Famed for the extreme succulence of their meat, the magnificent Japanese Wagyu cattle can be found roaming the Northumbrian hills on Steve Ramshaw’s farm near Otterburn. Steve, who is well-respected for his championing of organic methods and for combining conservation techniques with farm management, became one of the first British farmers to rear this special breed. His cattle come from a pure Japanese Wagyu bloodline to ensure they maintain the breed’s prized characteristics of an extraordinarily high percentage of intramuscular fat. This fat is what is responsible for producing beef of extreme tenderness, succulence and deep flavour.

The cattle are raised on Steve’s 750-acre hill farm near Otterburn where he employs traditional ‘extensive’ farming methods. This means all his animals have plenty of room, and graze on a natural diet of grasses, heathers, mosses and herbs.