The ‘Rolls-Royce of beef’: why is Wagyu so popular – especially in Hong Kong? Served in fine dining restaurants across the city, the beautifully marbled, melt-in-your-mouth meat is even healthier, too
Wagyu is the Rolls-Royce of beef. It sits at the very top of the league of meats, a coveted delicacy associated with luxury, salivated over by carnivore foodies the world over. Its popularity shows little sign of waning either in Hong Kong or around the world. So what is it that makes Wagyu so special? We reached out to some experts to find out.
The first thing to know: although in the strictest sense the word translates simply to “Japanese cow”, Wagyu is in fact one of four specific cattle breeds, each with specific genetic qualities. While it is often associated with Japan, Wagyu cattle is also now also bred in countries as far apart as Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The most celebrated characteristic of Wagyu is the breed’s high levels of evenly distributed intramuscular fat, usually referred to as marbling. This is what gives the resulting cooked beef an unctuous richness, a buttery mouthfeel and arguably superior flavour. To top it all off, Wagyu is considered healthier, with a high concentration of monounsaturated fats, one of the so called “good fats”.
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Japanese Wagyu is graded by highly trained independent assessors using the Beef Marbling Scale (BMS). Scores between one and 12 rate the amount and quality of marbling, with 12 the highest degree. More commonly seen on restaurant menus are “A” ratings between one to five, or “M” ratings up to nine. In both cases a higher number denotes superior quality; both A5 and M9 are equivalent to a BMS of 8-12.
“The marbling on each piece of Wagyu is unique, the higher the marbling score, the creamier the texture and the fuller the flavour,” explained Ken Kwok, executive chef of Wan Chai-based French-Japanese steakhouse Bifteck. “With strict grading systems in place, quality is more guaranteed.”
Wagyu cattle are raised carefully with the utmost care, with farmers taking extra measures towards their well-being, which affects the quality and flavour
Pampered Wagyu cows are raised in low-stress environments and given precise and sometimes indulgent care, which is said to be part of the reason for the meat’s superior taste. This can range from free-range grazing, noise monitoring and tailored diets, through to more unusual luxuries, such as massaging the animal, or the additions of red wine or beer to feed.
AP Place Hong Kong Co Limited, the parent group of Japanese restaurant Ushidoki, sources Wagyu from a farm with a reputation for providing cows with five-star treatment is. “Our Odagyu Wagyu comes from the Oda Chikusan ranch in Kagoshima,” said managing director Masashi Kamatani.
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“The cows’ ‘accommodation’ for two years is luxurious, lofty, well-ventilated barns laid with fir and cypress mats, and they are served a specially designed feed of 12 ingredients rich in rice and barley. This rearing ensures healthy bones and fine meat, with outstanding marbling and a low-fat melting point for melt-in-the-mouth consistency.”
“Wagyu cattle are raised carefully with the utmost care, with farmers taking extra measures towards their well-being, which affects the quality and flavour. You really can taste the difference,” said Dickson Wong, head chef at Feather & Bone Wan Chai.
As well as serving Wagyu to diners, the restaurant stocks cuts to take home at its butcher’s counter, imported directly from farms in Australia and Japan. “From Australia we import Oakey Wagyu from Tasmania, partly due to the way the animals are raised and partly due to its proven lineage, ensuring a top quality product with guaranteed marbling characteristics,” added Wong. “From Japan we stock Japanese Miyazaki Wagyu, which has a buttery texture, a dense beefy flavour and is beautiful, even marbling. It’s of exceptional quality.”
If regular Wagyu just isn’t enough, further enhancement is achieved by ageing, which can even include snow ageing. Bifteck, which only offers Japanese Wagyu, serves A5 snow-aged Wagyu beef from Niigata.
Kwok said, “The beef is snow-aged by an ancient yukimuro ageing technique at an icy 1-2 degrees Celsius, with high humidity of around 90 per cent. The meat is exceptionally tender and the process brings out a delicious sweetness and a mellow and rich melt-in-the-mouth taste.”
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Accounting for Wagyu’s popularity, Wong suggested, “Firstly, there’s its flavour, with salty, sweet, sour and bitter notes all at once. The marbling also helps in producing umami-like flavours. The texture is also finer, resulting in a more flavoursome experience.”
Similar sentiments are shared by Roberto Zorzoli, executive chef at Lan Kwai Fong’s Porterhouse Seafood & Steak: “Wagyu beef is popular worldwide because of its superior eating quality compared with other cattle breeds. Also part of the appeal is its delicate texture and beautiful marbling, resulting in a more flavourful eating experience.”
Evidence of its popularity can be found on the restaurant’s menu, with over half of the beef options being Wagyu sourced from Japan, Australia and New Zealand. “We select the Wagyu cuts we serve based on the beef marbling score and, of course, the farm itself. We like to ensure that our Wagyu steaks can be traced directly back to the farm, which ensures quality,” said Zorzoli.
In addition to the taste, marbling and tenderness, Kamatani believes Hongkongers are fond of Wagyu due to an overall appreciation of Japanese cuisine.
“At Ushidoki, Wagyu is the star. Nine of the 11 dishes on our tongue-to-tail kaiseki menu feature the breed,” he said. “Wagyu is well-loved in Hong Kong because of people’s generous admiration for Japanese cuisine, as well as the superior eating quality compared to other cattle breeds.”
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For Wong, there is also a certain status element involved. “I believe many associate Wagyu with quality and therefore people choose this over other beef, aware of what they get for their money,” he added.
“People like to impress at times, so we often see people buy Wagyu for home entertaining.”
Wong’s pro tips for those wanting to serve Wagyu at their next dinner party are to choose a thicker cut, ensure the beef is at room temperature before cooking, and follow the following cooking procedure: “Season with quality salt and pepper. The pan must be scorching hot – sear both sides on high. Remove and rest covered for about two minutes. Return to the hot pan, add a knob of butter, garlic and thyme, baste with the juices and then remove. Rest again and it will be a perfect medium-rare.”
For those who prefer a professional do the cooking, there are a plethora of restaurants in Hong Kong serving Wagyu in cuts of all shapes and sizes.
And this is one trend that is clearly here to stay, with Hongkongers’ appetites for the king of beef showing no sign of abating.
- Japanese Wagyu is graded by experts using the Beef Marbling Scale, with scores of one to a highest of 12 indicating the amount and quality of marbling
- Wagyu beef is considered healthier too, with its high concentration of monounsaturated fats, one of the so called ‘good fats’ – and Hong Kong chefs reveal how to best prepare it