8 minute read
If you’ve spent any time around steak lovers, you’ve probably heard someone rave about Wagyu. Even if you’ve never heard the word “Wagyu,” chances are you’ve heard of Kobe beef.
I’ll admit it…
For a long time, I wasn’t convinced all the hype was justified.
Chris and I were visiting Eataly in Chicago when we found ourselves standing in front of two beautiful Wagyu ribeyes. They weren’t cheap.
We looked at each other and finally agreed… “Market research?”
So we bought them.
When we got home, I planned to cook those steaks side-by-side with one of our own 100% grass-fed Irish Dexter ribeyes.
I honestly didn’t expect our Dexter to hold its own. But it did.
What I didn’t expect was to completely understand why people become obsessed with Wagyu.
The word Wagyu literally means “Japanese cattle.”
One of my favorite facts to share at the farmers market is this:
All Kobe beef is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu is Kobe.
Kobe beef is a very specific type of Wagyu from Japan that must meet incredibly strict standards. Think of it like Champagne. Every bottle of Champagne is sparkling wine, but not every sparkling wine can be called Champagne.
Wagyu itself refers to Japanese cattle that have been carefully bred over generations for one remarkable characteristic:
Marbling.
Those beautiful white streaks throughout the steak aren’t just for appearance.
That fat is woven through the muscle itself. As the steak cooks, it slowly melts into the meat, creating the buttery texture and rich flavor Wagyu has become famous for around the world.
Unlike most beef breeds, Wagyu naturally develops exceptional intramuscular marbling because of its genetics.
That’s what makes Wagyu so unique.
This is probably the second question we hear most often.
The short answer?
Because it’s expensive to produce.
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Genetics
Wagyu naturally develops exceptional intramuscular marbling through genetics rather than diet alone.
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Time
Wagyu cattle are often raised longer, increasing feed, labor, and land costs.
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Care
Premium Wagyu requires careful breeding, management, and attention to detail.
When we cooked our first Wagyu steaks, the first thing we noticed wasn’t the flavor.
It was the size.
Our Irish Dexter cattle are intentionally smaller-framed animals, so these Wagyu ribeyes looked enormous. Then came the marbling.
Our 100% grass-fed Dexter beef is naturally leaner than grain-finished beef. It’s wonderfully flavorful, but it simply doesn’t develop the same heavy marbling that Wagyu is known for.
For our first comparison, I even experimented by tenderizing both steaks using homemade yogurt whey.
Later, I cooked another comparison using nothing more than Redmond Real Salt.
Both methods produced incredible steaks.
The Wagyu wasn’t just different. It was every bit as good as people claimed.
That was the moment I stopped thinking of Wagyu as “overhyped.”
I finally understood why people talked about it the way they did.
Fast forward to early 2026. Chris and I found ourselves facing a challenge.
People absolutely love our 100% grass-fed Irish Dexter beef. The problem? We simply can’t raise enough of it.
Dexters are wonderfully efficient cattle, but they’re naturally smaller than commercial beef breeds. That means fewer pounds of beef from each animal, making it difficult to keep our freezers stocked as demand continued to grow.
We started talking about increasing production.
Should we cross our Dexters with a larger breed? Neither of us loved the idea.
Then I looked at Chris and said,
“I think the only breed I’d ever be willing to cross our Dexters with…would be Wagyu.”
That one sentence completely changed the direction of our farm.
A few months later, we brought home:
To say they were impressive would be an understatement.
They were massive.
About a month later, our Black Wagyu bull arrived.
That’s when this project became even more exciting.
The two most common Wagyu bloodlines in America are Japanese Black and Akaushi (Japanese Brown).
Japanese Black cattle are world-renowned for their extraordinary marbling.
Akaushi are prized for exceptional tenderness, beautiful marbling, and rich beef flavor.
We chose Akaushi because we loved everything about the breed.
Then we added a Black Wagyu bull because…
Just imagine combining the legendary marbling genetics of Black Wagyu with the efficiency, hardiness, and grass-based foundation of our Irish Dexter cattle.
That’s an experiment worth waiting for.
Most Wagyu is finished on grain to maximize marbling.
Our farm has always believed in raising cattle on pasture.
So naturally, the question became:
Can we raise exceptional Wagyu while staying true to the way we farm?
We’re committed to finding that answer.
We’re researching. Talking with experienced producers. Learning everything we can. Taking our time.
Before we ever sell a single steak, we want complete confidence that the beef meets our standards.
Our goal isn’t simply to raise Wagyu.
Our goal is to raise Wagyu that reflects everything Fluffy Butt Farms stands for.
If everything goes according to plan, sometime around 2029 we’ll be tasting our very first home-raised 100% Wagyu alongside our Dexter × Wagyu crosses.
To say we’re excited would be an understatement.
Our Irish Dexters aren’t going anywhere.
They’re the foundation this farm was built on.
But we’re incredibly excited to see what happens when two extraordinary breeds come together.
Whether you choose one of our grass-fed Dexter steaks, an Akaushi Wagyu steak, or someday a Dexter × Wagyu cross, our mission remains exactly the same:
To raise cattle the way we believe God intended, steward the land He’s entrusted to us, and provide beef we’re proud to serve around our own family table.
Good food has a story. We can’t wait to share ours.
Tawney Wolters is the co-owner of Fluffy Butt Farms in Battle Creek, Michigan. Alongside her husband, Chris, she raises Irish Dexter cattle, Akaushi Wagyu, Freedom Ranger chickens, and heritage pigs using regenerative farming practices. Through the Meat Education series, she shares what she’s learning on the farm to help families feel more confident about the food on their table.
