Wagyu Katsu Sando Sandwich: A Step By Step Guide

Wagyu Katsu Sandwich, literally the “most expensive” sandwich, is a true delight that you can even prepare at home. The sandwich costs around $200 in leading restaurants, and it’s worth a try. The preparation includes the most precious Wagyu beef made as melt-in-the-mouth cutlet, glazed with a spicy katsu sauce that has a unique sweet and tangy flavor. Indeed, it’s the best sandwich ever, from the sort of options you might have tasted.

 

The sandwich

The English name Wagyu Katsu Sando Sandwich is the translation of Gyukatsusando in Japanese. Gyu stands for beef, and Katsu is the Japanese term for “cutlet”. Sando simply means sandwich in Japanese. As you can now decode, Wagyu Katsu Sando stands for a sandwich that’s made of a deep-fried beef cutlet, here Wagyu in particular.

It’s simple yet unique, because of the high-grade Japanese beef that is used to make the most delicious cutlet ever. Japanese beef, as you know, is considered the best beef for its rich marbling that gives it a buttery flavor. When fried to make a cutlet and sandwiched between super fluffy Japanese bread, you get to relish an explosion of flavors. It’s crispier, juicier and tender.

When prepared with the highest-grade A5 Wagyu beef, particularly Sirloin or Ribeye with a large amount of intramuscular fat, the oh-so-delicious sandwich with leave you craving for more and more.

Let’s see how to make it at home with a number of ingredients. But don’t forget that the quality of ingredients matters in making this typical Japanese sandwich that is a true delight in every sense.

Gather all the ingredients given right here:

The Katsu sauce:

• 1/4 cup sake (made from rice with the high concentration of amino acids that triggers a umami taste and gives a tangy flavor, but never cook with anything like “cooking sake”).
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (coarse grind)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (serves as the base for the sauce and gives a tartness, and brings out the real taste of katsu sauce)
• 3 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (for added salt and umami taste)

The Bread

Sokupan or Japanese Milk Bread, light and fluffy sandwich bread, is also found outside Japan. The springy texture turns dense and chewy to give a nice covering to the crispy Wagyu cutlet. If not available, don’t get disheartened at all, because it can also be made with any sandwich bread of good quality.  

The Wagyu Katsu:

• 400 grams A5 Grade Wagyu Beef (2 steaks 3/4-inch thick)
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (coarse grind)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg (beaten)
• 50 grams panko (about 1 cup) (means powdered bread in Japanese)

Making the sandwich

For Katsu Sauce:

• Mix together sake, onion powder, black pepper, and garlic powder in a small pot and bring it to a boil. It’s ready when you see big and shiny bubbles. Now add oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, ketchup and mustard, and bring this mixture to a boil again. Don’t overcook as it may cause the vinegar in Worcestershire sauce to evaporate, killing the authentic flavor.

For Katsu:

• Work with cold beef taken straight out of the refrigerator so that it stays rare while you fry it. Use a generous amount of black pepper and salt to coat both sides of the beef. Dust evenly with flour without missing any spot and pat off any excess flour.
• Now coat and soak in an even layer of beaten egg without missing any spot on the steak. Drop the steak into the panko while patting it lightly to let the panko stick onto the surface of beef.
• Fry the prepared steak in oil that has been preheated to 375 degrees F (190 C). It seems hotter, but is essential for a nice outer crust and a rare interior.
• When done, transfer it to a wire rack to let the oil drip out of it. Now put a generous amount of katsu sause on both sides of the cutlet. Do it while the cutlets are still sizzling otherwise it will make the crust soggy.

The sandwich

• Toast the bread and place the prepared, sauced cutlet between two sandwich breads.

Final words

Now you are all set to dive into a splash of flavors that your taste buds will relish for longer. Don’t blame if you are craving for more.  

Wagyu Katsu Sando Sandwich is a true delight indeed. Make it with the Highest-Grade A5 Japanese Wagyu for the authentic flavor. OS Meat Shop has the best Wagyu for this luxuriously delicious sandwich. Place your order.