Comparing Steak Cuts: How to Choose the Japanese Wagyu Steak for You

Maybe you’ve already spent hours comparing several different cuts of Japanese Wagyu steak. Or, maybe you’ve narrowed it down to just a couple of cuts that look equally tender and full of that rich Wagyu flavor you crave.

Either way, choosing the right steak cut for you can be daunting—especially if you’re relatively new to the world of Wagyu. Different cuts from the loin are divided into Wagyu ribeye, striploin, and tenderloin. There are rarer cuts from different parts of the cattle as well, such as flat iron and culotte, which are lesser known and harder to come by, but exquisite in terms of texture and taste. All are great meat for steaks, but knowing how to differentiate between them properly will better equip you to make the perfect choice for your palate. 

Below, we’ll review the different Japanese Wagyu Beef cuts, highlighting each one’s characteristics and sharing which recipes they’re ideal for to help you choose:

Japanese Wagyu Ribeye

Japanese Wagyu ribeye offers the perfect balance of leanness and flavorful fat, making it a great recommendation for beginners. With a super tender marbling texture and the highest percentage of sweetness and Umami of all Japanese Wagyu Beef, you really can’t go wrong with ribeye—especially A5 Wagyu ribeye, which ensures it’s of the highest quality. Japanese Wagyu ribeye is ideal for cooking steak, barbecue, wagyu sushi, sandwich, hot pot, shabu shabu, and sukiyaki.

Japanese Wagyu Striploin 

Japanese Wagyu striploin, also known as sirloin, is soft and sweet, with juicy marbling and a delicious melting texture that dissolves with flavor as soon as you put it in your mouth. The super tender cut of Wagyu beef has a rich, meaty taste that the savory steak lover will swoon over. Japanese Wagyu striploin/sirloin is also ideal for cooking steak, barbecue, wagyu sushi, sandwich, hot pot, shabu shabu, and sukiyaki.

Japanese Wagyu Tenderloin 

Tenderloin is the tenderest part of Japanese Wagyu Beef and makes up only about 3% of the entire cattle. Despite being a leaner meat, Wagyu tenderloin is still meaty and flavorful, with a balanced taste, moderate fat, and a super tender texture. Center cuts of tenderloin include filet mignon and chateaubriand, which have earned it recognition as the “Queen of Japanese Wagyu” from steak lovers all over With a distinct mellow and elegant taste, Wagyu tenderloin is ideal for cooking steak, roast beef, and katsu. 

Japanese Wagyu Culotte

Culotte, also known as picanha, is one of the rarest and most balanced cuts of Japanese Wagyu Beef. Featuring sweet, flavorful fat, tender meat, and gorgeous marbling, the culotte cut will amaze even the most seasoned of steak aficionados. Its balanced taste, moderate fat, and unique flavor make the culotte/picanha cut of beef ideal for cooking Japanese Wagyu steak like you’ve never had it before.

Japanese Wagyu Flat Iron

Cut from the most expensive and delicious part of the clod, the section of a neck of beef nearest the shoulder, flat iron is one of the rarest and most balanced cuts of Japanese Wagyu Beef. With a super tender texture, gorgeous marbling, and rich flavor, Japanese Wagyu flat iron is ideal for cooking up steaks or barbecue. In fact, flat iron’s near-perfect marbling makes it the ideal steak cut for grilling, so if you’re a grill master, this one’s for you!