This place, about an hour southwest of Frankfurt, has the best steaks I've ever had in my life, and that is no exaggeration. Their signature offering is 'ochsenfilet am stuck' which they bring out raw on a platter when ordering. You tell them how much you want, and how you want it cooked and it comes out exactly so. PM me if you want details.

http://www.burgschaenke-neuleiningen.de/

it isn't beef, it is ice cream is disguise

Kobe beef in Japan is by far the best I have ever had. It is like eating beef flavored melted-fat, simply amazing. Second would have to be a 2-1/2" thick Porterhouse from Lobels. Argentine beef is good, but agreed that the grass-fed is a little tougher. Then again, on a price basis it is by far the best.

As a Scot living in Argentina I would say yes Argentine beef is good but not always. You can still get a poor bit of beef on the odd occasion from the butchers so it's not a certainty it'll always be tender.The way of cooking it here over the embers of burnt wood rather than charcoal definitely makes a difference to the taste no doubt about it.
Of course being a Scot I have to put a good word in for Scottish beef and it's no coincidence that a fair percentage of Argentine beef comes from the Aberdeen Angus breed of cattle.

I've eaten piles of beef in Brazil, and some imported Argentinian beef in the US, and enough Kobe to make my wallet scream at the mention of the word.

But, for me, nothing does it quite like beef from the Chianina cattle of Italy. I picked up two monster bisteccas from a small butcher in Levanto, Italy and roasted them over olive wood coals. Oil, salt... nothing, I repeat nothing, in steak land is better.

Dang it, now I'm starving again.

Cheers,

-Andrew

Going a little leftfield, the most extraordinary I've eaten is Santo beef from Vanuatu. A herd of Charolais cattle were set loose during WW2 on the island of Espirto Santo and have lived there ever since. The meat is stunning - perfect balanced texture, deep flavour.

I love Argentinian steaks, but the Santo stuff blew me away.

Dunno about Aussie beef, but I age my own beef at home. Mmmm... boneless prime rib (real prime*) for $8/lb at Costco. Is a bit silly to do a 6lb rib roast for two people, but the leftovers make for a fantastic breakfast.

Mrs. ralfp and I went to BA last year for dinner (1 night trip); the beef, at Las Lilas, was very good, but nothing worth writing home about. It was, however, a fantastic deal.

*: In the US rib roasts can be called "Prime Rib" even if they're not USDA Prime beef. See here.

How did the Santo stuff compare price wise out of curiosity?

& to add a question, where did you dine on Santo beef ?

In Vanuatu, both Port Vila and on Santo itself.

I don't remember it being especially expensive. It was on sale at VLI for those returning home but we didn't think it would survive the 36hour trip back to London.

Mr P1 is the best beef in the world. Oh wait, that's beefcake.

As for the mooing kind- Ohmi Wagyu. Only had it once, but it even beat out Kobe.

Beer fed and massaged, I am also envious of its lifestyle.

As for how long to cook it- just tell my steak "see that? It is fire. Take a good look but don't get too close, it can hurt you."

Anyone know if I'm correct in assuming that Kobe (Wagyu) beef is wet aged?

Kobe beef is from a specific breed of Wagyu. No aging seems to be required.

Requirements (copied from the Wikipedia article):

• Tajima cattle born in Hyōgo Prefecture
• Fed by farm in Hyōgo Prefecture
• Bullock or Virgin cow, meant to purify the beef
• Processed at slaughterhouse in Kobe, Nishinomiya, Sanda, Kakogawa and Himeji in Hyōgo Prefecture.
• Marbling ratio called BMS is level 6 and above.
• Meat Quality Score is A or B
• Gross weight of beef is 470 kg or below

Thanks for your quick reply. Since I thought all beef (unless eaten less than 12 hours after slaughter) had to be aged, you got me doing a little research. Apparently Kobe beef is a dry aged beef... I also found that only beef still on the bone can be dry aged.

Never have I read such pretentious twaddle in concert.

The best beef I've had recently was last night, a modest ribeye, graded Choice, from all places, "Sam's" (but from a "special" shipment, seared in cast iron as near molten as I could heat the skillet, then, heresy of heresies finished to Medium Rare in 500F oven in a technique apparently increasingly popular. Served with a "Semi-Cassoulet" of French white beans cooked with chicken stock, smoked bacon, some cured sausage - no confit available, garlic and a tone of onion, with a modest salad, Spring Greens lightly dressed, and a baguette, it sure beat any Super Bowl snack list.

My point is simple, that any attempt to define the "best beef ever" is highly subjective, because the ingredients of time, place, perspective and attitude have much to do with satisfaction, just as at my advanced age, recalling the best sex ever can't be aided by some carefully maintained pocket book of comparable scores. Now there was this afternoon in Rapallo....Great......Best?

As for the Japanese cult products..... Admittedly, they are good, but far too fat, almost greasy in the eating, for me. Still having my own functional teeth, I'll support the concept that trying grass fed beef (rarely available in the US except from specialty - read "grossly over-priced" - outlets or a rancher friend/relative) is worth the effort. Just as grass fed lamb from Breton salt marshes is much praised, a good cut of carefully reared, rich grass nourished beef can be awfully satisfying.

The best steak I ever had? The last good one.