Wagyu~X

Cooking

Grill Temperatures and Doneness

Pull temperatures for Wagyu steaks, the USDA whole-cut minimum, and why ground beef is a different number.

Read the center, not the crust

Wagyu browns fast because the fat hits the pan and foams. Color on the outside is not doneness. An instant-read thermometer in the center, not touching bone or the pan, is the only check that matters.

Pull the meat a few degrees early. A steak rises a little while it rests. A large roast rises more.

Steak and roast temperatures

These are finished temperatures in the center, after the rest. Rare is about 120–125°F. Medium-rare is 130–135°F, which is how we cook Wagyu steaks. Medium is about 140–145°F. Medium-well is about 150–155°F. Well done is 160°F and above, and it will cook off the quality you paid for.

USDA says whole cuts of beef — steaks and roasts — should reach 145°F and rest 3 minutes. That is the published food-safety minimum. Our steaks are cooked to 130–135°F because the marbling is the point. Choose the number that matches how you want the beef served, and use a thermometer either way.

Ground Wagyu is not a steak. USDA’s minimum for ground beef is 160°F. Burgers get cooked through. The same is true of raw chorizo. Fully cooked sausages and hot dogs only need to be heated through.

On the grill

Build a two-zone fire. Sear over the hot side, then finish on the cool side if the center is still behind. For a thick tomahawk or a tri-tip, do it the other way: cook on the cool side first, then sear. That is the reverse sear, on a grill.

Do not press the steak. The juices you squeeze out are the ones you wanted. Rest steaks at least 5 minutes before you cut.

The method

  1. Step 1

    Set the target

    Steaks we serve at medium-rare finish at 130–135°F. The USDA whole-cut minimum is 145°F after a 3-minute rest. Ground beef finishes at 160°F.

  2. Step 2

    Build two zones

    One side of the grill ripping hot, the other side cooler. Oil the grates, not a wet steak.

  3. Step 3

    Sear, then move

    Sear a typical steak over the hot side, then slide it to the cool side until the center hits your pull temperature. Reverse that order for a tomahawk or a roast.

  4. Step 4

    Rest

    Rest steaks at least 5 minutes. Rest a roast 20–30 minutes. Cut only after the rest.

Questions

What temperature is medium-rare?

130–135°F in the center after the rest. Pull a steak a few degrees earlier so carryover can finish it.

What does USDA recommend?

145°F and a 3-minute rest for steaks and roasts. 160°F for ground beef. Those are the published minimums.

Why does Wagyu cook faster?

The marbling melts and carries heat through the meat. A Wagyu steak that looks like it needs another minute often does not.

The cuts

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