Recipe for Japanese Wagyu - A Tasting Platter

1. Begin by pulling out the Wagyu and allowing it to sit and warm on the counter for a little while you prepare the rice. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then add the clean rice and water to a rice cooker. If you don’t use a rice cooker, rinse the rice, combine rice and water in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer until water is absorbed – about 20 minutes. Once absorbed, turn off the heat and allow the rice to rest in the pot an additional 10 minutes. 
2. Once the rice is going, add the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a clean saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved. It won’t take long. 
3. Remove the cooking grids, place the Cast Iron Charcoal and Smoker Tray onto the burners and fill with a single layer of charcoal. Light the burners and allow the charcoal to catch. Preheat the grill to high – about 500°F - with a skillet or a multifunctional topper on the grill.
4. While things are preheating wash the mushrooms and slice them into bite-sized rounds. Slide them onto skewers. In a bowl, add the butter, miso paste, and chili paste or flakes. Microwave the butter mixture gently until the butter is just melted. 
5. Remove the rice from the rice cooker to cool. Season it with the vinegar mixture and spread it out in a large bowl that has been moistened with water. 
6. It’s time to get the Wagyu Steaks. For this meal, we will be preparing the meat in a couple of different ways. One will be Teppanyaki Style – thick strips/chunks and the other Yakiniku style – thin strips. We will also be making Nigiri Sushi with some of those strips. Take one of the steaks and, cutting against the grain, slice half of the steak about ½ inch thick. Slice the second steak in half. 
7. Bring all of the meat and mushrooms out to the grill. Place the halves of steak directly over the charcoal. Place the skewered mushrooms directly on the cooking grids and brush with the miso butter. When the first side of the ribeyes have seared to perfection, flip. Place the thinly sliced wagyu onto the multifunctional topper, flipping the slices as soon as they will lift from the topper, they are to be incredibly lightly cooked. If you are using cast iron instead, sear the thin slices in the same manner. Be careful of flareups - Japanese Wagyu is highly fatty and will drip into the coals. There will be flareups but these will cause some intense flavor and will not make your grill dirty as the charcoal is catching that dripping and delicious fat.
8. Remember to flip and baste the mushrooms. Once every piece of meat has been cooked, bring the meat in allowing the thicker pieces to rest. 
9. Wet your hands and form 4 to 8 small rice rectangles. Slice the remaining whole piece of Japanese Wagyu as thinly as possible and top the rice with the thinly sliced beef.
10. Lay the fully cooked, thinly sliced, Yakiniku Style Wagyu around a bowl of ponzu or soy sauce. Add the Teppanyaki style – thickly cut Wagyu to your plate and finish with the Wagyu Nigiri and the mushrooms. Place a dipping dish with any remaining miso butter on the plate as well. Serve with your favorite side dishes for a fantastic and semi-authentic Japanese Wagyu experience.

Eating Japanese Wagyu for the first time was an intense experience. We're used to eating a big steak that has body and heft, the bigger the better. Japanese Wagyu has a buttery, pork belly texture and incredibly rich flavor, eating it like you would a regular steak would be like slicing butter and eating it whole. It melts on your tongue, the smoke from the charcoal enriching the beef flavor intensely. Pairing it with different flavor experiences like plain rice, sour pickled cucumber, or even just salt and pepper can create a whole different experience. 

It’s an interesting thing, learning to work from home. In this line of work, cooking, photographing, eating, and writing about it, there have been a few adjustments to be made. Thankfully, ordering ingredients and groceries online has made it possible to continue. In fact, I reached out to a fantastic Canadian company, Chophouse Steaks, for some incredible quality beef, including Japanese Wagyu Steaks. This Japanese Wagyu Tasting Platter is a great way to get the most out of an expensive steak while still enjoying the unique qualities and flavors. What is the most expensive steak you have ever tried? Share your steak filled grilling adventures on our social pages like Facebook and Instagram, using the hashtags #NapoleonEats and #NapoleonMoments.

Happy Grilling!