Wagyu with a garlic-soy sauce

Everyone loves a Wagyu steak, and it is prized all over the world. I was quite ignorant of this meat, other than enjoying it in restaurants. So here is a breakdown of Wagyu.

Wagyu refers to "Japanese cow", although the name is not trademarked. In Japan, there are special breeds recognised for wagyu beef. They are Kuroge (Black), Akage (Brown/Red), Nihon Tankaku (Short horn), and Mukako (Polled). In Japan, these are the main breeds that produce wagyu beef. However, there is Wagyu outside of Japan, too; this is not purebred Wagyu. This is a crossbred Wagyu and can be called Wagyu as long as it has any amount of Wagyu genetics in the breed. This crossbreeding has been done mainly in the US and Australia. The message is that only Japanese Wagyu is truebred and 100% Wagyu; anything purchased outside of Japan is usually a crossbred meat.

In addition, we hear of Kobe and the very prized Matsusaka and Omi beef, so what are these? These are the locations from where the cattle are bred; each of these city names is trademarked for its provenance. Japan strictly regulates the traceability of the beef throughout the supply chain. For example, Kobe beef can only come from the Tajima strain and be raised and processed in Hyogo Prefecture. So, for simplicity, I think of Kobe as a subset of Wagyu that gives us provenance.

Then there is the grading of Wagyu; it now gets complex, like all things Japanese. First is the Letter Grade: A, B, C, which tells us how much usable meat there is (not fat or marbling, as is often confused). A is above average, and C is below average. Then there is the quality number grade from 1-5. This number is derived from 4 additional factors: marbling (most important), colour (redder is better), firmness and texture, and fat quality. The lowest grade determines the number. To even further complicate matters, marbling is given its own grade from 1-8, with 8-12 being the highest quality. Now that we have the basics down..... I think....

So what does the most coveted A5 Wagyu mean? It means: A = Highest yield meat, 5 = best grade meat for marbling (8-12), colour, texture and fat quality.

To keep things simple, get the A5 and spend the big bucks, as it is so worth it.

Getting back to these lovely A5 steaks, they were quickly pan-seared with no oil or fat, as the wagyu provides enough fat for the cooking process. They only take a few minutes to cook, so they're super fast, as you want the centre to be pink. The sauce is simple and complements the meat well. The umami glutamates and garlic pair beautifully with the fats from the meat, and the dish is rich and decadent. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth soft and tender. This is a lovely steak, and I paired it with Roasted potatoes with peppers and chillies. One of the most common mistakes I see with Wagyu cooked in India is that the meat is overcooked to the point of being rubbery. Please respect the meat and don't do this; these steaks were on a hot pan for 3 minutes at most and were perfect.

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Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 1-inch thick wagyu steaks

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Granular sea salt, to taste

Heat the butter in a pot on a low flame. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute until the garlic is a light golden. Add the soy sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes, allowing the sauce to simmer gently until slightly thickened. Keep warm.

Rub the steaks generously with pepper and salt and allow them to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat a wide frying pan over high heat. When hot, add the steak and cook for 90 seconds, pressing down on the steak gently after one minute. You should smell the first side char a bit. Flip the steak and cook for an additional minute for a medium-rare steak.

Remove onto a cutting board and tent for 3 minutes. Slice the steak and layer it onto a plate with all the juices. Drizzle all the sauce over the steak and serve immediately.