This is Yoon, the store manager. Thank you very much for visiting us.
Everyone has come across the term “A5 rank” when going to a yakiniku restaurant or choosing meat for a midyear or year-end gift. On TV gourmet programs, you often hear phrases like, “Here we are! This is the highest grade A5 rank Japanese black beef!”. I think many people have the image of “the most delicious and high-quality meat”, but I think there are surprisingly few people who know exactly what the “A” and “5” mean.
Therefore, this time, as the manager of a yakiniku restaurant that takes meat seriously every day, I would like to introduce you to the deep world of Wagyu beef under the theme of “What is A5 rank? Explaining the grading standards for Wagyu beef.” Armed with this knowledge, the next time you eat Yakiniku, you will be able to enjoy the meat many times more deeply.
[Two criteria for determining “A5 rank”]
Beef ranks (gradings) are uniformly evaluated nationwide based on strict standards set by an organization called the Japan Meat Grading Association, a public interest incorporated association. This rating is determined by a combination of two main factors: “yield grade (alphabet)” and “flesh quality grade (number).” In other words, “A5” is a title given only to meat that has achieved the highest ratings of “yield grade A” and “meat quality grade 5”.
■ What is the yield grade? ■
Yield grades are represented by the letters “A”, “B”, and “C”. This is an index that shows how much edible meat can be produced from one cow. After removing bones and internal organs, the higher the percentage of the meat that is actually sold as meat at the store, the more highly valued it will be. If you get more than the standard amount, you get an “A,” if you get the standard, you get a “B,” and if you get less than the norm, you get a “C.” Farmers can earn this “A” rating by carefully raising Kuroge Wagyu beef with excellent bloodlines.
■ What is meat quality grade? ■
The meat quality grade is represented by the numbers “1” to “5”. As the name suggests, this is an evaluation of the quality of the meat itself, and is judged based on the following four criteria.
- Marbling (BMS): How well the meat has marbling (marbling)
- Meat color: Is the red part of the meat beautiful in color and luster?
- Meat firmness and texture: Is the meat finely textured and firm?
- Color and quality of fat: Is the fat white and beautiful in color and of good quality?
Each of these four items is given a score from 1 to 5, but this is where it gets really tough. For example, even if you get a “5” in three items, if you get a “4” in one item, the meat quality grade for that meat will be “4.” In other words, meat that has achieved the “A5 rank” can be said to be Wagyu beef that is truly a “work of art” and has achieved the perfect highest score in all of these strict criteria.
[A5 rank = absolutely the most delicious? ]
There is one thing I would like to tell you as a meat professional. I’m often asked, “Because it’s ranked A5, it must be the most delicious, right?” However, in reality, the grading criteria does not include items such as “taste” or “amount of umami ingredients.” The criteria are just the beauty of the appearance and the degree of marbling. Therefore, for those who like lean, refreshing meat, they may find that A3 or A4 rank meat, which is leaner, is more delicious than A5 rank meat, which has plenty of marbling.
However, the A5 rank Kuroge Wagyu beef’s “exquisite texture that melts in your mouth as soon as you put it in your mouth”, the sweet and mellow aroma called “Wagyu incense”, and the artistically beautiful marbled visuals bring you a special experience that you can never experience with other ranks. The truly high-quality A5 rank Wagyu beef fat has an elegant sweetness that melts away easily without being sticky to the stomach. We want you to experience this excitement, so at our restaurant “Jan” we continue to focus on A5 rank Japanese black beef.
[Jan’s commitment: The best A5 Wagyu beef in Otsuka]
Our shop “Jan” is located in Otsuka, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. When you get off the north exit of Otsuka Station, you’ll be greeted by a lively shopping street, where the Toden Arakawa Line runs leisurely, and a townscape that retains the nostalgic and warm atmosphere of a downtown area. I love this city called Otsuka. This is because it is an unpretentious city, where people are close to each other and full of smiles as they simply enjoy delicious food.
I opened “Jan” in Otsuka with one dream in mind. That is, “We want to create a restaurant where the prices are downtown, but the taste is high-end.We want to create a restaurant where anyone can easily enjoy the highest quality A5 rank Kuroge Wagyu beef.”
If you go to a high-end teppanyaki restaurant or a high-end yakiniku restaurant like those in Ginza or Roppongi, you can eat excellent A5-ranked wagyu beef. However, if you do that, you will worry about your wallet and it will become a “distant existence” that you can only eat on special anniversaries. “I want people to smile more on a daily basis with their family, friends, and lovers as they sit around the finest meat sizzling on the grill.” With this in mind, we have developed our own purchasing route and are offering “serious Wagyu beef” at the very best in cost performance.
This happened to me once when I had a customer with a family. The moment a boy of elementary school age took a bite of our A5 rank short ribs, his eyes widened and he exclaimed with great joy, “The meat disappeared from his mouth!” The father and mother were surprised and went home with smiles on their faces, saying, “I can’t believe the whole family could eat such delicious meat at such a low price.” The scene I saw at that time made me happier than anything else as a store manager, and it continues to be my driving force.
[You can taste it at Jan! Finest A5 Wagyu beef menu]
Here, we would like to introduce some of our recommended menu items, including A5 rank Japanese black beef, which our restaurant “Jan” proudly delivers.
■ Men’s short ribs (2,750 yen)
We offer the highest quality A5 Kuroge Wagyu beef with fine marbling in luxurious thick slices. When the surface is grilled to a fragrant aroma, the meat juices are trapped inside, giving you a surprisingly juicy and melt-in-the-mouth texture the moment you bite into it. The sweetness of the high-quality fat and the rich richness fill your mouth, making it an irresistible dish for short rib lovers.
■ Wagyu Misuji (2,750 yen)
It is a “mysterious part” that is loved by yakiniku connoisseurs. The rich flavor created by the beautiful marbling is just like the melty meat. Please enjoy the harmony of the mellow aroma and melt-in-your-mouth texture that only A5 rank can offer, grilled rare.
■ Large sirloin (1,320 yen)
Jan’s way of enjoying the dish is to eat a large piece of quickly grilled meat on top of the set’s special egg rice! The perfect combination of rich egg yolk, special sauce, and high-quality fat from Wagyu beef intertwined with white rice. The ultimate luxurious egg-cooked rice that can only be enjoyed at a Yakiniku restaurant.
■ Specialty wrapped green onion top tongue (2,750 yen)
Although this is not Wagyu beef, it is our restaurant’s most popular dish, so we would like to introduce it to you. We use only the rarest part of the tongue, the fatty and juicy top tongue, and wrap plenty of fluffy green onions in it before steam-grilling it. The overflowing meat juice and the sweetness of the green onions will fill your mouth, making this a must-try signature dish that you must try when you visit our restaurant.
【lastly】
This time, I gave a talk on the theme of “What is A5 rank? Explaining the grading standards for Wagyu beef.” The rank of meat is the result of the sweat and tears of farmers, and it is also an important guidepost for us, Yakiniku restaurants, to deliver our meat in the best condition to our customers. We hope that by knowing the knowledge of grading, you will be able to appreciate how special the meat in front of you is, and enjoy it even more deliciously.
In addition to the menu we introduced today, “Jan” also offers a number of menu items that we are proud of, with quality and price comparable to other restaurants, such as “Wagyu fillet (2,750 yen)”, “Wagyu beef ribs (2,750 yen)”, and “A5 rib roast melt-in-your-mouth yukke”. The Wagyu Beef Enjoyment Course, where you can fully enjoy A5 Wagyu beef from the appetizer to the final meal, has been well received for its overwhelming cost performance.
Our entire staff is looking forward to seeing everyone’s smiling faces as they say, “It’s delicious!” in the city of Otsuka. We also have semi-private rooms perfect for dates and tatami seats perfect for parties with family and friends, so please feel free to stop by.
Tonight, why not come to “Jan” for a blissful yakiniku experience that will shake your instincts?
Reservations can be made using the link below or by phone. We look forward to your visit!
Kuroge Wagyu Beef Specialty Yakiniku Stadium Jan Otsuka Main Branch
1F SK Building, 2-11-1 Kitaotsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
03-3910-9065
Click here to make a reservation:https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1323/A132302/13168261/
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