Aussie Wagyu Masterclass

Aussie Wagyu masterclass – the fat or lean debate.

West London College played host to an amazing Aussie Wagyu masterclass this week where two eminent chefs tested various cuts of lean and fatty Aussie wagyu to see what styles added value and taste.

To kick things off there was a butchery demonstration by chef Paul Greening and Ioannis Grammenos who showed how cutting sirloin into blocks rather than steaks offers a different approach and a new price point. Stephen Edwards from Meat & Livestock Australia and Marcella Williams from AAco then gave a Wagyu presentation.

Stephen Edwards said “Wagyu has a high density of intramuscular fat marble, rather than fat on the outside. We grain feed the wagyu which produces a higher intramuscular fat giving it a buttery flavour. Australia is the largest wagyu exporter in the world, even selling to Japan!”

The main event was the cooking and tasting with chefs Paul Greening, an International Chef Consultant and Ioannis Grammenos of Heliot Steak House creating very different styles that really showed the versatility of Aussie Wagyu and showed how different cuts needed a different approach.

In his segment Greening worked with feather blade and bavette to create:

Tataki of Aussie Wagyu feather blade, beer mustard zuke, truffle butter ponzu and wasabi furikake

Aussie Wagyu bavette spicy tartare, with Japanese herbs, kobayashi crisped rice and smoked cherry wood tosazu

Paul said “I’ve been using Australian Wagyu for 20 years; the consistency is incredible and flavourful. It lends itself to many ways of cooking and is halal so opens up to a wide range of customer base.”

Following on Ioannis Grammenos, worked with flat iron steak, sous-vide bavette, chuck tail flap and sirloin to create:

Aussie Wagyu flat iron with English asparagus and amba sauce

Aussie Wagyu sous-vide bavette, with portobello mushrooms, Greek yoghurt and Romesco sauce

Aussie Wagyu chuck tail flap and Aussie Wagyu sirloin served on a hot stone

Ioannis said “Australian Wagyu has a high price tag because its exceptional, it is free-range and this makes it different from Wagyu from other countries. My favourite is grade A5 Wagyu as it’s balanced between not too buttery and not too lean. I am grateful that Australian Wagyu is available in the UK for our guests to enjoy.”

Wine for the event was sponsored by Brown Brothers – Innocent Bystander Pinot Gris and Innocent Bystander Syrah.