Always had a burning question but not sure who to ask? In our regular Ask the Experts section, we do all the nosey-ing so you don't have to. In this edition, we get chef Andrea Spagoni of one-Michelin-starred Beefbar to share on the best way to prepare and cook wagyu.
There's no better person to direct questions about beef than Andrea Spagoni, executive chef of two-year-old restaurant Beefbar in Hong Kong. The one-Michelin-starred establishment he helms uses highest grade beef sourced directly from suppliers, and the kitchen is known to use revolutionary ways of cooking such as broiling the beef at high temperatures and then char-grilling it.
Here, Spagoni addresses a reader's questions and gives tips on how to cook and serve the well-loved marbled beef in its full glory.
Dear Andrea, I love the gorgeous marbling on wagyu steak and really enjoy having it when I dine out in restaurants. Recently, I bought a prime cut of wagyu and would like to try cooking it at home for a dinner party with friends. Because of its higher fat content, what type of cooking method is best suited for wagyu?
A wagyu steak can be handled in the same way we do for regular steak. My advice to cooking a good wagyu steak is to keep in mind that the meat will release more fat than regular beef, so it is better to use less or no oil or butter to cook it.
The fat released will also colour the beef more quickly and cooking time may be faster, so it is important to pay attention not to over-colour or burn the meat.
How long should I let my wagyu steak rest for after cooking it?
For wagyu, the resting time depends on the type of cuts you are using, the weight of the beef, and temperature preference. But in any case, the resting time for cooked wagyu would be shorter than other types of beef as wagyu has less blood vessels (so the meat would not lose as much juices). A good point of reference: A 200g piece of regular beef should rest for around 10 minutes, so the same cut and weight of a wagyu steak would need to be rested for a lesser time than that.
Is there a certain cut of wagyu that you feel is better to use?
For its high fat content, wagyu is interesting for its secondary cuts that provide more juiciness and tenderness. To me, an ideal wagyu steak would feature the top blade cut, cooked medium rare, with some greens to balance the fattiness of the beef and a glass of light-bodied red.
Recommended Reading: For more expert tips on food-related topics, click here.
Written by
Meryl Koh
Meryl Koh is former Digital Associate Editor with the Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau. Her hunger for heart-felt connections and breaking stories is fuelled by a good cup of coffee, occasionally spiked with a shot of whisky.
Zagreb County is a place where sustainable living and heartfelt tradition come together, weaving an experience that feels as genuine as the land itself.
Since his restaurant AM by Alexandre Mazzia took its third star in 2021, this basketball player turned chef has made no secret of his passion for Japan and its green teas. Let's take a closer look at this creator of imaginative cuisine, a refined man who was born in Congo and adopted Marseille as his home, and who never tires of delving into the gamut of culinary sensations.
At the restaurant L'Écrin in Hotel de Crillon, the chef and the sommelier promise to "embellish tea with the finest menus possible". Drinking and eating at the same time is the secret to magnifying the flavours of Japanese green teas.
The MICHELIN Guide Croatia 2022 was released last June. This destination, which seduces international travelers with its dreamy littoral, the impressive richness of its territory and its crystal-like sea, still charms the MICHELIN Guide’s inspectors with its gastronomy, packed with freshness and flavors.
The MICHELIN Guide Croatia 2022 was released last June. This destination, which seduces international travelers with its dreamy littoral, the impressive richness of its territory and its crystal-like sea, still charms the MICHELIN Guide’s inspectors with its gastronomy, packed with freshness and flavors.
Sylvain Sendra, chef at the restaurant Fleur de Pavé (Paris, 2nd arrondissement), was born in Lyon in 1977. He obtained his first MICHELIN Star while working on Paris's Left Bank, at Itinéraires, where he made a name for himself with his high-calibre bistro cuisine. This was the time he became a devotee of Japan and its green teas.
Beyti is a dish known to almost everyone in Türkiye. Even though there may be different versions, everyone still thinks of a delicious meat dish upon hearing the word “beyti.” While often we aren’t aware when a certain dish is made for the first time or who created it, but that’s not the case for beyti: the creator and namesake, Beyti Güler, is one of the most prominent masters alive.
Opened in 2019 by celebrity chef Ákos Sárközi, the owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Borkonyha, Textúra offers an augmented fine dining experience. A funky interior design, visually creative plates and impeccable gastronomy (in which Hungarian game meat finds a modern incarnation) await the gourmet diners of Budapest, in a laid-back, witty atmosphere full of surprises.
Set in the Eiffel Palace, a former newspapers printing and publishing house erected in 1894, restaurant St. Andrea is a modern fine-dining venue featuring unique wines from the Hungarian estate of the same name. Chef Endre Kollár loves to work with edible flowers and recipes from his countryside background, drawing on the bountiful inspiration from the luscious Hungarian forest.
Through its green stars and its partnership with illycaffè, the MICHELIN Guide highlights restaurants that have a strong connection to the environment, places such as Auberge du Père Bise, where you can literally "taste" the landscape. With deep roots in the Savoyard land, chef Jean Sulpice gives a lesson in sustainability, in which coffee has found its place.
The MICHELIN Guide takes you on a trip to Hungary to discover the treasures of this country, its chefs, its products and its producers. Following the launch of the MICHELIN Guide Budapest in september 2021, we take a closer look at Stand, run by chef Tamás Széll.
Awarded a Bib Gourmand in 2021, this bistro in the heart of Ljubljana's old town promises one of the most exciting dining experiences in the Slovenian capital. At TaBar, creativity and conviviality go hand in hand.