How to Cook Japanese Wagyu Fillet or Tenderloin

Quick answer: cook Japanese Wagyu fillet with a controlled sear, then lower the heat if its centre needs more cooking. Fillet is the cut also called tenderloin. A thick medallion needs a different finish from a thin steak, even when both weigh 200g. Dry the surface, colour every outside edge and give the meat a short rest before slicing.

Which fillet should you choose?

This method uses the 200g option on Japanese A5 Wagyu Fillet, 200g. It is an active fillet product, not a ribeye substitute. The page also offers larger and multipack options: check the selected weight and quantity, because a whole fillet is not interchangeable with an individual steak.

Japanese A5 Wagyu Fillet , 200g

£41.20

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For two separately plated portions, Japanese A5 Wagyu Fillet, 2 × 200g is another format to compare. A total pack weight does not establish each piece's thickness. Inspect the cut before choosing your pan and finishing method.

What makes fillet different to cook?

The attraction here is the fine texture. You do not need to flatten it, pierce it repeatedly or disguise it with a long marinade. Concentrate on browning the outside without holding a thick piece over fierce heat for its entire cook.

If the top and bottom colour well but the centre is still below your chosen finish, turn the heat down. That allows more even heating without blackening the surface. The A5 grading explanation helps with the label, but neither the grade nor a product photograph tells you the steak's exact thickness.

What do you need for a simple fillet plate?

For a shared tasting, one 200g raw fillet supplies two planned 100g raw portions before cooking losses. For two individual 200g raw steaks, order 400g total in the appropriate two-piece format. Do not assume a single 400g piece arrives already divided.

• 200g raw fillet for the shared tasting described here.
• 150g mushrooms, sliced.
• A small handful of watercress and a lemon wedge.
• A little neutral oil for the mushrooms and salt to finish.
• A heavy pan, tongs, a clean board and a sharp knife.

Cook the mushrooms first in a separate pan and keep them warm. Keep the watercress cool and dress it just before serving. This prevents wet vegetables from steaming the beef and lets you give the fillet your attention during its short pan stage.

How do you prepare and cook the fillet?

1. Check the pack. Follow its storage temperature and use-by date. If supplied frozen, thaw completely in the fridge before cooking. Keep the portion chilled while preparing the sides.
2. Dry without washing. Pat the faces and curved sides with kitchen paper. Season lightly immediately before cooking. Remove the steak from its packaging only when you are ready to use it.
3. Preheat a heavy pan. Use medium-high heat and good extraction. The product's marbling provides fat; start with a dry surface rather than a pool of butter.
4. Sear the broad faces. Let each face brown before moving it. Lift with tongs, not a fork, and do not press the meat flat.
5. Colour the sides. A medallion has a substantial curved edge. Hold it carefully with tongs and cook that exterior too, moving around the piece until no raw outside area is missed.
6. Finish according to thickness. For a thick medallion, reduce to moderate heat and turn regularly. If the exterior is colouring too quickly, use an oven-safe pan in a 160°C fan or 180°C conventional oven to finish more gently. Do not apply a thin-steak timer to a thick piece.
7. Check, rest and carve. After the surface is cooked, use a clean thermometer where an accurate centre reading is possible. Rest on a clean warm plate for a few minutes, then slice across the grain and divide the slices between plates.

Which doneness is appropriate?

An intact beef steak may remain pink after all its outside surfaces have been properly cooked. This does not mean A5 beef is suitable for eating raw. Minced, rolled or mechanically tenderised meat requires a different safety approach. For thorough cooking, the Food Standards Agency gives 70°C at the centre for two minutes, or an equivalent such as 75°C for 30 seconds.

Follow stricter pack instructions and the needs of your diners. A fixed “two minutes per side” cannot confirm either doneness or safety when shape, thickness and pan heat vary. Resting is useful for serving, but it does not replace the required cooking step.

What should you do if the result is uneven?

• Pale, wet surface: dry the next portion better and keep mushrooms out of the steak pan. Do not crowd two steaks into a pan that fits only one.
• Dark outside, underdone centre: lower the heat or use the oven finish. Chasing more colour at maximum heat makes the imbalance worse.
• The meat tears when turned: let the seared surface release naturally, then lift carefully with tongs.
• The plate cools before serving: finish the sides first and use warm plates. Avoid leaving small sliced portions waiting while you make a sauce.

Clean equipment matters as much as timing. Do not reuse a raw-meat plate for the finished fillet; follow the FSA's cross-contamination guidance.

How do storage and UK delivery affect the plan?

The FSA recommends fridge defrosting and using food within 24 hours after complete thawing. Keep the fridge at 0–5°C, follow any stricter pack requirements and do not refreeze thawed raw beef. No generic online guide should extend the product's use-by date.

Check the gourmet delivery policy before arranging dinner. Depending on category, orders placed Monday morning to Thursday morning are delivered within 1–3 working days. Thursday-afternoon through Sunday orders, including Friday orders, dispatch the following Monday. Confirm the applicable service for your address rather than assuming an immediate London delivery.