You can go to your local deli and get some cold cuts for a few bucks, or you can go to a Japanese steakhouse and, according to CNN Money, order Kobe Beef at 110 dollars per pound. (And that’s not even the most expensive food in the world! White winter truffles from Alba can cost anywhere between 6,000 and 10,000 dollars per pound!) So what makes one type of meat more expensive than another? And are the world’s most expensive types of meat really worth the price tag?
The best prosciutto on the market will always set you back a few pennies, especially if it is from the province of Parma in Italy. This is where the finest prosciutto in the world is produced. Still, at roughly 20 dollars per pound, our Pio Tosini Prosciutto Di Parma is not nearly as pricey as some of the world’s most expensive meat. This 20-lb leg of imported Italian Prosciutto Di Parma is aged for an astounding 20 months, with nothing but salt and the natural Italian air that is filled with the scent of chestnuts and pine trees. Pio Tosini delivers the sweetest-tasting Italian hams with a luxurious, buttery texture. Because the bone is left inside, some people claim it adds even more flavor to the Italian meat.
While prosciutto is the more famous Italian dry-cured pork meat, culatello isactually the more valuable, more luxurious choice. It is made with the muscularpart of the hind leg—the best cut of the pig. Culatello is rare and requires a high level of craftsmanship to produce, which is why it fetches such a high price. Levoni Culatello is made only in Italy from Italian pigs. It tastes slightly sweet with a touch of spice; a delicate flavor that pairs well with sweet fruit and artisan bread. It is recommended to pair Levoni Culatello with either a Malvasia or a Lambrusco wine, though sparkling wines and champagnes are also possibilities.
Serrano ham is to Spain what prosciutto is to Italy. Aged for over a year, the high quality of Monte Nevado ham is thanks in part to the slow maturation process and long natural curing that these expert meat producers cherish. As with all specialty dry-cured meats, the flavor of this prized Spanish ham is also decided by its unique environment, such as the local mountain winds.
What is the difference between regular prosciutto and prosciutto cotto? It’s simple: the latter is cooked, the former is not. Prosciutto Cotto is the same cut of meat as regular prosciutto (Prosciutto Crudo), but it is slowly cooked after the curing process. This Italian cooked ham is flavored simply with salt and a few additional spices, but has a lighter flavor than Prosciutto Crudo. Parmacotto Prosciutto Cotto is also from the prized province of Parma, Italy.
This three pound piece of Bresaola Bernina Punta is made from lean beef cuts that make it an incredible 98 percent lean. Bernina Bresaola is a raw, air-cured beef that has been seasoned with unique spice blends from the Valtellina region of Uruguay. The curing process maintains a regular moisture level for three months to keep the flavor and texture consistent. It is of such high quality that it is in the same price range as the best prosciutto, weighing in at around 20 dollars per pound.
FAQs
Retail prices and values are based on data provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Livestock and wholesale meat and poultry prices are derived from U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service reports.
What are 5 types of meat? ›
Meats such as beef, lamb, pork, bison, venison, and rabbit are just some of the many types available. Each type has its own colorful tastes and textures that can be used to provide meals that are unforgettable and delicious.
What meat is worth the most? ›
Kobe beef, a type of Wagyu beef from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black cattle, is renowned for its extraordinary quality and price. Raised in Japan's Hyōgo Prefecture, Kobe beef is subject to a strict set of standards that ensure its premium status.
What drives the price of meat? ›
The basic economic concept of supply and demand is at the core of the price of meat. Animal availability and pricing can be greatly impacted by a number of supply-side factors, including weather fluctuations, disease outbreaks, feed costs, and livestock breeding cycles.
What makes meat expensive? ›
Beef is so expensive right now because drought, high grain prices and rising interest rates have made cattle farming a costly endeavor in recent years. To deal with rising operating costs, many U.S. cattle farmers reduced the size of their herds — and some got out of the business altogether.
What determines the price of food? ›
Geopolitical events, global demand, exchange rates, government policy, diseases and crop yield, energy costs, availability of natural resources for agriculture, food speculation, changes in the use of soil and weather events directly affect food prices.
What is the 5 composition of meat? ›
Meat and poultry is composed of muscle, connective tissue, fat and bone. The muscle is approximately 75% water (although different cuts may have more or less water) and 20% protein with the remaining 5% representing a combination of fat, carbohydrate and minerals.
What is the unhealthiest meat? ›
try to limit processed meat products such as sausages, salami, pâté and beefburgers, because these are generally high in fat – they are often high in salt, too. try to limit meat products in pastry, such as pies and sausage rolls, because they are often high in fat and salt.
Which meat is expensive? ›
The most expensive meat in the world is Japanese Wagyu beef, specifically the Kobe variety. Kobe beef comes from Tajima-gyu cattle that are raised in the Hyogo prefecture of Japan and is renowned for its high level of marbling, tenderness, and rich, buttery flavor.
What determines the price of meat? ›
The cost of the animal can be determined by the “sale yard' price, where farmers sell their livestock to other farms, meat wholesalers and supermarket chains. However, this price often does not reflect the costs to the farmer to breed, grow and raise the animals for sale.
There are three variables that my regression model will look at and analyze in relation to retail beef prices. These four variables are the price of substitutes, the real per capita disposable income, diseases, and seasonal factors. Prices of substitute goods can have a major influence on the demand for a product.
What drives the price of food? ›
Many factors affect grocery prices, including the cost of energy, labour and transportation, as well as exchange rates and the size of a harvest.
How do you calculate meat prices? ›
Calculating Price Per Pound
To find portion cost, the cost per pound and cost per ounce are determined. First, you must divide the cost of the loin by its weight to determine the cost per pound. Next, you determine the cost per ounce by dividing the cost per pound by 16 (16 oz./lb.).
What is the markup on meat? ›
Pre-prepared grocery foods: Pre-prepared food is marked up to account for the extra labor and additional products used. For example, pre-cut fruits and vegetables are marked up an average of 40%, and prepared meat — meat that's already been chopped or marinated — has a 60% average markup.
