Meltique beef is artificially marbled beef that’s gaining popularity in America and around the world. It’s a shortcut to expensive-looking meat, a way to achieve ultimate tenderness and savings at the same time. A Meltique Striploin steak, in particular, looks a lot like the expensive and ever-popular wagyu steak, with fine webs of fat weaving their way in a thick mat through the muscle. But the fat in a Meltique steak isn’t the result of genetics, as is the case for wagyu. Instead, Meltique steaks get their webbing from fat that’s injected into the meat after butchering. Sometimes beef fat is used to create webbing in lean meat, and other times vegetable oil is injected instead. The process originated in Japan in 1984 and gives standard meat an upgrade without the jump in price.
Meltique beef is considered safe to eat, as it’s injected with beef- or vegetable-based fat, and the process of injection is regulated by food-safety standards. Meltique beef contains more fat than other regular-grade beef, however. Meltique beef averages an 8-12 on the USDA marbling scale, compared to Prime beef’s score of 6-7 and standard Choice beef’s score of 4-5. For this reason, those who avoid canola oil, other vegetable oils, or high-fat foods should take Meltique’s fat content into consideration.
Where you can find artificially marbled beef (and how much it costs)
Instead of paying the high price tag for wagyu or the more expensive Kobe beef, some people are turning to Meltique steaks for a unique meat option. You can find them at select restaurants, often advertised as wagyu at an amazing price point. You can also buy a frozen 7-ounce Meltique sirloin steak online for about $10, like this option from The Good Meat Store. Meltique meat is available in various forms, including ribeye, sirloin, tenderloin, and chuck roast.
You’ll probably have a hard time finding a Meltique steak at your local grocery store, but you can order them online from various meat suppliers, mainly out of Australia. Once you get your hands on one, though, you can cook Meltique beef the same way you would cook any other restaurant-quality steak at home. Just make sure you don’t overcook it, use simple seasonings, and enjoy your favorite steak sauce on the side so you can taste the full flavor of the meat when desired. Grill or roast a Meltique ribeye, pan-sear a sirloin, or slow-cook a chuck roast for an exquisitely tender meal.
