A5 Japanese Wagyu Ribeye Sukiyaki Cut

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

A5 Japanese Wagyu is famed for its incredible marbling, and decadent texture that melts in your mouth. This ribeye is divided into three portions, thinly sliced and perfect for sukiyaki. They can also be used for sandwiches, and a fancier version of the Filipino “bistek” if you’re feeling adventurous.

This sukiyaki cut ribeye has, of course, all the unbelievable qualities of the iconic A5 Japanese Wagyu. So soft and tender, with an unmatched umami flavor, you’ll definitely be making the best sukiyaki ever.

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

Sukiyaki is a popular Japanese soup dish prepared and served hot pot style (traditionally, in a cast iron pot). It’s generally regarded as a winter dish, and is popular in bōnenkai, or Japanese year-end drinking parties celebrated with friends and co-workers. It’s warming, and comforting, and perfect for colder nights.

Aside from A5 Japanese Wagyu Ribeye, you can add in some popular sukiyaki ingredients, like negi (you can substitute with scallion or green onion), firm tofu, leafy vegetables like Chinese cabbage, shiitake or enoki mushrooms (or both!), and glass or udon noodles.

TRULY, THE BEST OF THE BEST

The rarest of all steaks, A5 Japanese Wagyu accounts for only less than one percent of Japanese beef production. That’s how special it is. Wagyu means “Japanese cow,” and pertains to four native Japanese breeds.

One of them is the Kuroge Washu, or the Japanese Black. This cow is a special cow, unique not only to beef, but to the entire animal world. It is the only cow that metabolizes fat internally, integrating said fat into the muscle, creating that gorgeous marbling it’s famous for. This cow is so unique, that in 1997, the Japanese government banned all export of both its DNA and live specimens completely.

The Japanese grade their beef with a combination of letters and numbers. The letters pertain to the amount of usable meat, with A meaning “superior,” or yielding a high amount. The numbers pertain to fat marbling, color of meat, and the fat distribution, with 5, again, meaning “superior.” It’s a strict grading system, with three graders assigned to rate each beef, and the scores they give are combined for the final rating. These graders must train for two to three years before being deemed proficient.

So yes, an A5 Japanese Wagyu is very rare, and a very big deal.

Storage Instructions

Your cut of A5 Japanese Wagyu Ribeye Sukiyaki Cut comes frozen and vacuum packed. Store in freezer. Thaw only when about to cook. Cooked leftover meat can only be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 more days. Consume immediately.