While we can agree that any cut of Wagyu is a good choice, it helps to know the less common cuts of meat that are particular to Wagyu. This is what makes Wagyu special and gives it that point of difference. It also helps to know your Wagyu cuts to ensure that you use the best cooking method to get the most out of your selected cut of meat.
Bavette
Description:
The bavette steak, also known as flap steak, is one of those cuts that should be getting more credit. It can often get confused with flank or skirt steak, but the bold bavette has its own story to tell. When cooked and sliced properly, it is an incredibly tender and delicious cut.
Where is it from: It comes from the bottom sirloin, close to where you’ll find your flank steak cut, hence the occasional confusion.
Flavour profile:
The bavette cut is known for its strong beefy flavour. This cut has an impressive marbling score and when looked at closely, one can notice the grain and fibres of this cut are quite loose. This is great for soaking up marinades and rubs.
Best suits cooking practice:
Sometimes the bavette cut comes with a thicker end and a thinner end, with the thinner end cooking a lot faster than the thicker side. So keep this in mind when preparing your dish.
While you can cook this cut like any regular steak, what you really want to do is cook it low and slow in a smoker or on a temperature-controlled grill.
If you’re thinking of putting this cut on the braai, take care not to burn the outside before the centre reaches the desired temperature.
You’ll want to cook this cut to medium-rare.
After you have cooked it, and just before cutting it, let your steak rest for about 10 minutes, after which you want to slice it against the grain – giving you more tender, textured bites.
flat iron
Description:
You may know this cut as the boneless top chuck steak or the shoulder top blade steak, and it is an incredibly tender cut. Once again, an impressive marbling score with a delicious beef flavour.
Where is it from:
This cut comes from the chuck primal.
Flavour profile:
The flat iron steak cut has a beefy flavour and juicy texture.
Best suits cooking practice:
This cut is ideal for grilling or pan searing. Can be served whole or thinly sliced.
denver
Description:
Increasing in popularity, this cut is relatively tender and has a good amount of marbling.
Where is it from:
This cut comes from the chuck primal.
Flavour profile:
Full of flavour and remains juicy when suitably cooked.
Best suits cooking practice:
This cut is ideal for cooking on the grill.
brisket
Description:
The brisket is one of the primal cuts of beef and can, in fact, be separated into the point and the flat, but often preferred to be prepared and cooked as a whole.
Where is it from:
This cut is located on the breast/ pectoral area.
Flavour profile:
Meaty, flavourful, and maintains a rich taste
Best suits cooking practice:
Best cooked low and slow in a smoker or on a temperature-controlled grill. Ideal on the braai, in a soup, stew, or sliced.
skirt
Description:
The skirt steak is a long and mostly thin cut of beef with very dynamic grains of muscle tissue. When marinated, the longer, tougher muscle fibres break down slightly. When this thin, marinated meat is cooked quickly on high heat, it becomes tender and buttery.
Where is it from:
Wagyu skirt steaks are located underneath the rib, towards the belly part of the cow known as the “Plate”. Long and flat, the skirt steak has an incredible marbling score.
Flavour profile:
Soft texture with bursts of delicious beefy flavour.
Best suits cooking practice:
Best grilled, roasted, or sautéed, and great with marinades and rubs.
PICANHA STEAK
Description:
Popular across Brazilian steakhouses for its rich, beefy flavour, the Wagyu Picanha (pronounced ‘pee-kahn-yah’) is known for its texture, tenderness and incredible flavour. Not to mention it’s a highly-prized delicacy, buttery soft, and tender enough to melt in your mouth.
Where is it from:
It is sourced from the upper rump, making this cut extremely tender.
Flavour profile:
The picanha steak is popular for its rich beefy flavour and incredible texture.
Best suits cooking practice:
Resting this cut well is imperative for the juiciest results. Leave to rest until it reaches room temperature. Then, slice with the grain when cutting up into smaller pieces. Don’t overcomplicate seasoning, as its flavour profile is already quite strong.
TRI-TIP STEAK
Description:
They say that if you’ve never had Wagyu tri-tip, you haven’t lived! Easy to prepare, and the flavour is unbeatable.
Where is it from:
This is a triangular cut of beef from the bottom sirloin subprimal cut.
Flavour profile:
This cut has a hearty, beefy flavour and is low in fat, making it a healthier option (however, all Wagyu contains ‘good’ fats and is generally considered healthy).
Best suits cooking practice:
It is very versatile in terms of seasoning, but you can’t go wrong with salt and black pepper. Coriander also works well to liven up the taste.
wagyu fillet steak
Description:
Fillet is one of the most sought-after cuts of meat due to its extraordinary tenderness. Add Wagyu to the mix, and you have yourself something really hard to match, and that’s as melt-in-your-mouth as it gets!
Where is it from:
It is from the lower back of the cow, which is rarely used, meaning the fillet steak is the most tender cut.
Flavour profile:
It has a rich beefy, buttery taste and is an absolute treat for your tastebuds
Best suits cooking practice:
Best served pan-seared to ensure your cut is full of that rich, tender flavour it’s known for.
chuck eye steak
Description:
Since you can get only two cuts of this meat per cow, it is not common to find chuck eye steak at local markets or butchers, unless ordered on special request.
Where is it from:
It comes from the chuck, near the ribs. It is taken from the fifth rib, towards the upper shoulder of the Wagyu cow.
Flavour profile:
Wagyu chuck eye steak offers a unique balance of juicy and beefy flavour.
Best suits cooking practice:
Chuck eye is best when you cook it long and slow, like braising it in the oven, or quickly, like broiling or pan-frying it.
RIB EYE STEAK
Description:
Wagyu ribeye is a beautifully marbled cut of meat with a higher fat content, allowing it to retain its juiciness and making this cut tender and full of flavour.
Where is it from:
This cut is mostly taken from the longissimus dorsi muscle, which is also referred to as the “eye of the ribeye”.
Flavour profile:
Rich, buttery and oh-so-soft, this cut boasts a full beefy flavour and juicy tenderness.
Best suits cooking practice:
A versatile cut like this one gives you all the variety in the kitchen, allowing you to experiment with grilling, roasting, and even stir-frying.
rump steak
Description:
Rump steak is already a kitchen favourite, now add the tenderness, high marbling and rich flavour of Wagyu and you have a steak that melts in your mouth and wows your guests!
Where is it from:
Rump steak is taken from the rump section of the hindquarter.
Flavour profile:
It is tender and full of big, full-bodied beefy flavour and texture.
Best suits cooking practice:
Season generously after cooking on a high heat.
Sirloin STEAK
Description:
Wagyu sirloin is a premium cut encased in a delicious strip of fat. It will literally melt in your melt.
Where is it from:
This cut comes from the top of the cow’s back.
Flavour profile:
Offering a leaner option, Wagyu sirloin steak is just as tender and full of rich, beefy flavour.
Best suits cooking practice:
This thick cut is versatile and wonderfully juicy when fried, grilled, broiled or roasted!
rib steak
Description:
With it’s melt-in-your-mouth marbling, this cut is beautifully tender.
It features a more visible grain and impressive marbling – resulting in a more textured yet tender feel in the mouth.
Where is it from:
The rib steak is the muscle between the rib bones and the outer fat layer.
Flavour profile:
Wagyu rib steak offers the signature robust, umami flavour you’ve come to know and love.
Best suits cooking practice:
Season generously and cook on a high heat on the braai or in your grill pan, just like you would any other Waygu steak.
