If you’ve never come across Wagyu beef, you are in for a real treat! Wagyu beef is the most amazing, tasty beef you’ll ever eat.
If you are thinking of celebrating a special occasion or just fancy a culinary treat, preparing a steak from a wagyu beef is a great idea.
What is Wagyu beef?
Wagyu beef comes from a special breed of Japanese cow and the meat is beautifully tender. Visually it’s marbled with fat which gives it a very distinctive appearance. The fat lines are very fine but full of flavour, which is why Wagyu beef is the top meat in its own category!
Wagyu beef is rare and because of that quite pricey, but that’s also a reason why it’s so highly regarded.
These days, you can find both American and Japanese origin wagyu beef as its popularity grows amongst customers who truly appreciate fine dining.
You might find that Japanese wagyu beef (especially the Japanese A5) will be much higher in price than the wagyu beef from American cow breeds.
Where to buy Wagyu meat
Since it’s very unlikely that your local butcher shop will stock this rare meat, the best place to buy is from a dedicated online meat shop, where you can rely on quality and traceability. Your meat will be delivered directly to your home which ensures the meat will be in perfect condition. Be prepared to spend more than what you’d normally spend on your regular steak.
How to choose your meat
When choosing your steak, bear in mind that the Japanese A5 is usually thinly cut, which make it easier to have a ‘done’ finish. You also need to be more careful about how you cook it as it needs lower heat. A frying pan or a griddle is the best way to cook this type of steak.
If you prefer your steak rare, choose the American wagyu beef, which is much thicker and has slightly thicker fat veins. This means that you can cook this steak over a higher heat and still have a ‘rare’ finish to your steak with the perfect pink in the middle.
How to prepare your meat
The best way to cook Wagyu beef is as a steak and serve it with your choice of side dishes, such as thin chips, fries or salad. You can add a sauce, but I’d recommend tasting the beef as it is first as you’ll probably realise that such a delicate steak doesn’t need any other flavour. Fresh pepper and salt seasoning are enough to compliment the steak flavour.
To cook your steak, heat up your griddle of a frying pan to medium heat and season the steak very lightly. Add the steak to the frying pan and turn it over to the other side, depending on how cooked you like your steak. In my opinion, rare to medium is the best finish to get the best flavour and savour the experience of Wagyu beef’s unique and exquisite taste. Make sure you enjoy every mouthful.