What are some of the other factors that determine the quality and taste of a steak?

Well, first of all, there’s the breed of cattle. Waygu (the breed used to make Kobe beef) heads the herd, as it were. Black Angus yields a rich, beefy tasting beef. It’s also fast growing and fast fattening, which makes it one of the most popular and recognizable breeds—and brands—in the United States.

The steer’s diet is also a factor. Grass is the natural diet for cattle, but most producers in the United States fatten their steers on corn. Grain-fed beef produces rich-tasting meat with a luscious, fatty (in a good sense) mouthfeel. In South America, grass is the feed of choice, producing beef with an interesting flavor but a somewhat less opulent mouthfeel. A growing number of boutique cattle growers in the United States are producing grass-fed beef. It’s definitely worth trying.