Got anywhere from $100 to $300 U.S. per pound to spend for steak? Well, get your checkbook ready, because that’s what it’ll take to buy yourself the ultimate in quality in the land of world-class beef steaks. Welcome to the world of Kobe beef steaks – Japan’s answer to the rich man’s picky palate.

Known for its rich buttery taste and exquisite tenderness, Kobe beef steaks originated in the port city of Kobe, Japan. Through the lines of the Wagyu breed of cattle, particularly the Tajima strain, the Japanese perfected the art of raising animals that produce world-renowned taste and texture, creating what is known as Kobe beef steaks.

Heavily marbled, Kobe beef steaks come from cattle that have been not only grain-fed, but in some instances massaged to relieve stress and brushed with sake to soften the animals’ skin. These cattle are treated with the greatest care in order to produce the best possible meat – and it pays off. Kobe beef steaks reign as the highest-priced steak in the world.

Since the latter part of the 1970s, when a few Wagyu cattle were imported to the United States, and then again later in the mid 1990s, several American ranches began raising Wagyu beef to the strict standards of the Japanese. Since then, Australia, too, has gotten into the enterprise. Shipping the cattle for finishing back to Kobe and thus maintaining the authenticity of the Kobe, Japan “origination,” further adds to the cost and higher prices of Kobe beef steaks.

Kobe beef steaks must be prepared carefully to retain their unique attributes. Cooking this incredibly tender meat entails restraint and thoughtfulness. In Japan, it is rare that whole steaks are used in servings. Traditionally, Kobe beef steaks are used in dishes in which it is thinly sliced and served over rice or with vegetables. Often, the meat from Kobe beef steaks comes to the table raw in Japan, due to the tenderness and innate flavoring of the meat.

Overcooking Kobe beef steaks comes close to committing culinary sin. For American palates, this means quickly searing only the outside of the meat, leaving the fragile inner texture moist and tender. At the prices this steak commands, well-done steak lovers fare better to avoid Kobe beef steaks altogether. So enjoy your Kobe beef steaks – but remember to check your account balance before you indulge!