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.
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.
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.
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.
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