Zabuton Saku | A5 Kagoshima Japanese Wagyu

Learn about how we label beef and Beef Grading Standards

Zabuton Saku, also known as a “Denver” cut in America, and “Haneshita” in Kansai region of Japan, is the outer side portion of the chuck eye roll. This portion is famous for delicate marbling and is often referred to by beef enthusiasts as the “Otoro” of beef due to its “toro-keru” or melt in your mouth qualities.

Application: Sushi, Carpaccio, Barbeque Cuts

ABOUT A5

A5 Wagyu beef is measured on five factors: (1) marbling, (2) meat color and brightness, (3) firmness and texture of meat, and (4) color, luster, and quality of fat.

In the quality grade, the lowest score from the four items of the yield grade is adopted. In other words, even if grade 5 was given to marbling, color and brightness, and firmness and texture, and the only fat assessment was grade 4, the quality grade of this beef is classified as grade 4. Quality grading is severely done.

A5 means this beef excels in every single factor. It has a gorgeous webbing of fat that will make you feel a creamy mouth-feel in each bite. It's literally like tasting a cloud... a cloud of beef.

Like all of our steaks, they come vacuum sealed and have been hand-cut by our expert butchers. 

Miyazakigyu Wagyu is the #1 Wagyu brand in Japan and supply stateside is quite limited. This steak are usually sold for $35-$50 per oz at top steakhouses. 

KAGOSHIMA: WINNER OF 2022 WAGYU OLYMPICS

NEVER HAD A5 BEEF BEFORE?

At first glance every cut of A5 beef will be EXTREMELY fatty compared to any other steak you have ever had. That delicate and yet rich fat, which can make up to more than 60% of the steak is what makes it melt in your mouth. 

This amount of fat makes the beef have a lower melting point, meaning it will cook faster than your average steak. Cooking A5 is extremely easy, that said... it is recommended to pay close attention so that you do not burn or overcook your steaks.

HOW DO I COOK IT?

Cooking an A5 Denver is SUPER easy, and you can follow the same recipe to cook a New York Strip, Ribeye or Denver Steak. Check out this video and follow the same steps.

Best Cooked: Medium-Rare, Medium, Medium-Well

Source: Miyazaki, Japan