Wagyu tastes like where it's from.
Cook the same Wagyu cut from Japan, Australia and America, and taste the difference. Or try three new steaks in Beyond the Ribeye.
Three flights
Two hold the cut constant and change the country. One holds the country and changes the cut.
Wagyu of the World: Filet Mignon Flight
Wagyu of the World: Strip Steak Flight
How it works
How to eat a steak flight
1
One cut, three origins
A comparison only works when one thing changes. Same cut, same pan, same salt. The only thing that changes between slices is where the beef came from.
2
Cook in order
Mildest to richest: America, then Australia, then Japan. Taste the other way round and the A5 flattens everything after it.
3
Share the A5
Three to four ounces of A5 is a full portion. The flights are sized so the Japanese steak is the finish, not the main. Slice it thin and pass it around.
Provenance
Why the same cut tastes different
Wagyu names a family of Japanese cattle breeds. Japan kept the fullblood herd and its own grading scale. Australia and America took genetics that left Japan before live export closed in the late 1990s and built crossbred programs, each graded on a different system. The three farms in the Wagyu of the World flights are the ones we trust most from each country.
America
Mishima Reserve
Fullblood Kuroge Washu bulls bred to Angus-cross cows, born and raised in the Midwest and Southwest. Long-fed 25 to 28 months against an industry standard of 18 to 20, finished on corn. USDA-graded, and it eats above Prime.
About Mishima ReserveAustralia
Margaret River Wagyu
The Tajima bloodline of Japanese Black, built into a crossbred herd over many years in the southwestern corner of Western Australia. Natural pasture to about 18 months, then a formulated grain ration for 300 days. Graded 7 to 9 for marbling on Australia's AUS-MEAT scale.
About Margaret River WagyuJapan
Kagoshima Farms
Fullblood Japanese Black, sold under the Kagoshima Kuroushi brand. Kagoshima took the overall title at Japan's national Wagyu competition, the Wagyu Olympics, in 2017 and again in 2022. Graded A5 on Japan's JMGA scale, the top grade, with marbling scored at BMS 8 to 12.
About Kagoshima FarmsAnd one that is not Wagyu at all
Little Belt Cattle Co., Martinsdale, Montana
The dry-aged Kansas City strip in Beyond the Ribeye comes from a first-generation, veteran-owned ranch raising Black Angus from registered Montana seedstock, pasture raised and grain finished. It is in the flight on purpose: next to two Wagyu cuts, it shows you what aging does that marbling cannot.
What you will taste
Three things change from slice to slice. Keep score on each one.
| America | Australia | Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat | Rich for a steak | Richer, softer | Melts at hand temperature |
| Chew | Steak | Steak | Almost none |
| Finish | Beefy, clean | Buttery, longer | Sweet fat that lingers |
| Serve | A full steak | A full steak | Thin slices, a few bites each |
The three pages behind the flights
Questions