Confessions of a Wagyu Sceptic

Here's a Funny Story.

Even after reading a Wagyu beef article or two, some people still aren’t convinced that Wagyu beef is vastly superior to ordinary beef. They don’t believe the high level of marbling makes a difference, and all this A5, MS9+ and BMS12 ratings are as subjective as restaurant reviews that can range from 1★ to 5★.

“I have a beef with you!” isn’t something we like to hear customers say, especially when we’re talking about cows.

Thankfully, anyone can pit cows against each other. Their meat anyway.

Really. One of the best ways to discover how Wagyu beef is different from commercial beef is by actually buying the same cut and cooking them the same way to see the results.

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What happens when you try to cook commercial beef like Wagyu beef? 

We thought this article should be in the form of a story of what recently happened to a couple of customers we know (possibly someone you know too) who attempted to cook commercial beef the same way as Wagyu beef.

Firsthand account of a Wagyu Beef Sceptic*

* edited for clarity

“So many people go on and on about how good Wagyu beef is, but I didn’t believe the hype. I’ve been eating beef and steaks my whole life and and whatever I ate was fine. I opine that only the sauce makes a difference.  

“Because of the MCO[1], I’m forced to cook more often at home. That’s when I decided to cook my own steaks.

“I went to my supermarket and asked for the best steak to cook. Just because I am rich, that fella in the apron tried to push Wagyu to me. He assumed I don’t know how to do my own marketing[2].

“I decided to buy one packet of striploin. It was more than one hundred bucks less than Wagyu. Saved so much money. Got a lot fat around it too and that line-line-line[3] in the middle. Who says only Wagyu got that line-line-line?  

“Seriously, how different can steaks be, right? I’m also quite smart. I cut off the fat on top of the meat and used it as oil. I googled and followed the cooking guide on this Iga Wagyu web portal. I know how to use Google on my phone, you know.

“Since they say ‘do not marinate with salt and pepper’, fine. I heated up the frying pan and waited until there was smoke, then I turned the fire down to the hot level where the whole ring of blue fire sometimes makes sparks because it doesn’t know if it should be the small ring or big ring on together. Or 7.45 o’clock on the dial. I used a tong to hold the sides of the striploin in the pan to ‘brown the fat’.

“I think the instructions’ not clear. The fire was too small to brown the meat. So I turned up the fire to the max and then the steak started to brown properly! It also smelt nicer!

“Once the steak was browned, I took it out and wrapped it in the aluminum foil because the website said so. I completed my Katapat[4] and then I unwrapped the steak.

“I don’t know why, but the steak was sooo tough. It was like chewing on my new shoes to break them in. The beef taste was there but there was no such thing as ‘tender’.

“I went back to the supermarket a few days later. This time I asked the apron fella for Wagyu. There were already some packs on the shelf and I spied him putting stickers with today as the ‘pack date’, but I made him go inside the big fridge anyway to take the whole part of the cow, then cut the fresh striploin in front of me.

“Back home, when cooking the striploin steak this time, I followed the instructions and kept the heat medium low. For some strange reason, the Wagyu still turned brown. Still got seared. I browned it, wrapped it in aluminum foil, gamed another five minutes, unwrapped the foil, warmed it up and ate it immediately.

‘Wagyu really felt different. I still liked to put some salt and pepper but otherwise it’s the softest beef I’ve ever eaten.

“So, yeah, apron fella was correct about Wagyu being the best beef.” 

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When we eat Wagyu beef, the moment of realization usually sinks in when teeth meet meat. That’s when you know you’re eating superbly tender beef. We’ve seen old people push away their plates because the beef was too tough for them to chew on. 

Should I experiment with cooking Wagyu beef at home?   

Thankfully, you can try this at home. If you love to cook beef, we encourage you to try cooking both Wagyu beef and non-Wagyu beef to see the difference. 

Besides the tenderness that makes the meat so easy to chew, Wagyu beef is also flavorful enough to eat on its own. You only need to add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, at most.

Produced without antibiotics and chemicals, Wagyu beef is also a healthier option. Consumers are more aware of ethical meat production today. If there’s such a thing as cow paradise, it’s probably where Wagyu cattle live.

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We hope you will always cook your steaks according to what type of animal they are, their cut, and quality of the meat.

If you are thinking of cooking Wagyu steaks right now, you are in the right place! At Wmart Supermarket, we sell Iga Beef, which is A5 Wagyu beef directly imported from Japan and certified halal. We believe its quality is unmatched.  

SHOP NOW

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ENDNOTES
[1] MCO = Movement Control Order in Malaysia of varying restrictions for MCO, EMCO, RMCO, CMCO, FMCO and so on
[2] marketing = “grocery shopping”
[3] line-line-line = Marbling, a most prominent feature of Wagyu beef 
[4] Malaysian version of Wordle. Could be simpler, could be more challenging