If you’re looking to grill outdoors, grass-fed Wagyu steaks should be on your shopping list. While wagyu originates from Japan, other nations also raise their own versions of the cattle. One nation is New Zealand, home to lush greenery and some of the best wagyu outside of Japan. We interviewed co-founder and CEO Jason Ross of First Lights Farms, a New Zealand-based Wagyu brand, to learn more about this unique meat.
How to cook grass-fed wagyu
Grass-fed beef, unlike the grain-fed beef more common in America, can often be described as having a gamier flavor. This is a direct result of diet, as what the animal eats will affect flavor. Grass-fed beef also tends to be leaner; however, in the case of First Light Farms, we found the marbling of their grass-fed Wagyu to be on par with USDA Prime American beef.
So, how does one cook this kind of beef? When it comes to grilling, how you prep the meat is an important step before it even hits the grill. “Take your Wagyu out of the fridge about an hour before cooking to let it come to room temp,” says Ross. “This helps it cook more evenly. Once it’s tempered, season generously with salt and pepper right before it hits the pan. With beef this good, simple is best.”
Temperature control is another component to pay careful attention to. “For the perfect steak, aim for an internal temperature between 130–140 Fahrenheit,” explains Ross. “That sweet spot ensures our Wagyu cooks evenly without drying out. We always recommend using a meat thermometer — relying on cook times alone can be a gamble, especially with something this good.”
Don’t forget the lesser-known cuts
When it comes to steak, the “Big Three” (ribeye, NY strip, and filet) are the most famous. But since grass-fed Wagyu packs both marbling and intense flavor, in our opinion, the lesser-known cuts are the best way to really enjoy and understand this meat. We were able to sample the tri-tip, picanha, and flat iron and found them all unique and delicious. The tri-tip, we recommend grilling whole and slicing it thin, while the flat iron is great on the grill or seared in a hot cast iron. Butchered from the chuck, the flat iron is tender like filet but features more beefy flavor. For the picanha, Ross recommends smoking the Brazilian favorite and slicing it thin.
Similar to the Big Three, Ross also recommends using a meat thermometer for these cuts (even more so considering these cuts are larger). “No matter the cut — picanha, tri-tip, or flat iron — we recommend cooking our grass-fed Wagyu to an internal temp of 130–140 Fahrenheit,” explains Ross. “That’s the sweet spot where the fat melts beautifully into the meat for max juiciness and tenderness. Picanha and tri-tip are a bit thicker, so they’ll take a few minutes longer than something like a flat iron. But the marbling in our Wagyu makes it forgiving, so as long as you use a meat thermometer, you’re golden.”
