Preparing To Cook American Wagyu Steaks
One of the first things you must understand about grilling American Wagyu steaks is the method varies based on the cut. Some steaks, like bone-in or boneless ribeyes, NY strips, and Denver cut steaks benefit from quick, high-heat cooking. Thicker cuts benefit from the reverse sear method of starting the steak over indirect heat and then finishing it over direct heat for the perfect sear.
Let’s examine the best ways to grill American Wagyu steaks, whether you’re looking for a quick sear or alternative cooking method.
How Do You Grill A Wagyu Steak
To grill a wagyu steak, you will need to start with a high-quality steak. Wagyu beef is known for its marbling, so you will want to look for a steak that has a lot of fat running through it. The fat is what makes Wagyu beef so flavorful and juicy, so you dont want to trim it all off. Season the steak with salt and pepper, and then place it on a hot grill. Cook for about 3-5 minutes per side, or until the steak reaches the desired level of doneness. Wagyu beef is best served medium-rare to medium, so dont overcook it! Let the steak rest for a few minutes before cutting into it, and enjoy.
Grill your steaks right away if you want them to last longer. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes at a temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Season the steaks with salt, pepper, and seasoning. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook the Wagyu with the lid closed for 3-5 minutes before flipping them over. Both sides of your Wagyu ribeye should be rubbed with salt and pepper. Grill the steak for 5 minutes with the lid closed after it has been cooked.
What Is The Best Way To Cook Wagyu
Scroll down to see the full Wagyu Cooking Times Table, or click here to see the table in its entirety. First and foremost, it is advised to cook your Wagyu to at least Medium-Rare, especially if you are accustomed to cooking your steak rare. Wagyu Steak takes a little longer time in the oven to allow the marbled fat to melt and the steak to attain its peak juiciness and distinct flavor.
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What Goes Well With Wagyu Steak
Side Dishes: Choose Light Over Heavy Neutral vegetables such as leeks, sautéed mushrooms, or baked potatoes work well with the meal, as do crunchier vegetables such as lightly seasoned green beans, asparagus, or broccoli. Main Dishes: Choose Light Over Heavy Seasonings such as salt, pepper, olive oil, and butter are appropriate for any side dish of your choosing.
Why You Might Want To Avoid Grilling Wagyu Steak
We mentioned briefly that cooking Wagyu beef on the grill isnt the best option because it can be more challenging than other methods, like pan-searing. We want to dive a little deeper into this so that you understand why you might want to hold off on firing up the grill with this cut.
The primary reason is because of Wagyus fat content. This steak has a high amount of fat content, even more than ribeye, which is known for its fat content . However, fat content and the grill dont mix well. When the fat cooks off, it drips into the grill, potentially causing dangerous flare-ups. While using a drip pan can help, its still not a foolproof method.
Another reason that grilled Wagyu isnt best for people unfamiliar with cooking it is that grilling is one of the more complicated ways to cook steak. People who dont cook steak on the grill frequently can find it challenging to get the proper internal temperature while preventing the outside from getting too browned. The last thing you want is a dried-out Wagyu!
Unless you feel 100% confident in your grilling skills, consider using the skillet method that well outline in the simple recipe below.
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Preheat Your Grill And Cast
While the defrosted steak is still in the refrigerator, get your grill to its highest temperature setting.
One option for cooking a Wagyu steak is to use a cast iron skillet rather than cooking the steak directly on the grill grates.
The benefits of using a cast iron skillet are a better sear, and slightly less risk in cooking.
Another reason to cook with cast iron is lowering the risk of flare-ups and overcooking, especially on charcoal and gas grills. Because Wagyu cuts are so fatty, drippings while cooking can cause open flames to shoot up and burn the steak.
Charcoal and gas grills are also notorious for having hot spots. If you happen to cook the steak over one of them, part of it might get overcooked while the other portion is undercooked. If you cook in slices instead, and you happen to overcook one, you won’t have ruined the whole meal.
If you are grilling on a Traeger, hot spots arenât a problem. Traegers are designed to eliminate flare-ups and provide even heat throughout the entire cooking surface.
If you use a cast-iron skillet, place the skillet on the grill while it is heating. You want the skillet as hot as possible when you place the steak on it.
How To Grill Wagyu Steak
How to grill wagyu steak? The grilling process of wagyu beef is slightly different from cooking a regular beef steak. Because it has an abundance of marbling, youll need to start cooking on low heat for a more extended time. When the steak is 20 degrees Fahrenheit below the desired temperature, it should only be seared over high heat.
Wagyu steaks are incredibly tender and juicy. It has a lot of marbling therefore, its best if consumed in small amounts. Its also quite tricky to cook because of the fat content. You should keep an eye on it if you do not want to burn your expensive a5 Wagyu.
In this article, Ill show you how to cook wagyu steak on a grill step-by-step. At the end of the article, youll find a steak temperature chart and some frequently asked questions about this fantastic piece of meat.
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Things To Consider Before Cooking Wagyu
If you have done your time behind the grill or at the stovetop, you probably have a good grasp on how to make a steak. Wagyu steaks are really no different, although you will need a two-step process.
With some cuts of beef, even those from Wagyu beef cattle, you will want to create a marinade. Some cuts, like skirt steak, flank steak, and top round steak, actually benefit from marinating for a few hours to a day because it helps to break up the fibers in the meat and make the cuts more tender.
However, for many steak cuts, like the Delmonico we’re talking about today, you don’t want to marinate it. In fact, you dont even want to overly season it. If you like grilling your steaks, you can do that with Wagyu steaks, but it’s a little bit of overkill.
For this lesson on how to cook Wagyu beef, all we need is a cast-iron or carbon-steel pan, some basic seasoning, a little butter, some space on the stove, and a warm oven.
If you want to read a full list with Wagyu Cooking Tips, you can scroll down or to jump directly.
Japanese Wagyu And Kobe Beef
Wagyu and Kobe beef imported from Japan have the most marbling. These steaks are graded for their appearance, and only steak of the highest quality is exported.
Because of the extremely high marbling, Japanese Wagyu and Kobe beef are extremely tender and fatty. People often say that eating cooked Wagyu and Kobe beef slices is like eating butter.
The high fat content also means that you don’t need to eat a lot of it to fill you up — 1 to 2 ounces per person is the standard recommendation. For this reason, the steaks are often sold in thin strips of 1/2-inch thickness.
Kobe beef is an even more exclusive cut. These must be raised in the Kobe area, and reach a specific quality standard. Only about 3,000 Kobe cattle meet the grade each year.
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How Should A Wagyu Steak Be Cooked
Preheat your cast-iron skillet over a high heat until it is very hot. Lightly grease the pan with butter, olive oil, or, if youre an expert, some of the fat off the margins of your Wagyu steak, which you can save for later. Sear the meat for three minutes per side for a special finish. To get a medium-rare sear, cook each side for four minutes on each side.
Sear And Cook The Wagyu Steak
Place the steak on the grill or in the pan.
Thin, well-marbled Wagyu steak from Japan may need only two minutes per side, and once the sear is complete, the steak will be cooked. Because of the intramuscular fat, the interior will stay tender. Wagyu should be cooked to medium, to allow the marbled fat to render slightly.
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Don’t Forget To Rest It
Remove your Wagyu just before it is fully cooked, wrap it in foil and let it rest in a warm place for about 5 minutes if you are cooking steaks and 15-20 minutes if you are cooking roasts.
The wrapping while it is still warm will allow the temperature to rise by a couple degrees and resting will allow the juices to redistribute evenly, making it more tender and juicy.
Why Is Wagyu Steak So Expensive
It is pricey as a result of the way the cows were grown and butchered, Brazile explains of the method of production. The young cattle are milked by hand and raised on an open grassland, says the farmer. According to the American Wagyu Association, Japanese government regulations on Wagyu production are quite strict.
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What Is The Best Way To Cook Wagyu Steak
The best way to cook wagyu steak is on a grill or pan-frying. Unlike cooking a regular steak wagyu requires a slightly different cooking method. You need to start on low heat and finish it off by searing on medium-high heat on a grill. Whereas cooking on a frying pan, youll need to reverse sear the steak. Place the steak in the oven until the internal temperature is 20°F below the desired doneness. Finish off the steak in a scorching hot pan.
How To Thaw Wagyu Steak
While for other steak can be actually good to cook without thawing, when it comes to Wagyu, it is best to thaw it before use.
The best way to thaw Wagyu Steak is by placing it in the refrigerator and waiting for it to slowly thaw. If your Wagyu comes in vacuum packaging, don’t remove it when placed in the refrigerator.
Another way to thaw Wagyu is by using water. Again, you should keep the vacuum package and only apply Cold water. This will speed up the thawing process.
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Using A Cast Iron Skillet For Even Better Crust
Maybe the only downside of grilling American Wagyu steaks on grates is that it’s harder to develop a consistent crust. If it’s the perfect sear you seek, a cast iron pan or skillet is what you need. Place the skillet over the coals when you light them, allowing the pan to get very hot. You can pan-sear steaks for the entirety if using a conventional grilling method, or put the steaks in the pan after starting them over indirect heat if reverse searing.
What Should You Eat With It
Because the steak is so rich, you want lighter sides such as sautéed spinach, sautéed snap peas, grilled asparagus, roasted broccoli, roasted Brussels sprouts, or grilled zucchini.
Leafy salads with vinaigrette or even sushi would also compliment the meat as well.
You do not want potatoes, rice, or pasta with this steak. Those sides would be too heavy to pair with the Wagyu beef.
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How To Reheat Wagyu Leftovers
There’s something about taking a bite of a well-cooked, high-quality cut of steak that almost borders on ecstasy. Just like an artist, when you start with a quality medium, you are well on your way to having a great result. Thats what you get when you prepare, season, and cook a cut of Wagyu beef the right way.
If you have leftovers, which may not be the case, the best way of how to cook Wagyu beef the next day is set your oven on low , place the steak in a small steel or cast-iron pan that is lightly oiled, and let it slowly come up to temperature. If you like it rare, you should heat it until it is about 120°F and medium to about 130°F. Remove it from the oven and let it rest for five minutes to allow for carryover cooking again before devouring what’s left.
Grilling American Wagyu Steak
Once your beef is room temperature, properly seasoned, and the grill is ready, its time to cook your Wagyu steak. Cooking methods and time vary based on the cut you’re using. For thinner steaks like skirts and flat irons, searing directly over the hottest part of the grill is all you need.
American Wagyu steaks that are an inch and a half or thicker, like tomahawks, are best grilled using the reverse sear cooking method. To do this, place the steaks on the side of the grill you prepared without charcoal or to medium-low heat with gas. Assuming medium-rare is your desired temperature, cook your wagyu beef until a meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 110 degrees.
Once the beef reaches 110 degrees, put the steak over the direct heat side of your grill. Some people insist you only flip your steaks once, but we disagree. We suggest you flip your steak every thirty seconds until both sides develop an irresistible golden-brown crust and the meat thermometer reads 125 degrees.
Once the meat hits the target temperature, take your beef off the grill, lightly tent with foil, and let it rest on a cutting board for five minutes. This gives those liquid gold juices time to redistribute throughout the steak.
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How To Season American Wagyu Steak
Before adding any seasonings, use a paper towel to pat dry the steak thoroughly. Seasoning your dry American Wagyu steak with salt and pepper when you take it out helps produce that crispy surface top steakhouses are known for. The salt draws out moisture from the beef, creating a brine. After about 40 minutes, it pulls the brine back in, adding flavor.
Because you want the robust flavors of your American Wagyu to shine, little more than salt and pepper are needed. But if you prefer a little something extra, like dry rubs, garlic powder, dry mustard, or cayenne pepper, the best time to add those is when you season with salt and pepper.
One final tip for how to season American Wagyu steaksbe liberal. Now’s not the time to be timid. A healthy dose of salt, pepper, and other spices helps develop a crust and deliver incredible flavor.
How Do You Grill A Wagyu Ribeye
The first step is to apply a light layer of oil to the grill before you preheat it, you can just add a couple of tablespoons or you can rub oil onto half an onion and rub the onion onto the grill as this will remove excess bacteria and grime that is sitting on your grill.
While youre waiting for the grill to heat up to 500 degrees, rub salt and pepper into both sides of your Wagyu ribeye. Once the grill has preheated, add the steak to the grill, close the lid and leave it to cook for 5 minutes.
Then open up the lid, flip the steak over, close the lid again and leave it to cook for another 5 minutes.
If you like your steak cooked more well done then you could leave it to grill for longer, however, we recommend Wagyu ribeye to be served medium rare to medium to keep it juicy.
When your steak is cooked to how you like it, remove it from the grill and let it rest on a chopping board for 5 minutes before you begin cutting it to serve, this allows the juices to redistribute all over the steak.
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What To Prepare In Advance
Here’s what you need to have on hand before diving into your Wagyu adventure:
- Prepare a cast iron pan, charcoal grill, or another form of skillet.
- Salt and pepper. Take enough salt to cover both sides of the steak generously. Kosher salt is my favorite.
- I recommend using a bit of fat cut from the steak or good quality beef tallow for searing medium-rare steak. Other alternatives include avocado, grapeseed, sunflower, or peanut oil.
- A meat thermometer. This is optional, but it is highly recommended in order to reach the desired results. Regarding this type of steak, it’s always best to be cautious than sorry.
- Tinfoil and paper towel. Prepare enough to keep the meat covered as the steaks rest.
