Have you ever tried the world’s most luxurious and expensive beef? Japan’s prized Wagyu beef is on most foodies’ bucket lists and once you’ve experienced this melt-in-the-mouth meat, it can be hard to go back to regular fillet steak.
On Friday, I headed to the Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council stall at the BBC Good Food Show at Olympia to learn more about Wagyu beef and how to prepare this sought-after delicacy.
So, what is it that makes Wagyu beef so special? Wagyu beef is famous for its high levels of fat marbling, which gives the meat a superior flavour and texture. The ‘Wa’ in Wagyu means Japan while ‘gyu’ refers to cattle and as the name suggests, proper Wagyu beef only comes from Japan. In fact, the Universal Wagyu Mark, established in 2007, proves its authenticity and unrivalled quality.
The difference with Wagyu beef is achieved by nuturing the pedigree cattle from birth to adulthood. Wagyu cows are massaged to improve circulation and fat distribution and avoid stress. They are also hand-fed individually, allowed to graze freely and are even given hand-made jackets for the colder weather. At maturity, the cows tend to weigh around 700kg, following gradual fattenening. The meat is then graded and the highest quality cuts can command a top end price, making it a very exclusive artisanal meat.
The Japan Livestock Products Export Promotion Council stall was quite a hotspot with Wagyu fans and curious gourmands gathering to watch a series of live cookery demonstrations with top chefs.
Benihana Executive Chef Toshio Suzuki kicked off the cooking sessions but I was there in the afternoon to catch Daniele Codini, Head Chef of Percy and Founders, at the stove. A long-time fan of Japanese beef, Chef Daniele showed that Wagyu can also work exceptionally well with British and modern European dishes.
He demonstrated how to cook two different dishes and spoke about the benefits of using Wagyu beef. The first was Beef Tataki with pickled carrots, ponzu jelly and charcoal mayonnaise.
The Wagyu beef was cooked on a very high heat to sear the outside while leaving the inside pink and rare. The pickled carrots added acidity to the richness of the tataki and the ponzu jelly was tangy and sweet. Chef Daniele told us that to get the smoky barbecue grill flavour for the mayo, he dropped a piece of charcoal into hot oil which was then used in the mix (perhaps don’t try it at home though, as it will fill your kitchen with smoke).
I found the Wagyu beef silky and satisfying with a subtle and clean flavour. While the tataki is usually served at room temperature rather than warm, the heat from the tongue and mouth helps melt the fat.
The next dish was a Japanese spin on the classic British Sunday Roast. Chef Daniele had already slow-cooked the large joint of Wagyu beef in a bag and then seared it to finish. The beef was served with baby potatoes cooked in the beef fat (don’t discard it), pickled girolles and horseradish cream.
The tender, juicy Wagyu beef had a pure flavour and the high amount of velvety fat made it ever so indulgent. It was the perfect choice for a special Sunday meat and I could have easily devoured more.
Both dishes can be recreated at home, however if you’d rather have a chef lend their creativity to your Wagyu beef, head to Benihana, Tokimeite, Tokyo Sukiyaki-Tei or Harrods in London.
Are you inspired to try cooking Wagyu beef? What is your favourite dish made with Wagyu beef?
All photos by Chérie City
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