling develops throughout an animal's life, with a significant increase occurring from 2 to 24 months of age, which is about when Ocean Beef is harvested.
Ocean Beef has the benefit of Angus genetics, and it’s raised with the kind of attentive care that Japanese wagyu receives. For about 18 months, the animals graze free range on the abundant, nutrient-rich grasses of New Zealand’s South Island. The steers are then sorted and only the best are selected for grain-finishing.
Those chosen few spend the next 150 days at Wakanui Farm’s Five Star Feedlot, which spans 66 hectares on the 600-hectare farm. The spacious coastal facility is a far cry from the crowded confines of most feedlots. The animals drink fresh water from artesian wells that collect mountain snowmelt. They build rich marbling through a diverse and flavorful diet that includes wheat and barley, whole corn silage, rye and other grasses, molasses, and potato starch. Gentle feedlot methods reduce stress. They include handlers on horseback, which the animals find calming. Sometimes, they are let out to “have a skip.” This intentional care and feeding gives Ocean Beef its exceptional eating quality.
Ocean Beef is a produced by Anzco Foods, a Japanese-owned, New Zealand-based company. Anzco created Ocean Beef to meet the rigorous standards of the Japanese market. Ocean Beef is the most distinctive grain-fed beef available, regularly earning gold medals in the World Steak Challenge for its intense marbling and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Find it at Marx Foodservice.
Do you prefer grass-fed beef? Discover the world’s finest,
Silver Fern Farms Angus Beef.
About Marx Foodservice
Marx Foodservice is a wholesale meat distributor with more than 20 years of experience. As a restaurant and foodservice supplier, we seek out only the finest meats and seafood for restaurants. Our products are humanely raised or wild caught with the highest standards of animal welfare and the least environmental impact possible. We scour the world to find exceptional wholesale meats and seafood you won’t find anywhere else. In addition to Ocean Beef, we offer other wholesale beef for restaurants including grass-fed Angus beef from New Zealand and grain-enhanced Irish Nature Beef. Be sure to check out our portioned steaks for restaurants, and our wholesale beef burgers and grinds made from selected whole cuts ground expressly for chefs. All our meats for foodservice are expertly butchered for consistency and the highest yields. We deliver by van to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania & Washington restaurants and nationwide via FedEx.