Wagyu Beef with Truffle: Fresh Shavings or Truffle Butter

Wagyu and truffle work best with a small portion and a restrained finish. Use fresh truffle for fine shavings only when the actual product is suitable for that use. Beleaev's linked Périgord truffle is frozen and intended for cooking, so this recipe also gives a warm truffle-butter option that matches the product you can order.

Serves: 2 tasting plates. Beef: 200g. Allow: about 20–25 minutes, excluding any defrosting. Serve with prepared rice or green vegetables if you want a fuller meal.

Shop the right beef and truffle format

Use Japanese A5 Wagyu Sirloin, 200g. Select the 200g option and check its pack instructions.

For the cooked finish, choose Périgord black truffles, frozen, 100g. You need 10g for this recipe. The card is for a frozen cooking ingredient, not fresh truffle shavings; a fresh truffle for the other method must be sourced and checked separately.

Ingredients for two tasting portions

For the beef

• 200g Japanese A5 Wagyu sirloin, fully thawed if supplied frozen
• A small pinch of flaky sea salt
• A little freshly ground black pepper, optional
• 1 teaspoon finely sliced chives, optional

Choose one truffle finish

• Frozen-truffle butter: 10g frozen Périgord black truffle, finely grated or diced from frozen, plus 10g unsalted butter
• Fresh shavings: 8–10g fresh black truffle suitable for raw finishing, prepared according to its supplier's instructions and sourced separately

Use one finish, not both. Butter contains milk; check all ingredient labels for your guests. The portions are deliberately small: 200g raw beef gives two 100g tasting portions before cooking.

How to prepare the frozen-truffle butter

1. Keep the unused truffle frozen. Take only the 10g needed and grate or finely dice it while firm, following the pack's instructions.
2. Melt the butter gently in a small pan over low heat. Add the truffle and warm for about 2–3 minutes, stirring. Do not brown the butter.
3. Take the pan off the heat and keep the mixture warm while the steak rests. If it cools, warm it gently again before serving.

The current product description identifies this as a cooking truffle: its texture softens as it thaws. Finely chopping it into warm butter is a different preparation from shaving fresh truffle at the table.

How to sear the Wagyu and finish the plate

1. Prepare everything first. Have the truffle finish, plates and any sides ready. Keep the beef chilled until preparation and pat all outside surfaces dry.
2. Preheat the pan. Heat a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Begin without extra oil; the marbling will supply cooking fat. Use extraction and manage any spitting fat carefully.
3. Brown the beef. Sear the broad sides and all the edges, using tongs to turn the steak. For a thin piece, start checking after about a minute per broad side, but continue as required. Lower the heat for a thicker piece that needs a longer finish.
4. Check the cooking requirement. A pink centre is an option only for intact whole beef after the entire exterior is properly cooked. Follow the label and cook non-intact meat thoroughly. A 60-second timer is not a food-safety test.
5. Rest and slice. Transfer to a clean board, rest for about 3 minutes, then slice across the grain. Divide between two warm plates.
6. Finish with the format you chose. Spoon half the warm truffle butter over each portion. If using a separately sourced fresh truffle suitable for raw finishing instead, shave 4–5g over each plate and omit the butter.
7. Season and serve. Add a little flaky salt and the optional pepper or chives. Serve promptly.

The Food Standards Agency's cooking guidance separates intact beef from minced, rolled and other meats requiring thorough cooking. Its thorough-cooking examples include 70°C in the centre held for 2 minutes, or 75°C for 30 seconds. Mechanically tenderised meat should not be treated as intact steak.

How should the ingredients be stored?

Follow the sirloin pack's chilled or frozen storage state and use-by date. If frozen, thaw fully in the fridge in a covered container below ready-to-eat food. Keep the fridge at 0–5°C and use the beef within 24 hours of complete thawing, or sooner if the label requires it.

The linked frozen truffle specifies storage at −18°C or below and use straight from frozen. Do not thaw the whole pack to take a small serving, and do not refreeze it after thawing. A separately sourced fresh truffle needs its own supplier's storage instructions; do not copy the frozen product's shelf life onto it. See the FSA chilling and defrosting guidance for general handling.

What should you serve alongside?

Steamed rice, green vegetables or a crisp salad gives the beef room on the plate. Keep the accompaniments simple so the truffle remains distinct; another rich sauce can obscure its aroma.

For a brighter alternative, try Wagyu sirloin with chimichurri. To understand the grade before choosing a cut, read A5 Wagyu and BMS explained: the A5 grade is not a promise that every steak has the maximum marbling score.

Ordering ingredients for UK delivery

Beleaev's gourmet delivery policy gives eligible UK orders placed Monday morning to Thursday morning a 1–3 business-day window. Orders placed Thursday afternoon to Sunday are dispatched the following Monday. Check the option for your postcode at checkout rather than assuming same-day London delivery.

Read the gourmet delivery policy before booking a dinner date. Compare other available cuts in the Japanese A5 Wagyu range; the two product cards above identify the actual sirloin and frozen truffle used for the cooked version.

Recipe questions

Can you use the frozen truffle for fresh shavings?

Not as described in this recipe. The linked product is intended for cooking. Use the truffle-butter method, or source a genuine fresh truffle suitable for raw finishing.

Can fillet replace sirloin?

Yes, if you choose a whole-muscle fillet and adjust for its actual thickness. Keep the portion and truffle quantities similar, but do not transfer a searing time blindly.

Does A5 mean the beef is safe to eat raw?

No. A5 is a grading designation, not a microbiological safety guarantee. Follow the product's cooking and handling instructions.