Finding Wagyu Beef On A BBQ Restaurant Menu Might Not Be The Red Flag It Sounds Like
Seeing wagyu beef, the prized cut that most associate with elite Japanese cattle, on the menu at a barbecue restaurant might give you pause for a couple of reasons. The spendy, über-marbled steaks aren't typically associated with smokers, sauces, or the low and slow methods ordinarily associated with barbecue, for one. And if the folks in the kitchen don't know that, what else might they be getting wrong? But more locally sourced bovines by the same name might make a little more sense in most settings, according to Matt Abdoo, executive chef and co-founder of Pig Beach BBQ.
"I don't think wagyu beef is necessary for a barbecue restaurant, especially if we're talking about Japanese wagyu," Abdoo tells Chowhound exclusively. "It's incredibly rich and also extremely expensive. American wagyu, on the other hand, is more commonly used in competition barbecue because its higher intramuscular fat, or marbling, makes the meat exceptionally juicy and flavorful," he says. One online retailer, for example, presently lists a 10-ounce Japanese wagyu ribeye for $209 on its site, while its stateside doppelgänger is $79, even at 2 ounces more. And that's before the typical restaurant markup.
When it makes more sense (and dollars) to see Japanese wagyu on a barbecue menu
Matt Abdoo notes cost as an obvious challenge for restaurants that might want to carry the most noble proteins. Price them too high and people just won't buy. A lot of consumers also associate barbecue, in particular, with paper napkins and picnic tables, rather than the crisp linens and the overall ambiance that sometimes signal fine dining. In other words, they just expect to spend less.
"That said, if price isn't a consideration, serving a premium beef can make for an outstanding barbecue experience," Abdoo says. Still, most Japanese wagyu preparations that you're going to see in restaurants across cuisine categories and in recipes populating URLs web-wide are going to be considerably simpler than the elaborate rubs and marinades that often jazz up the ribs and brisket more typically associated with backyard-style barbecue. The best temperature for cooking Japanese wagyu is 425 degrees Fahrenheit — and very quickly — regardless of your approach.