It’s 7,500 miles from Coral Springs to Japan, the home of the Wagyu. Wagyu is the Japanese name for beef, but here in the United States, it’s often associated with the well-marbled beef that is commonly found on restaurant menus.
In grocery stores, you will find USDA prime, choice, and select steaks. They are graded based on the fat streaking in the steak. And for those who love barbecue, more marbling often means great flavors and tender meat.
Wagyu is graded based on the meat yield, from A (highest) to C (lowest); and marbling, from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). This is where you may find the highest-grade Wagyu as A5. The Beef Marble Score is often referred to; scored 1–12, the higher the number, the more marbled the meat.
If you have had A5 Wagyu, you know it’s unique. The melting temperature of Wagyu beef is lower than other beef, at 77 degrees F. Extra care is required in the preparation, to provide that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth experience that you will remember long after you wolf down your steak.
Japan has long controlled the export of cattle, as it’s considered a national treasure. The Japanese government put a ban in place in 1997. Before the ban, a few were exported to the United States, and there were 200 full-blood Wagyu in the United States. U.S. ranchers were able to cross Wagyu with other popular breeds, like Angus, and they were referred to as Wagyu-influenced breeds. This is where American Wagyu came from; and to be considered Wagyu, the beef needs to be at least 50 percent Wagyu.
If you want to experience the rich flavor and unique, melt-in-your-mouth experience, you can find Wagyu in many fine restaurants, or you can buy it directly from a local butcher shop in Coral Springs, Meat n Bones. They have a storefront on Sample Road, near city hall.
The proprietors of Meat n Bones provided a sampling of their favorite American Wagyu cuts to try. The Coral Springs store manager, Thomas LoBracco, is a food enthusiast. He comes from a family of butchers, and he loves to explain all the great cuts of beef available at his store.
LoBracco shared a few cuts he wanted us to try. The flap steak, well-marbled and thin, can be prepared quickly over high heat. Denver steak is a tender and economical cut, and it can be braised and cooked like a short rib.
Another good cut that LoBracco has is Picanha. First made popular in Brazil, it is a great steak. It has a fat cap that imparts the steak with an extra oomph of flavor.
Meat n Bones also carries a wide range of non-Wagyu beef. So whatever you are fancying for the weekend barbecue, you will not be disappointed.