When purchasing Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef, it will be frozen. To thaw it, you want a slow and controlled temperature. Wagyu fat is delicate and will melt in your hands and at temperatures as low as 77°F (25°C). That means that you will want to pull your wagyu out the day before and slowly thaw it in the fridge.
At least 40 minutes before you plan to start cooking, salt the beef to taste on all sides.
Preheat your barbecue to 300°F (149°C), preparing to use the indirect grilling method. Place a cast iron frying pan under the warming rack, over the unlit burners, to preheat as well.
When ready, place the Japanese wagyu on the warming rack over the cast iron pan. Cook the steaks gently for about 20 minutes.
Test the steak with an instant-read thermometer and pull them as soon as they reach around 120°F (49°C) and allow them to rest. This can take up to 45 minutes depending on the thickness of the steaks, however, because Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef is cut on the thin side, I would suggest checking every 5 minutes following the 15-minute mark.
Now you have two options. To sear the steak in the cast iron or to grill over direct heat. If the direct heat option has been selected, remember that Japanese A5 Wagyu is very fatty and can cause flare-ups. However, you can use a cast iron frying pan or direct grilling to finish your steak. Move the cast iron frying pan over the lit burners and turn them up. If you have a sear station, preheat that to high. If you do not have a sear station and wish to grill over direct heat just turn the burners that are already on to high and preheat the barbecue to 500°F (260°C).
Sear the wagyu using direct heat, either in the cast iron pan or on the cooking grids, for about 1 minute per side or less, just until a crust or grill marks have formed.
Remove the steak from the heat and serve with rice or a light salad.
Now that you know how to cook Wagyu on the barbecue and what to serve Wagyu with, will you be trying it? Visit The Meatery to purchase your own high-quality Beef and check out Napoleon Grills if the Sizzle Zone is a must have tool for your home kitchen (we LOVE ours and feature it often on our Instagram).
