Japanese A5 Wagyu Certified Kobe Beef New York Strip

Most wagyu you encounter in the U.S. — even legitimately excellent wagyu — is not Kobe. Kobe is a specific appellation, like Champagne or Parmigiano-Reggiano. The beef must come from purebred Tajima-gyu cattle born, raised, and slaughtered entirely within Hyogo Prefecture, pass a yield grade of A or B, hit BMS 6 or higher (this one scores 12, the max), and clear inspection by the Kobe Beef Association. The cattle are also registered individually — each one has a traceable lineage and a unique nose print on file, making the authenticity chain genuinely airtight in a way no other beef designation in the world matches.

We love the strip specifically for Kobe because it doesn't disappear on you. At BMS 12, fat content is extraordinary, and a cut like a tenderloin can feel almost too luxurious — it loses structure. The strip's short loin muscle has enough integrity to hold its form, so you get a steak that's simultaneously the richest thing you've ever eaten and still satisfying to actually chew. The flavor is deeply beefy with a clean, almost sweet fat finish that lingers without being cloying.

Carrying certified Kobe at The Meatery isn't something we take lightly. The Kobe Beef Association vets importers rigorously, and the volume that clears customs into the U.S. each year is genuinely small. When we say this is rare, we mean it in the statistical sense: fewer than 3,000 cattle meet Kobe certification standards annually, and a fraction of that total leaves Japan.

Before You Cook

Take the steak out of the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before cooking — no longer. You want it slightly tempered, not room temperature. Pat it completely dry. Do not marinate, season with anything other than flaky salt right before cooking, or use oil in the pan. The fat in this steak is your cooking medium.

The Best Method: Cast Iron, High and Fast

Heat a cast iron or carbon steel pan until it is smoking hot — this is critical. If the pan isn't hot enough, you'll render fat instead of sear it.

Sear each side for 45-60 seconds. That's it. This is not a steak you cook for 4 minutes a side.

Sear the fat cap edge for 20-30 seconds as well.

Target internal temp: 120-125°F (rare to medium-rare). Do not exceed 130°F — the fat structure changes and you lose what you paid for.

Rest for 3-4 minutes tented loosely with foil.

Portioning Matters

Do not serve this as a traditional steak-for-one presentation and eat it like a regular strip. Slice it thinly against the grain (about ¼-inch slices) and serve it as a shared centerpiece or a composed plate. The richness at BMS 12 means most people are satisfied with 3-4 ounces — this is Japanese-style service, not steakhouse service. You'll enjoy it more, and so will whoever you're sharing it with.

What Not to Do

No butter basting — it competes with the fat and muddles the clean finish

No grill grates — you'll lose rendered fat and miss the crust entirely

No well-done — at BMS 12, cooking past medium turns a $245 steak into something you could have achieved with a cheaper cut