Are you the grill master at your home? Even if you are the undisputed grilling monarch of your neighborhood, grilling Wagyu steak is likely to be a new experience for you. It is also something you don’t want to mess up, so we have some helpful tips for grilling delectable American Wagyu steaks at home.
- Know your cut before you cook your American Wagyu steaks. The way you cook your Wagyu will depend on the cut. For a ribeye, NY strip, or Denver cut, quick, high heat is the way to go. For a thicker cut of beef, use the reverse sear method, starting the steak over indirect heat before moving it to direct heat to sear it to perfection.
- Get your steak ready to grill. At least 30 minutes before you intend to cook your steak, take it out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. This will help it cook more evenly and achieve a better sear. Season your steak, and while it is reaching room temperature, get your grill ready, creating high heat on one side and medium to low heat on the other. If you are using a gas grill, do this by setting the burners accordingly. If you prefer a charcoal grill, put coals only on one side of the grill. By dividing the grill this way, you will be able to get a quick sear without drying out or burning your steak.
- Carefully season a Wagyu steak. Wagyu steaks are so naturally flavorful that they really don’t require much seasoning at all. All you need to do is thoroughly pat the steak dry, then season it with salt and pepper to help it achieve a crispy surface. There is no need to do anything more than this, but if you prefer, you can try a dry rub, garlic powder, dry mustard, or cayenne pepper along with your salt and pepper.
- Grill your Wagyu steak to medium rare. This is the typical suggestion, but of course you can grill your steak to any temperature you prefer. Keeping it to medium rare allows the fat to melt throughout the steak without burning off, so that the steak maintains its flavorful juiciness. If you are grilling a thin cut of steak, sear it over the hottest part of the grill. For steaks an inch and a half or thicker, grill using the reverse sear technique. To do this, start with the steaks on the cooler side of the grill and cook them to 110 degrees if medium rare is your goal. Once they reach 110 degrees, switch them to the hot side of the grill, flipping them every 30 seconds until they reach 125 degrees. Then remove them from the heat, lightly tent with foil, and let them rest for five minutes to that the juices can redistribute.
- Consider a cast iron skillet. Make no mistake, grilled American Wagyu is amazing. However, it is difficult to develop a consistent crust when you are cooking your steak n grates. If you really want the perfect sear, use a cast iron skillet on your grill, allowing it to heat over the coals from the time you light them, so that when you add your steaks it is very hot. You can either cook your steaks in the skillet the entire time, or start them over indirect heat if you want to reverse sear them.
- Focus on internal temperature instead of cooking time. There is really no set time to cook your steaks. Many factors come into play when you grill Wagyu steak, including how hot the grill is, how thick the steak is, and what the steak’s internal temperature is when you put it on the grill. That is why it is so important to use a meat thermometer to determine when your meat is done. Remember, meat will keep cooking after you remove it from the heat, so take it off the grill when it’s about five degrees lower than the temperature you want.
Whenever you are looking for top-quality American Wagyu Beef, you can trust Triple T Ranch. Located in south Alabama, our small, family-owned-and-operated ranch is a place where practicing proven husbandry techniques ensures the health and prosperity of the herd as well as the production of high-quality Wagyu beef. Our cattle are well cared-for and registered through the American Wagyu Association. Call (251)333-2800, shop for American Wagyu beef online, or contact us through our website for more information.