Wagyu beef is a type of cattle that has been bred for its high marbling content, making it one of the most sought-after beefs in the world. Wagyu steaks are known for their rich and buttery flavor, but can also be tough to cook properly. The key to cooking wagyu steak lies in understanding what makes them so special and how they differ from other types of beef. Read on for tips that will help you get your next wagyu steak perfectly cooked!
What Does Wagyu Stand For?
Wagyu means “Japanese Cow.” In Japan, Wagyu beef is a delicacy, with the most expensive cuts of meat sold for as much as $300. However, Wagyu is now being produced in many countries around the world.
What Exactly Is Wagyu Beef And Why Is It So Prized?
Wagyu is an extremely marbled beef, due to the way that it is bred. It has much higher levels of Omega-6 than other breeds of cattle, which means that there are layers and layers of fat within the meat. When cooked, this fat melts away, resulting in a tender and delicious steak – one of the most expensive types available on the market today.
“Why eat Wagyu?” you may well ask. Well, if you like leaner cuts of steak (which can sometimes be dry), then Wagyu will certainly be up your street! It’s also fantastic for those looking to lose weight; Wagyu contains fewer calories than chicken or fish, making it an excellent choice if you’re watching what you eat.
In some places, Wagyu even contains less cholesterol than chicken or fish! In fact, it is leaner and healthier than a lot of the meat found on supermarket shelves.
How To Cook Wagyu Steak
Step 1
Choose a good quality Wagyu steak if you’re going to cook it yourself. Choose a thick-cut steak, as thin pieces will overcook easily and ruin the texture of your meat. If you can’t find Wagyu locally, another option is to purchase Wagyu online from sites such as ButcherBox.com or Grasslandbeef.com. ButcherBox ships Wagyu options monthly, and Grasslandbeef.com offers a 10% discount on purchases of $150 or more.
Step 2
Remove the steak from the fridge at least an hour before you plan to cook it. This will let it get closer to room temperature so that cooking times are more accurate.
Step 3
Coat your Wagyu with seasoning like pepper and sea salt, which is enough for 8-12 ounce steaks (400 grams). You can add additional spices such as rosemary or garlic if you want. Avoid using pre-made marinades for this cut of meat because they typically contain ingredients like sugar and soy sauce which will burn during grilling and ruin the taste of your steak.
Step 4
Heat your grill to medium-high heat and sear the steak for three minutes on all sides. This will lock in juices and give you a crispy, flavorful outer crust.
Step 5
Turn down your grill to medium-low and let your steak cook four more minutes per side if it’s an eight ounce (under) steak or six minutes per side if it’s ten ounces or more. Then, let the meat rest for at least five minutes (but as long as fifteen) before serving so that nutrients redistribute throughout the meat instead of leaking out onto your plate. Note: this time also allows bacteria to cool down, making it safer to eat! You can use a resting time like this one with any type of steak.
Step 6
Slice your steak against the grain to make it easier to chew, and enjoy! Doing this ensures that you’re cutting through some tough muscle fibers that can otherwise be stringy or chewy. If you end up overcooking your steak (and all grill cooks occasionally do), you won’t need a sharp knife to eat it; just use some kitchen shears instead.
They’ll cut right through any overcooked spots with ease. A 12 ounce Wagyu grilled medium-rare will serve four people generously, so plan accordingly before cooking your meat. You may have leftovers or lots of scraps if not enough people are eating, so keep that in mind when shopping for ingredients too! Cooks who prefer a more well-done steak should aim to use bigger cuts of meat and increase cooking times.
Note:
Wagyu beef comes from several different breeds of cow, including the Japanese Black and the Japanese Brown. Both were bred for their flavorful and fatty meat, and both offer similar qualities.
However, Wagyu from outside those regions can come from other breeds that don’t have as much marbling or flavor, so read labels carefully before you make a purchase if you’re concerned about getting a high-quality product. In this article, we’re talking about Wagyu specifically from Japan because it’s what most people are familiar with as a true Wagyu cut!
If you want to learn more about how to cook Australia’s version of Wagyu, or if you want to know about different cuts of Wagyu beef, check out this article from US Wellness Meats which offers a detailed break-down.
Tips:
An hour before cooking your steak you should remove it from the fridge. Letting it get closer to room temperature before cooking can improve its tenderness and allow for more accurate cooking times.
Additionally, never skip the step where you coat your steak in seasoning because that will give it flavor and keep it from sticking too much to the grill! Leaving a thin layer of oil on one side helps with clean-up when using an outdoor grill; use tongs to flip your steak and do this last minute over high heat so nothing contaminates your food while you handle it.
A common mistake grill cooks make is flipping their steak too soon or too often, which can result in an overcooked outside and undercooked inside. Be sure to flip only once during the cooking process so you get an even level of char on both sides.
When it’s time to take your meat off the grill, don’t touch it! If you try to poke or prod your steak while it’s resting, all that tasty juice will run out onto the cutting board instead of staying put where it belongs. Simply place a cover over the top of your cooked Wagyu for several minutes if you’re not quite ready to eat just yet.
This should be enough time for bacteria levels to drop significantly because this resting time is very important with any type of steak, but it’s especially crucial when you’re cooking Wagyu beef.
What Is The Best Temperature To Eat It?
When you cook Wagyu steak, it is important to make sure that the meat is cooked through. This means that all parts of the meat are exposed to high enough temperatures to kill any bacteria that may be present in the flesh.
Some people believe that Wagyu steak should be eaten rarer than most other kinds of steak. However, not only does this increase the risk of health problems, but also changes the texture and taste of the meat dramatically.
Although many people enjoy eating very rare or even raw beef, it is highly recommended to cook your Wagyu steak thoroughly so as to diminish bacteria and potential parasites’ numbers before they have a chance to infest your digestive system.
Rare cooking methods for beef can still carry risks under certain circumstances, and these risks only become greater when the meat is Wagyu.
Wagyu steaks should be eaten medium or medium-well done. A steak that is still slightly pink in the middle is alright, but you will not enjoy an overcooked piece of beef any more than a rare one.
When cooked to lower temperatures such as rare or medium-rare, Wagyu has a tendency to become tough very quickly due to its high fat ratio and lack of marbling. While this texture might be fine for some people who enjoy chewing their food slowly and intensely, it can be rather unappetizing for others who prefer tender cuts of meat with reasonable amounts of fat that do not require excessive chewing before they dissolve in the mouth.
Remember that Wagyu is naturally tender, so it does not really need to be cooked rare in order to taste great.
The USDA recommends cooking any type of beef, including Wagyu until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71 Celsius).
Conclusion
hold out for a high-quality cut from Japan, slice against the grain to make it more tender, salt your meat at least one hour before grilling and immediately after flipping so that it seasons evenly on both sides, flip only once during cooking, let your cooked Wagyu rest covered for five to fifteen minutes before serving…and don’t forget about kitchen shears!
They’ll give you an easy way to trim off any overcooked or undercooked bits leftover after slicing. Now that you know how to cook Wagyu steak like a seasoned grill master, it’s time to find out what you’ll be eating! Wagyu is the kind of beef that melts in your mouth, so if you’ve ever had Kobe before, it’s very similar.
However, Kobe is strictly produced in Japan and can range from $50-$100/pound whereas Wagyu steak often costs less than $20/pound. You can usually find Wagyu steak for under $15 per pound at stores like Costco, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market and many more. This means you can enjoy a delicious dinner at home without breaking the bank!
Just remember that even though Wagyu is an extremely healthy cut of meat with lots of vitamins and minerals that support your immune system – not to mention high levels of CLA and Omega-3 – it can be a bit more difficult to cook than other steaks.