The Wagyu Katsu Sando is the champion of champions of the sandwich world. These sangers often command hundreds of pounds to get a bite of a mere mouthful. This recipe has everything you need to know, from meat selection to the perfect condiment pairing. So save your money and make your Treat-Yo'self moment with my ultimate sando recipe.
In Japan and Hong Kong wagyu katsu sandos are plentiful! However, in the UK they are not as plentiful or they cost a bomb, which is why I bring you my recipe, inspired by my travels. When making the Ultimate Sando, it commands the ultimate choice of Wagyu. This my friends, will make or break your recipe. So, to ensure your Sando experience delivers it all starts with the best beef selection and as such here are my four check points for getting the best quality and experience:
Welfare Standards
Breed
Method
Cut
Wagyu just literally means beef in Japanese. However, the reason Japan's Wagyu is so sort-after is that Japanese cattle have higher concentrations of fat throughout the muscle (known as marbling) as well as extremely intricate selection and quality grading systems. It is this combination that makes Japan's Wagyu globally recognized as some of the worlds best beef. And as such every bite delivers a juicy, tender texture that melts in the mouth.
Japanese Black and Brown are the most common cattle and are prized from various prefectures such as Kansai and Gifu. You may recognise these by their brands otherwise known as Kobe or Hida and so on. YIf you want to taste this prime steak you will need to pay a pretty penny to get it. For instance in the UK expect to pay £400 for an A5 ribeye Wagyu steak. It is not essential to use Japanese A5 wagyu especially as ordering it will most likely be through online platforms. I have previously ordered Wagyu online and it was not worth the money as the steak was cut too thin. For a the Ultimate Sando, you need a thick slab of beef. My view is it is always best to evaluate what you are buying in store or in a butchers, especially when the price is so high! Therefore, my solution is to save the money and the carbon miles and go for something more local like Aberdeen Angus or 'British' Wagyu. Unless of course your happy spending 1 months rent for the authentic experience.
For this recipe I opted to go local by using for Waitrose No1 Dry Aged Aberdeen Angus
Ribeye steak. Whilst this may not be authentic Japanese Kobe or Hida, here's how its meets my four checkpoints:
1. Welfare
I chose Waitrose as it accessible and as a brand they enforce brilliant welfare standards and they control their own meat supply chains. Their slaughter house is one of the best in the country and they have long term partnerships with farms lasting over 25 years in some cases. How the animal is reared and treated to the point of slaughter makes all the difference in the finished product quality. Find out more about Waitrose beef cattle here and their animal welfare standards here.
2. Breed
Aberdeen Angus is a great alternative as the breed is known for its high fat distribution throughout the body, thus delivering those deep rich flavours and succulent textures.
3. Method
The fact that the steak is dry aged takes it to the next level of flavour as it enhances taste and texture characteristics by concentrating the flavours and tenderizing the muscle.
4. Cut
For the epitomic experience, cut matters. For this recipe Ribeye always wins. Why? Well, irrespective of breed, the cut comes from the ribs of the animal, between the loin and shoulder and as such doesn't get much exercise and as such this cut lends itself to high marbling and thus better flavour and texture.
The last critical point is how you like your steak. This recipe is for steak-lovers seeking medium cook or below. For those seeking anything above medium , this recipe isn't for you. This is because the recipe is designed to allow you to appreciate the Wagyu meat in all it's glory. A well done steak is like asking for a cooked tartare.
Now for the sauce. This is entirely down to your own personal preference. I believe in blending flavours to meet your own pallet is always a winner. And as for sandwich inspiration, Max sandwiches in London believes winning combinations have to meet the following criteria; hot, cold, sweet, sour, crunchy, soft. I would also add heat from spice as the 7th commandment of sandwich making.
So, for my recipe, I wanted something fun that takes Japanese's and English's classics and turns them into fun complimentary flavours. The Milkbread is soft, Katsu Wagyu is hot and crunchy which means we need to get the cold, sweetness, sourness and spiciness from our condiments. Therefore I made a gently spiced Katsu curry butter and a sweet and sour roasted Oko-ketchup. The Katsu is super easy to make and is a great coating for the soft toasted milk bread. The flavour is instantly recognisable and compliments the fattiness of the steak with a gentle spiciness that builds when you consumer the entire sanger. Where as the Roasted Oko-Ketchup is a homemade creation. Tomatoes are naturally high in glutamates, so roasting concentrates the level of glutamates and intensifies the flavour. When you combine this with the remaining ingredients the result is a fantastically rich, sweet and sour umami laiden flavour.
For many you may be asking can I get this from my local supermarket and the answer in most cases is yes, however, in the event you cant here are some links to my favourite Asian ingredient specialists that can help provide those go to ingredients, like Panko breadcrumbs and Okonomiyaki sauce:
1. Wing Yip
2. Tian Tian Market
So, here's what you need to make the Ultimate Wagyu Katsu Sando:
Ingredients:
Roasted Oko-Ketchup
1 Punnet of Cherry Tomatoes
2 Teaspoons of Otafuku Okonomiyaki Sauce
1 Teaspoon of Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon of Red Wine Vinegar
3 Teaspoons of Water
1 Teaspoon of Dark Soy Sauce
Katsu Butter
1 Piece of S&B Curry Sauce
100ml Water
30g Premium Unsalted Butter
The Sando
1 Loaf of Japanese Milk Bread
1 Knob of Butter
1 Thick-Cut Piece of Dry Aged Ribeye (I used Waitrose no1)
1 Egg
50g Large Cut Panko Breadcrumbs
30g Flour
Oil for frying or a deep fat fryer
Instructions:
For the Katsu Butter; add 100ml water to a sauce pan and bring to the boil.
Add the Katsu curry piece and whisk until smooth.
Add the butter and whisk until combined. Decent into a container and place to one side.
For the Roasted Oko-Ketchup: Line a baking tray with foil and spray with oil. Place tomatoes into a bowl and coat with balsamic vinegar. Decant on to the pre-oiled tray and roast on 180c for 10-15 minutes.
Place tomatoes into a bowl with remaining ingredients and blend with a stick blender. Place to one side.
Place a large frying pan on medium heat and add knob of butter. Once melted add the milk bread and lightly toast both sides. Place onto a a cutting board and coat with Katsu butter. Leave to cool and then cut crusts off and dispose of.
Cut the steak into 2 uniform thick squares. Coat in flour, then egg and panko breadcrumbs. Ensure even coverage.
Add another coating of Katsu Butter to the bread. Add thick layer of Roasted Oko-Ketchup to one slice. Place on to a cutting board sauce side up.
Heat oil until piping hot. Add steak and fry until the panko coating turns an even golden brown colour. Flip and repeat.
Place onto kitchen paper and rest for a couple of minutes.
Place steak on to the slices of milk bread and cut in half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Plate up and serve with any leftover sauces. I also love to add mayonnaise which is why I have added Kewpie mayo as an added bonus. Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this recipe I would love to hear from you, so leave a comment below!
If you want to know more check out the following blog posts: