Wagyu & You: Essentials for Buying Wagyu Beef

American Wagyu is rated at the highest USDA level, Prime, but Wagyu marbling usually exceeds Prime marbling, so choosing the right cut is even more important than with Japanese Wagyu. Personally, I believe American Wagyu is usually better in the U.S.... But there are exceptions in these recs, which include the best Japanese Wagyu in the world.

The highest quality Japanese Wagyu is rated A5 or BMS 8-12 (Beef Marbling Score), but you may not see the BMS rating in the U.S. The higher the number, the more edible fat, or marbling, so buy A5 to get excellent marbling. My personal opinion, based ... You need to know more than simply “buy A5”. Choosing the right cut is very important, depending on your recipe.

Most chefs will say ribeye is the most flavorful cut, which is probably true. It has the most marbling. That's why it's my top choice for very thinly sliced beef, such as for Shabu Shabu (see my “Beef Shabu Shabu, Wasabi Mayonnaise, & Wild Mushroom Nabemono”). But ribeye can also have too much inedible fat and gristle, so it's not my top choice for a thicker steak, even though it loves high heat. But many chefs will think I'm crazy for saying this and ribeye lovers swear by it for a thick steak.  These are my recs for American and Japanese Wagyu Ribeye.

This is the most versatile cut. It has a little less marbling than ribeye but still loves high heat. Use it whenever you need either a rectangular portion, such as for grilling (see my “New York Strip with Mushroom, Asparagus, & Prosciutto Flan” and “Cast Iron Steak” lessons), or slicing (see my “New York Strip Sashimi with Citrus Dipping Sauce & Garlic Chips” and “Dueling Yakiniku: American Wagyu v Prime NY Strip” lessons), fried rice or donburi (see my “Wagyu Beef Fried Rice 6” and “Donburi 1: Gyudon (Beef Rice Bowl)” lessons), or you plan to pound it (see my “Beef Negimaki” and “Steak Diane 1” lessons). I use this cut for virtually any recipe except smoking or braising.  These are my recs for American and Japanese Wagyu NY Strip/Strip Loin.

This cut can be hard to find, but it’s my hands-down favorite for simply grilling a steak. It’s tender, flavorful, more economical than the other cuts, and naturally portioned. It's also known as the butcher’s steak because it was often kept to feed ... A typical hanger is about 1 lb., long, round, and roughly the same thickness from end to end, which makes for more uniform cooking.  These are my recs for American Wagyu hanger steak.  So far I haven't found a source for Japanese A5 hanger, but stay tuned.