Cooking Tips
Congratulations on your delivery of mouth-watering American Wagyu. We're here to help you create an unforgettable meal. For best results, follow these guidelines.
Storing
Believe it or not, your Wagyu beef storage knowledge is just as important as your cooking skills! Your Sakura Wagyu Farms delivery will arrive frozen or partially frozen in vacuum-sealed packaging. To ensure optimal product quality and satisfaction, place your Wagyu beef in the freezer right away until you’re ready to enjoy it.
Thawing
If you’re ready to enjoy our mouth-watering Wagyu beef right away, place it on a plate in the refrigerator in its original packaging. This is the safest way to thaw frozen meat, never thaw your frozen beef at room temperature or under hot water. From frozen, allow for six hours of per pound of meat to thaw. Once completely thawed and ready to cook, pull it out of the fridge to reach room temperature. Cook immediately to maximize freshness and flavor.
It is important to have your Wagyu at room temperature before cooking to get it as close as possible to its final eating temperature. This will guarantee a perfect, even cook! NOTE: Product that has been thawed must be consumed within 48 hours.
Seasoning
Wagyu is already rich with flavor, so there is no need to load up on seasoning. To maximize your eating experience, simply season your room temperature beef with salt (we recommend pink Himalayan salt) on both sides prior to cooking. Once cooking is complete finish off with crushed black pepper on both sides.
How To Achieve a Perfect Wagyu Steak
Plan your gourmet dinner ahead, it will take 2 days to thaw your steak in the refrigerator. For best quality never rush the process and thaw at room temperature or in the microwave!
Remove thawed steaks from packaging and pat dry with a paper towel, allow them to come to room temperature before cooking - approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon cut and thickness of steak. It is best to cook beef with an even temperature throughout; this helps preserve the marbling and juiciness. After the steak has come to room temperature pat dry on both sides.
Now you’re ready to cook! Preheat an oven-proof, heavy skillet to very hot (cast iron is a great choice because it conducts the heat very well and heats evenly). While you are heating, the skillet pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
When the skillet is heated you can add a small piece of exterior fat from your steak to prevent initial sticking – make sure to have a fan on because the pan will smoke a bit. Gently place your steak in the pan, and give it a heavy sear on all sides. It should take about a minute on top and bottom, then holding the steak with tongs turn so you sear around the sides.
Once you have the meat seared to hold in the juices, place the skillet in the preheated oven to finish cooking to your preferred doneness. Wagyu beef is best served rare to medium rare. A 2” filet will take approximately 8 minutes to get to rare (130◦), and 10 minutes to achieve medium rare (140◦). A 1 ¼” Ribeye or Strip steak will take approximately 5 minutes for rare and 6-7 minutes for medium rare.
Your Wagyu steak will have a buttery richness and unbelievable flavor; we suggest grilling with no added seasoning so you can taste the true flavor. Most beef connoisseurs don’t need anything…some may use just a small amount of kosher salt or pepper.
For cuts such as Round Steaks, Flat Iron, or Denver cuts you might try your favorite seasoning or marinade before cooking.
How To Reverse Sear a Steak
A great way to cook thicker cuts of beef like Wagyu Filet Mignon
- Preheat Oven to 275 degrees
- Season both sides of the steak with Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
- Place meat on a meat rack and cook in the center of the oven - Cook approximately 20-30 minutes depending upon thickness of steak and degree of doneness you prefer: For Rare remove Steak at 110 degreesFor Medium Rare remove Steak at 120 degreesFor Medium remove Steak at 130 degrees
Tent with foil and let steak rest for 10 minutes – While steak is resting preheat a heavy (cast iron) skillet over high heat. Sear both sides for 60 seconds, slice and serve!