JAPANESE FULLBLOOD WAGYU

the world-famous takamori drunken wagyu by numamoto, specially fed with sake mash (fermented rice) from dassai-asahi brewery

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TEXTURE: FATTIEST

unique, rich melt-in-your-mouth A5 experience

EASIEST COOKING

quick pan fry to medium rare. delicious rare or well-done.

PORTION PER PERSON

3-4oz as main course or 2oz with other wagyu steaks

BEST PAIRED WITH

sushi rice or any form of acidity

HIGHLIGHTS

Includes: 1 steak, approximately 4oz

Cut: Striploin (New York)

Thickness: About 3/4"

Type: Certified A5 Wagyu, imported from Japan

BMS: Beef marble score 12 out of 12

Texture: Melts like o-toro (extra fatty tuna)

Flavor: Mild beef flavor with sweet notes

Brand: Takamori Drunken Wagyu from Yamaguchi Prefecture

Ships frozen with ice packs.

WAGYU FARM/BRAND

Takamori Drunken Wagyu

Dassai Asahi is one of Japan's most beloved sake brands, leading the sake industry to worldwide recognition. Takamori Drunken Wagyu, by Noriaki Numamoto, are fed sake mash (leftover fermented rice) from the Dassai Brewery. In addition to grain feeding, the proprietary feed gives drunken wagyu a distinct, slightly sweet, and umami flavor.

Master butcher Numamoto is famed for his unmatched knife skills and is a wagyu specialist. The superior wagyu genetics from Iwakuni farm leads to consistent and exceptional marbling relative to other farms. Drunken wagyu is a small program from Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japan and one of the most sought brands in the world, next to Kobe Beef from the Hyogo Prefecture.

Takamori Wagyu is known for its esteemed clientele, including the former Japanese prime minister, global celebrities, and wagyu enthusiasts.

We recommend enjoying Takamori Wagyu with a sake-tasting flight from Dassai.

FULLBLOOD VS CROSSED WAGYU

FULLBLOOD VS CROSSED WAGYU
Wagyu translates to "Japanese Cow." Most Wagyu we consume is from the Japanese Black (Kuroge Washu) breed. By law, wagyu in Japan are Fullblood (100% wagyu genetics) with no cross-breeding.

Fullblood Wagyu are genetically unique to have the highest intramuscular fat (marbling) and have a low melting point of ~ 78°F, resulting in the famous melt-in-your-mouth experience.

Japan used to export live Fullblood Wagyu to the world. In 1997, though, Japan declared the Wagyu breed a living national treasure and banned exports. Today, there is a small amount of Fullblood Wagyu outside of Japan.

CROSSED WAGYU GENETICS
- higher F numbers = more wagyu DNA
- most are F1 and F4 are the rarest
Farmers achieve genetic variations by crossing Wagyu with Angus. Higher percentages of Wagyu genetics lead to higher F numbers and more Wagyu characteristics in the beef. Most Wagyu in the U.S. & Australia are F1 Crosses (50% wagyu).

WAGYU DIET INFLUENCES BEEF FLAVOR
- Grain Diet: mild beef flavor
- Grain & Grass Diet: medium beefiness
- Grass Diet: strong beef flavor
Many Australian Wagyu farms allow their cattle to graze on grass, creating a deeper beef flavor profile similar to dry-aged meats. Most American Wagyu farms follow Japanese-style grain feeding, producing a milder flavor profile.

MARBLING & TEXTURES
Crossing wagyu is a hard science, and there's a wide variance in quality from different farms. Marble scores range from USDA choice to slightly leaner than A5. We scour the world to find the best quality of wagyu in each category.

Generally, Australian Wagyu programs typically marble out better than American Wagyu, but some exceptions exist. Beef marble scores (BMS) measure the amount of intramuscular fat. Higher BMS scores are fattier, and lower BMS scores are more balanced in steak texture. The highest BMS scores will be slightly leaner than the melt-in-your-mouth A5 Japanese Wagyu.

WAGYU BRANDS
Like wine, each brand/region of Wagyu will be distinct from the others. Farms will differ in genetics, animal husbandry, environment, and diet. Learn the differences by tasting wagyu from different farms across the world.

Cooking

Method: Pan frying with cast-iron (any pan will work)

A5 wagyu is unique because the steak melts around 78°F, meaning the steak melts at room temperature. A5 wagyu is the easiest steak to cook because it melts in your mouth, rare or well done. Allowing the steak to come up to room temperature is part of the cooking process.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Safely thaw your steak in the refrigerator 24 hours before cooking and allow the steak to come up to room temperature right before cooking (20-30 mins).

2. Lightly season your steak with salt. You can always add more at the end.

3. Preheat your pan over medium-high heat for 90 seconds. Trim off a small piece of wagyu fat and lightly coat the pan with the wagyu fat (no oil needed).

4. Add the steak and press down with your tongs to ensure even pan contact.

Use the timetables below, which assume a 16oz 3/4" thick A5 steak, for a rough estimate of when to flip (it's okay to flip multiple times). Every kitchen will be different, and you may need to adjust your fire. We're using a 16oz ribeye steak below.

Thinner 3/4" 4oz steaks will cook much faster.
Thick block-cut steaks will cook faster since you'll be searing all 6 sides.  

doneness

3/4" thick

1" thick

rare

35 sec

60 sec

med. rare

40 sec

70 sec

medium

45 sec

80 sec

medium well

50 sec

90 sec

5. Allow your A5 to rest for one minute before cutting against the grain. Eat while the steak is hot (A5 tastes better hot).

Your steak should have an even brown crust all around - use the image above as a color reference).



Tips

• Drain the pain of fat between every steak you cook. You can reuse the wagyu fat (tallow) as cooking oil.

• Remember, you can't "mess up" A5 because it's delicious at any doneness.

• You can always put the steak back into the pan if you want to render the fat more.

Cooking

Method: Pan frying with cast-iron (any pan will work)

A5 wagyu is unique because the steak melts around 78°F, meaning the steak melts at room temperature. A5 wagyu is the easiest steak to cook because it melts in your mouth, rare or well done. Allowing the steak to come up to room temperature is part of the cooking process.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Safely thaw your steak in the refrigerator 24 hours before cooking and allow the steak to come up to room temperature right before cooking (20-30 mins).

2. Lightly season your steak with salt. You can always add more at the end.

3. Preheat your pan over medium-high heat for 90 seconds. Trim off a small piece of wagyu fat and lightly coat the pan with the wagyu fat (no oil needed).

4. Add the steak and press down with your tongs to ensure even pan contact.

Use the timetables below, which assume a 16oz 3/4" thick A5 steak, for a rough estimate of when to flip (it's okay to flip multiple times). Every kitchen will be different, and you may need to adjust your fire. We're using a 16oz ribeye steak below.

Thinner 3/4" 4oz steaks will cook much faster.
Thick block-cut steaks will cook faster since you'll be searing all 6 sides.  

doneness

3/4" thick

1" thick

rare

35 sec

60 sec

med. rare

40 sec

70 sec

medium

45 sec

80 sec

medium well

50 sec

90 sec

5. Allow your A5 to rest for one minute before cutting against the grain. Eat while the steak is hot (A5 tastes better hot).

Tips
• Drain the pain of fat between every steak you cook. You can reuse the wagyu fat (tallow) as cooking oil.

• Remember, you can't "mess up" A5 because it's delicious at any doneness.

• You can always put the steak back into the pan if you want to render the fat more.

Your steak should have an even brown crust all around - use the image above as a color reference).