Origin: Mie Prefecture, Japan Grade: A5 Marble Score: 11-12 Lineage: Japanese Black (Kuroge) Certificate Included ⭐ A5 Matsusaka Ribeye — Japan's Rarest of the Three Great Wagyu Matsusaka sits alongside Kobe and Omi as one of Japan's Sandai Wagyu — the three original elite brands — and it is the scarcest of the three. Japan produces only a few thousand head a year, and it is praised at home and abroad as a “work of meat art.” Matsusaka or Matsuzaka? You'll see it spelled both ways. Both are valid romanizations of 松阪, the town in Mie the cattle come from — the Japanese syllable sits between an English s and z. Same beef, same program, same certification. If you searched for Matsuzaka beef, you're in the right place. It comes from the Matsusaka region of Mie Prefecture, where a small number of farmers raise the cattle under some of the strictest regulations in Japanese beef. Breed, bloodline, diet, and upbringing are all governed. The cattle live in a low-stress environment and are finished on high-quality grain — and, in the traditional programs, beer or sake — to build the delicate intramuscular fat Matsusaka is known for. Only the highest grades qualify to carry the name. This is the Ribeye — cut from the rib primal, the most heavily marbled section of the animal. On A5 Matsusaka that means a wide, snowflaked eye ringed by the spinalis cap, the single richest bite on the carcass. At BMS 11-12 the fat renders at close to body temperature, so the steak begins softening the moment it hits the pan. Flavor Profile Dense, layered umami — the deepest of the Sandai Wagyu Fat that melts on contact, coating rather than greasing Spinalis cap with a concentrated, almost sweet finish Full A5 richness in a small portion — 4 to 6 oz per person is plenty How to cook it: hot cast iron, no added fat, roughly 60-90 seconds per side. Salt only. Rest briefly, then slice into strips across the grain and serve in small portions — A5 at this marble score eats best in a few perfect bites rather than a whole steak per person. If A5 Kobe or Omi is on your list, this is the one to try beside them. Each order comes with a certificate of authenticity. Steaks sold individually. Click here to learn more about marble scores. Each portioned piece is individually packaged and vacuum sealed. In order to maximize freshness during delivery, we blast freeze our cuts and ship them with dry ice in a reusable insulated box. Thawing is natural and may occur. To learn more about how we ship our products and how to properly receive them, please visit Shipping Info for further detail. All sales are final.
