Buy Wagyu Beef Livestock from Magnolia Cattle Company

How Do I Cook Wagyu?

Wagyu is a fragile creature under heat. Treat it delicately and with the utmost care, and it will reward you with velvety perfection. A good analogy to cooking Wagyu is that of a baked Alaska—you need to sear the outside, but if you let it sit under the heat too long, it will melt the ice cream inside, and you will have an unappetizing mess. The physical structure of Wagyu beef is not unlike ice cream in that it can literally melt and change into something very different from its ideal form.  The intermuscular fat melts at about 75 degrees F.

If you treat your Wagyu steaks as if you were cooking the beef you are familiar with,  you will be sorry you did.  You will look down at your plate and say, "Damn, I spent that much money on this?" Don't do that.

Think about quick-sear cooking techniques used for things like rare tuna and foie gras.   Open flames, intensely preheated cast iron and Wagyu beef are friends. Good friends.  However you cannot allow the steak to remain in contact with the heat long enough to melt all the fat and cause it to drip out of the internal structures of the meat. If you do you will end up with boringly tough, dry, expensive meat.  "Well done" and "Wagyu" are not words that go well together.

If you do it right, you may just acquire an addiction for life.  wink

 

Different Cuts May Require Different Techniques & Sauces to get the most out of your experience.

Beef Cuts Diagram

The "Hollywood Cuts" - New York, Sirloin, Rib Eye and Tenderloin

We like to grill our steaks in the following manner.

Warm up the grill as hot as you can get it. You can cook the beef directly on the grill or in a cast iron pan. If you choose to use a cast iron pan, place the pan on the grill as soon as you turn it on to allow the pan to become hot.

Lightly brush each side with a mixture of equal parts canola oil and olive oil.   Place your beef on the grill and sear the meat for about 1-1 1/2 minutes on each side.  The meat should be crispy on the outside, but juicy on the inside.   This will seal in the flavor.

After the meat is seared, remove it from the grill and place in a 350 degree oven until the internal temperature of the beef reaches your preferred level of doneness.  Rare or medium rare is ideal for Wagyu beef.

Sprinkle on sea salt and serve. You may also sprinkle some pepper or garlic onto the meat, but it is important to keep the seasoning light. The seasoning should not cover up the flavor of the meat.

Wagyu sashimi, or thin raw strips of beef marinated in a bit of soy sauce, dashi broth and green onion, is very popular in Japan. If tartare is not to your taste, place the thin strips on top of a very hot bowl of rice briefly, and the heat will cook it perfectly, which is to say, very slightly.

If you’re lucky enough to have a full Wagyu Tenderloin Roast, rub with equal parts canola and olive oil, roll in a mixture of salt, pepper, parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme. Then sear roast to golden brown in a Dutch oven or cast iron pan. Place in a Pyrex baking dish and put in oven at 325 degrees until internal temperature reaches approximately 125-130 degrees.  (Rare)  . Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 min. Carve and enjoy!

The "Park Avenue Cuts"   Sirloin,  Skirt, Flank and Short Ribs.

Now you are probably going to want to add some marinade.   These are cuts you’re still grilling so use searing heat and make sure it is not overcooked.  We recommend searching the Internet for recipes specific to the cuts.

"Sunday Afternoon"    Ground Beef

Hey,  it’s a hamburger,  just don’t over cook it!   Thinner patties cooked quickly work best. 

The "Comfort Food Cuts"    Chuck and Round Roasts.

At this point bring out  the Crockpot or Dutch oven.  Don’t forget that garlic, sage, rosemary & thyme always compliments beef.   Call your mom or get on the internet.   There are many mouth watering recipes for these cuts.  With Wagyu you won’t be disappointed.

 

For more ideas and recipes for cooking Wagyu, visit these web sites:

Sukiaki, Shabu-shabu and Tepenaki Recipes - http://www.affluenttastes.com/meats/traditional-kobe-beef-recipes.html

American and Japanese Favorites - http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/delegate.do?fnSearchString=wagyu&fnSearchType=site

Know Your Cuts and How to Cook Them - http://foodsubs.com/Meats.html