THE MARBLING SCORE

Marbling is that webbing of creamy white fat that riddles a cut of beef, and which gives it a spectacular tenderness, juiciness and richness. This score is called BMS or Beef Marble Score.

In the Japanese system, the BMS scale goes from 3 to 12, with 3 being the basic minimum of marbling a steak should have, and 12 being a steak that is almost white with marbling (because BMS scores of 1 and 2 show almost no marbling, they’re not even considered).

More marbling means a tenderer, creamier texture, and is what Wagyu and Kobe beef connoisseurs highly prize, so the higher the BMS score, the more expensive the beef is.