In 1998, Luis Barcosa veterinarian specialized in the management of bovine production establishments, proposed to produce the Wagyu breed, native to the Japanese city of Kobe, in the country, in order to combine it with the Argentine livestock tradition. This meat stands out for its marbling of intramuscular fat, which results in a juicy, tender and extremely tasty meat and for many it is the best meat in the world.
The veterinary expert began the process by bringing genetic material through Wagyu Sekaiof Ken Koroutsawatsua producer in Japan that guarantees quality and traceability. In this way, the family project of Luis Barcostogether with his son Juan, is the only project of Wagyu of Argentina raised in freedom and agroecological standards. The farms where production takes place are located in Gualeguay, province of Between riversand were declared a natural reserve and free of agrochemicals.
“Wagyu meat comes, in our case, from steers of 100% Wagyu genetics. This breed has a genetic predisposition to infiltrate fat into the muscle. This gives it specific organoleptic characteristics of the type of meat, given by its juiciness, tenderness and flavor. Wagyu fat has a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic and linoleic, such as olive oil and Iberian pork fat or japanese black pig (kurobuta). This fat melts at a very low temperature and gives it a velvety texture and gives it digestibility,” he explained. Juan Barcos, executive chef of Red Motherto NEWS.
In December 2021, together with the owners of Soderia SiphonJuan Barcos decided to open the specialized restaurant Red Mother on a corner of Villa Crespo. “We wanted to open a cosmopolitan Buenos Aires restaurant, with a meat menu that represents the diversity and nobility of the product, in which we could try our wagyu, but focusing on the production process until it reaches the table and not only in the typical luxury context,” Barcos recalled.
“Wagyu is very versatile. In the case of cooking it, I recommend, as with any meat, that it be prepared juicy or turn and turn. But Argentine Wagyu meat is very good to enjoy raw too,” commented the Madre Rojas chef and added: “Argentine Wagyu is slowly ceasing to be an export product and the response of the Argentine public is very faithful, the 80% of our production for the local market is delivered to the homes of families who, when they choose to eat meat, choose to eat the best meat in the world.”
In the restaurant run by Barcos, the focus is on the product: that includes the direct relationship with animal producers and the care of the meats on the grill. All products selected and brought to the restaurant meet the age, feeding and animal welfare requirements established by the owners of the grill. Quality is not only addressed from the organoleptic perspective, but also from production and its sustainability. The restaurant shows the different facets that this type of meat offers: they use it in own-produced charcuterie, empanadas and on the grill, with constantly rotating cuts.
“The care that must inevitably be respected in all production is animal welfare. To this we add that we are one of the only producers in the world that raise Wagyu without confinement, within the framework of fields certified as a protected natural area, which implies that care extends to the ecosystem level and balance native flora – fauna. Producing meat and caring for the environment puts you in a totally different context when it comes to decommoditizing Argentine meat,” explained the owner of Madre Rojas.
Juan Barcos’ career is not only that of a pioneer, it is also the vocation of being a chef. The Entre Ríos chef is from the first group of sommeliers trained and in butchery in the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Métiers de la Viande. He traveled through the first livestock area in Argentina, visiting the most important breeding ranches, accompanying his father in tasks such as choosing bulls, insemination and health of the cattle.
Currently, Barcos is president of the Argentine Institute of Meat Sciences and Trades (ICOCA ) and product manager at Wild Meat, a project to select meat from all over the country that is delivered to your home, with traceability and selection of limited items. Of course, the entrepreneurship that gives him the most pride and satisfaction is being the top gastronomic manager of Madre Rojas.
Image gallery
