Wagyu is actually a breed of cattle that produces perfectly marbled cuts of meat, it’s the same breed stock that produces the Kobe beef in Japan. The meat is incredibly tender and has a rich taste. Wagyu beef even surpasses USDA marbling standards for prime-grade beef.
Wagyu is such as high quality meat because of the naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness. And because the Wagyu brisket has so much marbling, it bastes the meat from the inside as it cooks.
A lot of cooks in the KCBS BBQ circuit have started using Wagyu, and my team – The Killer Hogs – is no exception.
It isn’t cheap to buy a Wagyu, coming in at around $5 per pound, but it is worth it when you consider the quality of meat you are going to get.
Most Wagyu briskets come in between 15 – 20 lbs, and if you have ever cooked a regular beef brisket, then you shouldn’t have any problems cooking Wagyu.
You inject and season the Wagyu the exact same way as a normal brisket… BUT the cooking time should be a little faster due to the extreme tenderness and fat marbling of the Wagyu.
You should look for an internal temp of 195 and it should be perfect.
You can always sauce your brisket, but unlike pork… you want to stay away from the sweeter sauces – they will clash with the beef taste. You really just need a simple dry rub of salt, pepper and garlic (just like you season a steak). If you inject your brisket (which I highly recommend), you want to use a simple injection of Beef Base, Worcestershire Sauce, Soy Sauce and water.
These simple flavors will compliment the meat without covering up the natural flavors.
If you cook a Waygu Beef Brisket, you are in for a real treat. It is some of the best brisket you can produce – the flavor, the tenderness and the over-all quality are unbeatable!