Every now and then we get a few customers asking for "Vaca Vieja" (Old cows) as it is very common in Europe to eat beef from cows that are old. This beef presents a different flavor profile, but presents chewier and tougher meat...  but it is not really a common practice in the US.

We are always looking for new and interesting products, and this is where we met the guys from INTOKU. A small cattle farm in Texas that is raising Akaishi Wagyu, but more interestingly... they are grabbing their older cows (8-12 years old), dry aging them for 30 days and then processing them. So effectively, you have a Dry Aged Vaca vieja. 

This process allows you to retain that flavor of vaca vieja, but it makes it REALLY tender. On top of that you have a bit of that dry aged flavor that we all love so much. 

So you get a cool mix of three cultures:  Japanese (Breed), American (feed), Spanish (Vaca Vieja).

We are happy to offer INTOKU ground beef at Meat N' Bone.

Note: We have yet to decide if this is a limited time product or something we will constantly carry.

AKAUSHI WAGYU?

If you have read our blog then you know that the word "Wagyu" translates to "Japanese Cow"  (Wa means Japanese and gyu means cow). So, Wagyu does not really mean a lot as a term. That said the term groups up the four top cattle breeds in Japan:

• Wagyu: Kuroge Washu (Japanese Black)
• Mukaku Washu (Japanese Polled)
• Akage Washu (Japanese Brown)
• Nihon Tankaku Washu (Japanese Shorthorn). 

Typically most Wagyu beef comes from Tajima Kuroge Wagyu, at-least most of the Wagyu we sell does. Which is one of the reasons we like this INTOKU product as it allows us to try a different type of Wagyu: Akaushi (Japanese Brown) which is typically from the prefecture of Kumamoto.