Turkey isn't compulsory. More people are swapping the bird for beef at Christmas, and if you're going to do it, it's worth doing properly. This is how we'd plan it: which cut, how much to buy, how to cook it on the day, and when to order so it arrives in time.
Start with how many you're feeding
Wagyu is richer than the beef most people are used to. The marbling that makes it taste the way it does also means you need less of it on the plate. As a rough guide:
Japanese A5: 100–150g per person. It's very rich. Serve it sliced, alongside other things, rather than as a full steak each.
Australian Wagyu: 200–250g per person as a main.
Irish Wagyu: 200–250g per person. Leaner than A5, so closer to a normal steak portion.
If there are children or lighter eaters at the table, count them as half. If you're serving a big spread of sides, you can come down a little.
Choosing the centrepiece
For 2–4 people: fillet steaks. Our Irish Wagyu Fillet comes in 150g and 200g portions. It's the easiest option on the day: tender, quick to cook, and nobody has to carve. Sear hard in a hot pan, finish with butter and thyme, rest for five minutes and serve.
For 4–6 people: a tomahawk. A Wagyu tomahawk is the one that gets the phones out when it comes to the table. It's a thick ribeye left on the bone, so it needs a gentler method than a normal steak (see below). [Confirm stock: currently showing sold out. Remove this paragraph or add "back in stock for Christmas" once confirmed.]
For a mixed table: ribeye and sirloin. Cook a few ribeyes and sirloins and slice them across a board. Everyone takes what they like, and it's easier to cater for different preferences on doneness. Adding a little Japanese A5 to the board, sliced thin, gives people a taste of it without the cost of a full portion each.
For Boxing Day or a big crowd: brisket. Our Australian Wagyu Brisket is a whole piece, around 7.5kg, graded [BMS confirm]. It feeds a lot of people and it does its work slowly in the oven while you get on with the day. Low and slow, around 120°C for 10–12 hours wrapped, until a probe slides in with no resistance. Cook it Christmas Eve, rest it overnight in a cool box, slice and reheat gently on the day. Leftovers make the best sandwiches of the year. See the full Brisket & More range.
Halal: we carry a halal range. Not every item in our bundles is halal, so if it matters for your table, order from that page directly.
Cooking it on the day
Steaks and fillets are straightforward: take them out of the fridge an hour before, season with salt only, sear in a very hot pan, rest, slice. Our steak guide covers it step by step.
A tomahawk is too thick to cook in the pan alone. Use a reverse sear:
Bring it to room temperature for at least an hour.
Season well with salt.
Cook in the oven at 110–120°C until the centre reads 48–50°C on a probe thermometer. This usually takes 45–75 minutes depending on thickness.
Rest for ten minutes.
Sear in a very hot pan or on the barbecue, a minute or two each side, to build the crust.
Carve off the bone and slice across the grain.
A probe thermometer is the one piece of kit worth buying for Christmas. It takes the guessing out of an expensive cut.
The roast potatoes
If you're cooking beef, cook the potatoes in beef fat. Parboil, rough them up in the colander, and roast them in Wagyu tallow heated until it's shimmering in the tray. They crisp up in a way oil doesn't manage. We render our tallow from our own trimmings. If you want the background, our tallow guide explains why chefs use it.
Save the resting juices from the beef and whisk them into the gravy.
When to order
Christmas is the busiest week of the year for every butcher, and couriers slow down too. Our advice is to order early and choose a delivery date that gives you a day of slack.
Last order date for Christmas delivery: 22nd DEC (Local delivery or collection untill the 24th)
London: we deliver locally across all of London.
Rest of the UK: order by 4pm for next-day delivery. Orders placed after 5pm on a Friday ship on Monday.
Delivery is free on orders over £100, otherwise £8.99.
Everything arrives vacuum-sealed, in an insulated box with ice packs. [Fresh/frozen: confirm. If fresh, add: "Unopened, it keeps in the fridge until [use-by guidance]." If frozen, add: "Defrost in the fridge for 24–48 hours before cooking."]
Buying for someone else
If you're shopping for the person who already has everything, a box of Wagyu is a present that gets used. Our Wagyu bundles give a range of cuts in one order. [If gift cards are available on the site, add: "We also offer gift cards, so they can choose their own."]
Who's cutting it
Ways of Wagyu is two people. Saul, our head chef, has cooked at The Ivy, Novikov and Goodman, and he does the butchery and trimming himself. Adam handles the sourcing and packs every order. We buy from importers rather than distributors, which is how we keep prices where they are. If you're not sure which cut suits your table, message us at info@waysofwagyu.com or call +44 7920 125 709 and we'll help you work it out.
