How to Cook A5 Wagyu: A Specialist's Guide

I've watched people spend $150 on a piece of A5 Wagyu and then cook it the same way they'd cook a USDA Choice ribeye. The result is always disappointing — a greasy, overcooked mess that doesn't remotely justify the price. A5 Wagyu is a fundamentally different product that requires fundamentally different handling.

Here's exactly how to cook it properly, based on twenty years of working with this beef.

Rule #1: Portion Size Is Everything

This is the biggest adjustment for American diners. A 12-ounce steak is a normal portion for conventional beef. For A5 Wagyu, 3-4 ounces per person is the right amount.

The math is simple: A5 Wagyu at BMS 9+ is roughly 50% intramuscular fat by visual assessment. That's five times more fat than USDA Prime. Eating a full-sized A5 steak is like eating a stick of the world's most expensive butter. Your palate fatigues, your stomach rebels, and you've wasted money on beef you couldn't enjoy.

Buy a single 8-12 oz steak and share it between 2-4 people. The experience is better when it's a few extraordinary bites rather than an overwhelming quantity.

Rule #2: Let It Come to Room Temperature

Remove the Wagyu from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before cooking. This is important for all steak, but critical for A5. Cold A5 Wagyu won't render its intramuscular fat properly — and proper rendering is the entire point. The fat needs to be warm enough to begin softening before the surface hits the heat.

Pat it completely dry with paper towels. Season with salt only — high-quality flaky sea salt (Maldon is perfect). Nothing else. The beef has more flavor than any seasoning you could add.

The Three Best Methods

Method 1: Cast Iron Sear (My Recommended Starting Point)

Equipment: Cast iron skillet, no oil needed.

1. Preheat cast iron over medium-high heat (not maximum — A5 doesn't need the same brutal heat as conventional steak)
2. Place the steak in the dry pan. No oil. The marbling will provide all the lubrication within seconds
3. Sear for 60-90 seconds per side for a 3/4-inch thick steak. You want golden-brown crust with a warm, rosy interior
4. Remove and rest for 2-3 minutes on a cutting board
5. Slice against the grain into 1/4-inch pieces
6. Serve immediately with flaky salt

The internal temperature should be 115-125°F (rare to medium-rare). A5 Wagyu should never go past medium-rare. At medium or above, the fat renders out completely and you're left with a tough, dry, expensive disappointment.

Method 2: Yakiniku-Style (Thin Slice and Flash Sear)

This is how most Wagyu is eaten in Japan, and for good reason — it's the best way to experience multiple bites without flavor fatigue.

1. Partially freeze the steak (30 minutes in the freezer) for easier slicing
2. Slice into strips about 1/4-inch thick
3. Heat cast iron or carbon steel pan to high heat
4. Sear each slice for 10-15 seconds per side — just enough for color
5. Eat immediately — dipped in a tiny amount of soy sauce, a dot of wasabi, or just with salt

This method gives you 15-20 perfect bites from a single steak, each one a brief, intense burst of Wagyu flavor. It's my personal favorite way to eat A5 at home.

Method 3: Teppanyaki-Style (Cubed)

Cut the steak into 1-inch cubes. Sear each cube on all six sides in a hot pan — about 15-20 seconds per side. The goal is a crust on every surface with a barely-warm center. Eat each cube in one or two bites.

What NOT to Do

• Don't grill over open flame. The fat drips into the fire, causing flare-ups. You'll get charred outside and raw inside. Use a flat surface.
• Don't use oil or butter. The marbling IS the fat. Adding more fat is redundant and makes it greasier.
• Don't cook past medium-rare. At medium, the intramuscular fat renders out of the meat. You'll have a tough steak sitting in a puddle of expensive liquid fat.
• Don't marinate it. Would you marinate a $200 bottle of wine? The flavor of A5 Wagyu is the point. Let it speak.
• Don't serve it with heavy sauces. A5 Wagyu with béarnaise or chimichurri is like putting ketchup on sushi — it buries the thing you're paying for.

Accompaniments That Work

• Flaky sea salt — the only essential
• Fresh wasabi — a small dab provides aromatic heat that complements the richness
• Ponzu — a few drops of citrus-soy for contrast
• Pickled ginger — cleanses the palate between bites
• Simple steamed rice — absorbs rendered fat and provides neutral contrast

The principle: the accompaniments should cleanse and reset your palate, not compete with the beef.

Save the Rendered Fat

When you cook A5 Wagyu, rendered fat will pool in the pan. This is liquid gold — literally Wagyu beef tallow with extraordinary flavor. Pour it into a small jar and refrigerate. Use it to cook vegetables, fried rice, eggs, or anything that benefits from rich, beefy fat. A tablespoon of A5 rendered fat transforms scrambled eggs into something magnificent.