Wagyu cattle have been bred for centuries for their abundant intramuscular fat, the source of the rich, tender meat.
Cooking Tips
How to Cook Wagyu Beef at Home
Depending on Wagyu’s pedigree, your favorite method for cooking steak may not be the best choice for this buttery, supremely tender meat. We give you the lowdown on how to cook it to perfection.
By Published Feb. 21, 2022.
But the luxurious beef doesn’t come cheap: Wagyu can cost upwards of $200 per pound—and even more if it’s a top selection from areas of Japan such as Kobe, Miyazaki, and Matsusaka.
So-called American Wagyu beef—typically the result of traditional domestic breeds like Angus and Holstein crossbred with purebred Japanese cattle— is also becoming increasingly available. While it costs less than imported Wagyu, at $50 or more per pound (depending on the cut), it’s still a very pricey steak that you want to make sure you cook to perfection.
Here’s the important thing to note: You can’t cook all Wagyu beef the same. Read on to learn the optimal ways to cook this beef so you get the most out of your investment.
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How to Cook American Wagyu Steak
While most grades of American Wagyu beef have decidedly more interior fat than even prime steak, you can still cook the steaks using your preferred method, whether that means searing in a hot pan, reverse searing, using a sous-vide circulator, or starting in a cold pan before cranking up the heat (recipe follows). We like cold-searing in particular for this beef, since it helps to minimize splatter from the meat's abundant fat.
We recommend cooking the meat to medium-rare (125 degrees) to maximize the amount of flavorful juices.
Cold-Seared American Wagyu Steak
Serves 2
Total Time: 20 minutes, plus 45 minutes salting
This recipe will also work with other boneless American Wagyu steaks of a similar thickness.
1 (12- to 16-ounce) boneless American Wagyu strip steak, 1½ inches thick
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1. Sprinkle steak with salt and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours. (Wrap steak in plastic wrap if salting for longer than 12 hours.)
2. Pat steak dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with pepper. Place steak in cold nonstick skillet. Place skillet over high heat and cook steaks for 2 minutes. Flip steak and cook on second side for 2 minutes. (Neither side of steak will be browned at this point.)
3. Flip steak, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook, flipping steak every 2 minutes, until browned and meat registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 4 to 10 minutes longer. (Steak should be sizzling gently; if not, increase heat slightly. Reduce heat if skillet starts to smoke.)
4. Transfer steak to carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice steak, season with coarse or flake sea salt to taste, and serve.
How to Cook Japanese Wagyu Steak
This beef’s richness also means a little goes a long way, so 3 to 4 ounces per person is plenty. We recommend cooking the steak in a hot pan, the traditional way, and bringing its temperature to medium (130 to 135 degrees), which allows more of the fat (it melts at a uniquely low temperature) to soften and be rendered and heightens the beef’s luxurious tenderness.
Avoid reverse searing: Because these steaks are typically only ½ inch thick, reverse searing may not give them enough time to build up a good crust before the interior overcooks.
A caveat to sous vide: If you use sous vide, you must sear the steak as soon as it comes up to temperature; otherwise its fat will keep rendering from the meat.
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Pan-Seared Japanese Wagyu Steak
Serves 3–4
Total Time: 20 minutes, plus 45 minutes salting
This recipe will also work with other boneless Japanese Wagyu steaks of a similar thickness.
1 (10- to 14-ounce) boneless Japanese Wagyu strip steak, ¾ inches thick
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1. Sprinkle steak with salt and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 24 hours. (Wrap steak in plastic wrap if salting for longer than 12 hours.)
2. Pat steak dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with pepper.
3. Heat heavy-bottomed, 10-inch skillet over high heat until very hot, about 3 minutes.
4. Lay steak in pan, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook without moving until well browned, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, flip steak; cook 4 to 6 minutes more for medium (130 to 135 degrees).
5. Transfer steak to carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice steak, season with coarse or flake sea salt to taste, and serve.
