Origin: Mie Prefecture, Japan Grade: A5 Marble Score: 11-12 Lineage: Japanese Black (Kuroge) — Tajima heifer bloodline Certificate Included ⭐ A5 Matsusaka NY Strip — Heifer-Only Wagyu From Mie Prefecture 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. What separates Matsusaka from every other brand is the herd itself: only virgin female calves are accepted into the program. Heifers lay down finer, more evenly distributed intramuscular fat than steers, and Matsusaka's fat content runs higher than Kobe's as a result. Add Tajima bloodline genetics, a low-stress environment, and a long grain finish — traditionally supplemented with beer or sake — and you get the most delicate marbling structure in Japanese beef. Only the highest grades qualify to carry the name. This is the NY Strip (Striploin) — cut from the short loin, the muscle that gives you A5's richness with more structure and chew than the ribeye. The marbling is finer and more uniform across the eye, and the strip holds a cleaner edge in the pan, which makes it the easier of the two to cook well. For a first A5 at this tier, the strip is the more forgiving choice. Flavor Profile Dense umami with a firmer, beefier bite than the ribeye Exceptionally fine, even marbling from the heifer-only herd Fat that melts near body temperature and coats the palate Clean finish — rich without going heavy How to cook it: hot cast iron, no added fat, roughly 60-90 seconds per side. Salt only. Rest briefly, then slice across the grain into strips and serve in small portions — 4 to 6 oz per person is plenty at this marble score. 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.
