Eating In: Perfect A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Steaks! CAUTION: Don't Read If Hungry

I can’t recall the last time I dined outside and it’s been a long while since I’ve had a proper steak at a restaurant. When I saw the invitation on City-Cost to sample the prized Miyazaki wagyu, I immediately signed up. I’ve never served steak at home before but having to spend more time at home during this pandemic has led me to attempt cooking new dishes. So how did I fare? Keep reading to find out!

Photo credit: Kobayashi City Promotion Company

Before I start, just a bit of background on the steaks I will be cooking today- they come from a farm in Kobayashi City which is located in the southwestern part of Miyazaki Prefecture, on Kyushu island and surrounded by mountain ranges. I’ve been to Kyushu before but not to Miyazaki and a quick search turns up beautiful nature trails, farm home-stays, plenty of outdoor activities- hiking, paddle boarding, even paragliding and of course their famed Miyazaki beef.

The wagyu steaks arrived frozen and upon unboxing, I was immediately impressed by the beautiful marbling and perfect red hue. Overcooking and ruining them was a huge concern but after a few hours of consulting Google, I felt confident and ready to fire up the stove.

A good piece of meat should always be enjoyed on its own thus I only seasoned with salt to bring out the natural flavours and skipped the sauces. Once I got the steaks to room temperature, I ground some Himalayan pink salt over them and placed a lightly oiled fry pan over high heat.

There are only non-stick pans in my kitchen so I used the smallest one to have better control of the heat and timing. Also, in the event that I ruin the first one at least I have one more to perfect my skill. When the pan started to smoke I put in the steaks. Based on their thickness I seared them for a minute on each side then straight onto serving plates to rest. The steaks do release a considerable amount of oil whilst cooking and I was tempted to lift them to check if they were searing properly but my patience paid off because, look at that perfect crust!

The rest of the meal was also kept simple- broccoli, mashed potatoes with bacon and some white rice as requested by my Japanese husband. I wasn't used to it initially but it seems to be the norm to serve rice with steaks in Japan. The fat in wagyu contains oleic acid which is good for our heart and not wanting to waste any of it, the broccoli served was stir-fried in the same pan with leftover wagyu oil. The veggies turned out flavourful and didn’t need salting. I was aiming for a medium done steak and whilst the crust looked amazing, did my steaks pass the test? The moment of truth was here.  

THEY WERE PERFECT! In terms of doneness, taste, texture, everything! Our verdict of Miyazaki wagyu- it tastes cleaner and not as fatty as wagyu we’ve tried from other Prefectures. The ratio and balance of fat to meat was just perfect for us- rich but not overly so. The steaks were juicy and so, so soft that we barely used any pressure to cut into it. Each bite just melted in our mouths and was so delicious. Typing this out now is making my mouth water. It is hands down the best wagyu we have ever had. I can understand why it’s won so many awards. Our steaks were from Kurazono Farm, and if anyone's interested they also have an online shop.

Kobayashi City was never on my radar before this, but now I want to check out their dairy farms (I’ve read their cheese and dairy products are awesome too), visit some onsen, have some more Miyazaki beef but this time cooked by a professional and also try some wagyu sushi there. If they are already so good on my basic fry-pan, I can’t imagine how they’d taste at the hands of an expert. Thank you Kobayashi City Promotion Company Inc. & City-Cost for this gastronomic delight, we enjoyed it very much!

This post is supported by Kobayashi City Promotion Company Inc., one of City-Cost's Supporters helping City-Cost bloggers to enjoy life in Japan and engage in new experiences.