Wagyu beef is considered the highest quality of beef that you can buy by industry experts. Wagyu is a Japanese beef cattle breed that is distinctive and extremely sought-after because it is highly marbled. This marbling of fat throughout the beef creates a luxurious, buttery tenderness unlike any steak from cattle raised in America. While there are a few different ways to prepare wagyu, some people feel that grilling it is the way to go because the meat absorbs some of the grill’s smoky flavor!
Prepping
Remove your steaks from the refrigerator before you begin the cooking process, as they shouldn’t be put on high heat straight from a cold environment. By bringing the wagyu steak to room temperature you’re creating the best possible scenario for it to cook evenly. If the center of the steak is refrigerator temperature when it hits the cooking surface, you’re at high risk of having an overcooked outside and undercooked inside.
Before placing down the filets, the grill should reach 500 degrees which ensures that the outer edge of the meat gets nice and crusty while the interior is packed full of delicious juices. Most grills generally reach the desired temperature after about 15 minutes of pre-heating.
Seasoning
Most wagyu fans will tell you it’s a crime to toss a such a divine cut of meat into a heap of seasonings—some say that it is naturally so tasty that you can eat it raw! Whether you’re working with a wagyu ribeye or a wagyu flat iron steak, it is best to keep seasoning to a minimum. Wipe your wagyu beef with a paper towel, this removes excess moisture so that it can brown up properly. Stick to simple salt and pepper and an oil rub; and feel free to garnish with some parsley.
Cooking
Place the steaks diagonally on the grill and close the lid. You’ll want to leave them alone to grill for about three minutes before you turn them over. Note that the higher fat content of wagyu, the more prone it is to cause flare-ups, so pay close attention to the grill! Flip and rotate the beef to create the crosshatch grill marks and let the steaks cook in a closed grill for another three minutes. (Experts say that for every 3 minutes on a closed grill, filet’s warm another 10-15 degrees.)
The most important thing to keep in mind when grilling filet steaks is you want to avoid overcooking them. Therefore, it’s best to air on the side of rare to medium rare, even if you are a tried-and-true medium-well person. You should always use a meat thermometer to see the temperature of your steak, so you know exactly when it’s done to your liking and so you won’t overcook it.
Rest
It’s important to let your steaks rest for a minimum of 5 minutes (max 10) prior to slicing and serving. This time allows the temperature to equalize internally and allows the wagyu beef to retain its juices!