12 Cheaper Alternatives For Wagyu That Don't Lack Flavor

Wagyu is the gold standard in beef – it stands apart from all other meats for its unparalleled tenderness and rich flavor, so much so that in 1997 the Japanese declared the Wagyu cow a national treasure and banned the export of live cattle to other countries. For those in the United States, enjoying Wagyu beef often comes at a hefty cost.

We asked experts Maricel Gentile of Maricel's Kitchen, Dennis Turcinovic, owner of Delmonico's, and Jennifer Borchardt, the culinary director at Pre Brands to help us explore cheaper alternatives to Wagyu beef. Gentile began by setting us straight on the definition of Wagyu, telling us, "Wagyu Beef is not a cut of beef, but rather a breed of Japanese cows. 'Was' means Japanese and 'gyu' means cow – so the literal translation is 'Japanese Cow.'" Today's Wagyu cows are the result of over 100 years of cross-breeding, intense industry regulation, and attendance at fattening farms where they are fed a diet of rice straw, maize, barley, whole crop silage, and concentrate — some lucky beasts are even massaged to reduce heat, and fed sake in hot weather.

Wagyu meat has a density of fine marbling throughout. It's this intense fat content and a melting point lower than the human body temperature that gives it its renowned melt-in-the-mouth texture and extreme tenderness. Wagyu is now so sought after that it sells for exorbitant prices in the United States, where a cut of store-bought Japanese Wagyu ribeye can set you back $79, and the same cut in a restaurant like Delmonico's can sell for upwards of $255. 

Back in 1997, before the Japanese ban on the export of Wagyu cows, four Wagyu bulls were shipped to America, where they were crossbred with other breeds. Today, cows can be labeled American Wagyu as long as they are 50% full-blood Wagyu. Not all cows were crossbred, and there are currently around 5,000 100% Wagyu cows in the country. Neither the hybrid nor the purebred American Wagyu herds are bred in the same rarified conditions as their Japanese counterparts, but the quality of meat is unrivaled in the country, and Japanese Wagyu is still considered the best beef in the world. In the crossbred cows, the classic fatty marbling is less pronounced than in Japanese Wagyu. The result is a meatier, less rich, steak than the Japanese Wagyu variant which often works well with the American market. 

Wagyu beef is graded based on its marbling, firmness, color, and texture. It is a system called the Wagyu Marbling Score (WMS), which is used by the Japanese and mimicked in both America and Australia. The score ranges from one for low-quality Wagyu to twelve for the finest, most heavily marbled Wagyu meat. Chef Maricel Gentile tells us that "Marbling is very important. True Wagyu A5 beef has such fine marbling that it could melt in your mouth. Marbling is the fat and when you cook the beef that fat melts during cooking and makes the beef tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Fat is flavor."

The Australian Wagyu story is similar to that of the American Wagyu cows. Wagyu cattle were imported from Japan to Australia where they were split into two, creating a line of pureblood Wagyu cattle, which still exists today and is closely managed by the Australian Wagyu Association, and another line that was cross-bred with Angus or Hereford cows. The resulting beef from the crossbreed cattle has the tenderness, flavor, and marbling of Wagyu mixed with the hardiness and growth rate of other breeds. 

Australian Wagyu typically receives a WMS grading score between three and nine, but interestingly, Australian beef undergoes a much more intense grading system than American with color, breed, and pH being taken into consideration as well as the fat marbling. According to Meat and Wine, 97% of all Australian cattle is grass-fed which many believe gives it a more flavorsome "beefy" taste. The result is that Australian beef is some of the tastiest meat you can buy globally, and the Wagyu stands up to the harshest of critics. 

Of course, when it comes to steak, it's not just about the cow but also the cut, Maricel Gentile says. "It all depends on the cut. Tender cuts like Filet Mignon have less intramuscular fat marbling, and that makes them more mild in flavor. Cuts like ribeye have more marbling and more connective tissue, making them a richer flavor." So remember, when selecting a steak for flavor, consider not just the breed of cow, but also the cut that you are purchasing.

Kurobuta pork, sometimes called the Wagyu of Pork, is often compared to Wagyu due to its heavy marbling, which results in an incredibly flavorful, tender meat. Kurobuta pork, known as black hog in Japan, is derived from Berkshire pigs from England. These pigs (which are delicious in their own right) were crossbred with Asian pigs in the 1700's giving them their signature black appearance. Sadly, thanks to extensive cross-breeding, the original Berkshire pig is now threatened, with less than 300 sows in the UK. 

To qualify as Kurobuta pork the meat must come from an established herd in Japan or England, and be raised following stringent guidelines, which state that the pigs should be free-range, fed a diet of grains and vegetables, and vaccinated against disease. Kurobuta pork is regarded as the finest pork in the world and a culinary equal to Wagyu beef. The pork is densely packed with streaks of fat, and has a higher pH than regular pork–these factors combine to produce a flavor intense, rich, juicy, and very tender meat that is sweeter and more succulent than other types of pork.

Hanwoo beef hails from Korea and has been a prized source of meat for the last 500 years. This beef is almost impossible to buy outside of Korea because the demand is so high for Hanwoo within the country. The beef is generally considered unavailable in the U.S., but you can occasionally find it at specialty butchers, Korean food shops, and high-end, and Michelin-starred restaurants.

The Hanwoo cow is smaller than Wagyu, and regulations require it to be free range and fed a grain-rich diet — some farmers are known to feed their cows a diet of beer-enriched feed, which it is thought makes the beef juicier and more succulent. Many people argue that the Hanwoo beef is on par with Wagyu. Hanwoo is heavily marbled but less fatty than Wagyu. Wagyu cows can be up to 70% fat, whereas Hanwoo cows usually sit at around 50%. In terms of taste is it somewhere between Wagyu and Angus which makes it an excellent option for people who find Wagyu too fatty.

Disregarding types of animals and breeds, you can still make clever purchases to find meat that delivers a flavor-filled alternative to Wagyu by considering the cut. When it comes to choosing a cut, Chef Maricel Gentile says, "Ribeye has a lot of marbling and is very well known and easy to get... Cuts like ribeye have more marbling and more connective tissue, making them a richer flavor." Ultimately fat equals flavor once cooked, so picking a cut that is layered throughout with fat will make for a tastier meal.

The ribeye comes from the cow's rib — an area without much movement which makes it extra tender, and full of that ever-so-desirable intramuscular fat. You can order, or buy, ribeye boneless, bone-in, or tomahawk style, which gives a different eating experience and extra flavor. A ribeye steak should be cooked long enough to break down the thick marble lines.

We asked Jennifer Borchardt how a cut ribeye compares to Wagyu in terms of flavor and texture. "Wagyu is known for its extreme marbling, which can give it an almost buttery texture compared to Ribeye and New York strips," she said. "While the ribeye is known for marbling, it's far less extreme; however, grass-fed ribeye is leaner and extremely tender and juicy."

Fillet mignon is thought of as one of the most luxurious cuts of meat in the world. While not as flavorful as other cuts owing to its lack of fatty marbling, what it lacks in flavor it makes up in tenderness, and a good filet mignon should be soft enough to cut with the edge of your fork.

In the U.S., beef is graded by the USDA according to the amount of marbling. Prime beef is the best quality because it has the most marbling. Choice beef has a medium amount of marbling and is more affordable, and Select beef is the lowest grade as it has little marbling. It's not just the amount of marbling that makes a good steak, it's also the distribution; the best beef cuts are finely marbled with an even spread of thin, light flecks of fat. Medium marbling contains larger pieces of fat and coarse marbling will have thick chunks of fat. You want the fat to run into the meat surrounding it, enhancing the flavor — so you are looking for a steak that has lots of thin, evenly distributed marbling throughout.

Filet mignon is taken from the cow's tenderloin, a long rounded strip of meat sliced into two-inch chunks. These small lumps of meat have fine, evenly distributed marbling — giving it a delicate flavor and tenderness. The grill company Weber says to get the best out of your fillet mignon, you should look for steaks that are even in size, bright red with even marbling–when cooking, make sure to season well.

A flat iron steak is known by several different names: top-blade steak, top-blade fillet, and shoulder-blade fillet. It comes from the top muscle of the cow's shoulder blade and is shaped like an old-fashioned flat iron. It seems impossible that a cut of beef could have been "discovered" in this century, but the flat iron can claim this fame. Back in 2001, it was commonly thought that the best pieces of meat came from the inner areas of the cow and that the end areas were too tough to make good steaks. In 1998, meat scientists were challenged by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association to find a new cut of meat. 1.5 million dollars of grant money later, they found it. Hidden away in the top blade part of the chuck was a slice of meat that when trimmed of connective tissue produced a flat iron-shaped steak that was as tender and flavorful the any other beef cut. Today the flat iron is one of the 10 most popular beef cuts in America and commands $630 million in revenue each year.

So how does the new steak on the block taste? Well, its location on the shoulder means it's very tender and soft, almost as soft as fillet mignon. The flat iron has excellent marbling and a beefy flavor with some slight minerality. For this reason, it is often cooked with a marinade but works perfectly on the grill, or pan with some light seasoning.

Bavette is long, thin, and flat in shape — a lean cut that sits alongside active muscle groups, meaning it is tougher than other steak pieces. However, the fibers in bavette are fairly loose, which makes them more receptive to marinades. The bavette has long, tough, somewhat chewy muscle fibers so it is often served sliced thinly across the grain to break down the meat. The bavette has a strong meaty taste which means it can stand up to additional herbs and spices, and you will often find it sliced into tacos and fajitas. However, the bavette stands alone equally well and you're missing a trick if you assume bavette only works well with marinades or hidden behind flavors. At Tasting Table, we think all a bavette steak needs is a "quick sear on each side in a pan over medium-high heat or on a fired-up grill" to make a tender yet flavor-packed morsel that it's the perfect marriage of softness and taste.

We asked Dennis Turcinovic how to cook the perfect steak. He told us, "I like to start by bringing the steak to room temperature and seasoning it properly... with Maldon sea salt and finish them with beef tallow. That's it... When it hits the grill, I focus on achieving those perfect grill marks by searing it at one angle, and then rotating it to create a crosshatch pattern.... After it comes off the grill, I consider a 10-minute resting period mandatory. This resting time is crucial — it allows the juices to redistribute and the excess blood to come out of the steak."

The New York strip is a long, rectangular-shaped steak that is taken from the cow's loin. It's an area that doesn't contain much muscle, which makes the New York strip a fattier cut with decent marbling. The result is a beef cut that is very rich in flavor — even more so if you buy a New York strip on the bone. Chef Maricel Gentile explains that a "New York Strip is leaner and beefier and firm. It has a strong chew. It is a marbled cut, but not melt in your mouth."

The New York strip is commonly linked to the famous New York steak restaurant Delmonico's. There's a common belief that Delmonico's put the New York strip on the map and vice versa. In truth a Delmonico steak is a recipe and style of cooking rather than a certain cut of beef. We asked Dennis Turcinovic how the aging process, of steaks like the New York strip, affects flavor, he told us, "The length of the dry aging process—which can be anywhere from two weeks to almost four months — makes a huge difference in the flavor of the meat. With extensive experience, you can taste the changes in aged steak every week. Two weeks will allow for tenderization, but the flavor will not show signs of change for at least another week. My personal preference is six weeks." If you are looking for a flavor hit, and don't want to pay for a Wagyu steak, an aged New York strip is a great option.

Flank steak is often confused with skirt steak, but while they are both cut from the abdomen of the cow, they have different properties which give them different tastes and textures. Flank steak is a short, stubby cut with muscular fibers that run lengthways. This combined with very little fat means that it's in danger of being tough if not cooked correctly, and for this reason, it's often used with marinades.

Flank steak is an underrated cut that is incredibly flavorsome and much cheaper than ribeye, fillet, and of course, Wagyu. At Tasting Table, we believe the best way to cook a flank steak is to broil it or grill it to medium rare and then slice it thinly across the grain. Chef Maricel Gentile recommends a reverse sear, to "slowly cook your meat in the oven or a sou-vide... and finish with a hard sear in a cast iron pan" for optimal flavor."

Skirt steak is packed full of flavor yet delicately tender. It is a lesser-known and harder-to-find steak than some of the more popular cuts. There's a misconception that skirt steak can be chewy and tough, but it's simply a matter of preparing it correctly. Do it right, and you have a piece of beef that can rival steaks double the price.

Similar in appearance to flank steak, the skirt is long, and thin, and comes from the cow's belly just below the rib. The skirt is a lean cut, thinner in appearance to the flank, usually just ½ an inch thick, and with visible fibers, these fibers run width-ways giving it a pleated appearance, hence the name skirt. There are two 'skirt cuts' the inside and the outside, the outside being slightly thicker. The thinness of the cut and the presence of clearly defined muscle fibers means it's easy to cook a skirt incorrectly you need to soften the fibers, without drying them out. We believe the best way to cook skirt steak is over very high heat for a short time. Skirt steak takes on marinades very well, due to the open fibers, and most marinades can stand up to the strong beefy flavor of the steak.

Sirloin is a versatile piece of meat that marries the tenderness of a fillet mignon with the robust flavor of a ribeye. Price-wise it sits at a midway point between the more expensive cuts and the cheaper cuts, and it's readily available in-store. The location of the sirloin is country-dependent, in the UK the sirloin is sourced from the upper middle of the cow, in the U.S. the sirloin is taken from the back of the cow near the top (this is called a rump steak in the UK). To further complicate matters, there are two different cuts of sirloin in America: top sirloin, which is most often made into steaks as it comes from closer to the loin and is the most tender, and bottom sirloin, which is less tender and often made into ground beef. If you buy a sirloin steak you are usually buying a top sirloin.

Simple is best with top sirloin – we recommend a touch of seasoning, and then putting it in a pan or under the grill. Make sure not to overcook it, it's a fairly lean cut, so too much heat will make it dry and tough. The beefiness of sirloin means it works well with heavier sauces. Jennifer Borchardt recommends using a knob of butter, saying, "Butter helps keep the steak moist and aids in achieving an even, crispy char. The melted butter distributes heat evenly, and basting the top of the steak allows the nutty, buttery flavor to penetrate. Butter adds the perfect touch of juicy moisture and enhances the steak's natural flavor without overpowering it, while also creating a deep, delicious crust on the meat."