Special to the Courier Journal
If you’re going to eat good beef, it should be really, really good.
That’s what Chase Hazelbaker realized when he first tried Wagyu beef, one of the most expensive meats in the world, a couple of years ago.
There's quite a range in quality, he explained, in various grades of beef available locally. When he couldn’t find what he wanted — Australian Wagyu — he decided to sell it himself, launching a delivery operation called NuLu Wagyu.
In a tale that’s a bit reminiscent of Goldilocks looking for everything that’s just right, Hazelbaker found himself on a mission to find the perfect balance of fat content and quality.
Here's what to know about NuLu Wagyu and Hazelbaker's journey to bring it to Louisville.
'1% of the whole beef supply in the world or less is Wagyu'
Starting out, Japanese Wagyu, he felt, veered too high in fat, making it too rich for everyday consumption.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, he said, “Americans, … we’re a cow factory, you know, we raise ‘em fast, feed them crappy grain, and kill them so we get them on the shelf fast and it's frozen, frozen, thawed, frozen, thawed, and then it gets to [the grocery store].”
While there are some quality options at places like Costco and local butchers like Kingsley Meats, 2701 Taylorsville Road, Hazelbaker says, he was really after the extreme quality of Wagyu — a classification in very limited supply.
“You know, I think it's like 1% of the whole beef supply in the world or less that is Wagyu," he told the Courier Journal.
And this stuff’s expensive — like caviar, truffle, and foie gras level pricey. Why? Well, the cows live longer, for one, which of course costs money, and then their own feed is more costly than what the cow going into a cheap burger eats.
Is Wagyu really that much tastier than 'regular' beef?
So, is it worth it?
For him and other fans, it is.
“It's ridiculous,” he says, creating an endorphin rush when you consume it. “I mean it's an experience versus just putting calories in your body.”
There’s no doubt, he says, that a consumer could tell the difference in a taste test with grocery store beef. “Just the level of flavor and fat and your, you know, fun receptors," he added.
Hazelbaker was buying Wagyu cuts online and paying steep shipping costs in addition to the premium price for the beef itself — and still not always getting the best quality.
“I was spending a few hundred bucks a month and then I thawed out a $70 steak from an online retailer and cut it open the next day [and] it was rotten — my wife and I couldn't eat it."
Realizing that “there’s nowhere in town to really get retail Australian Wagyu,” and if he was willing to buy it, others would be too, NuLu Wagyu Co was born. Though he doesn’t come from a food background, other than being an enthusiast, his family owns NuLu Whiskey, giving Hazelbaker a built-in audience to promote this new venture on social media, he says.
Hazelbaker buys in bulk from a wholesaler who imports the beef from Australia and processes it. So, without having to break down any of it himself, Hazelbaker can sell retail.
Within the first five days of getting the word out only via social media, he’d sold $1,000 worth. Once he ironed out all the details with health department regulations and zoning, he officially launched earlier this month.
“Everyone who bought [the beef] and cooked it has made posts,” he says, about the incredible quality.
How much is a steak from NuLu Wagyu?
What do prices look like? Here are some examples. A Griller weekend bundle that includes one picanha, one tri tip, one ribeye, and one strip costs $385. Ribeyes run around $69 a pound, roasts about $200 for five pounds, and Tomahawks are $180 per 32 ounces.
(I told you it was spendy.)
But “just like as with bourbon,” Hazelbaker says, “no matter if you make $30,000 a year or $300,000, you're gonna make room in your budget to get your hair and nails done, to buy steak or bourbon … you know small luxuries are always in demand.”
How should you prepare a steak from NuLu Wagyu?
So if you splurge on this high-end beef, you’ll certainly want to make the most of it. I asked Hazelbaker for some of his top recommendations for preparing it, tartare for example.
Start with a filet, he says. It’s “the least flavorful cut, but it's also the most tender.” And once you add all the “fun stuff” in tartare, like Dijon mustard, oil, capers, and shallots, “you're getting this really tender raw beef with a lot of good flavor.”
For a (cooked) steak, he suggests a dry brine for a couple of hours before pulling it from the refrigerator.
“Put it on a wire rack and salt all sides of the steak,” he says. “This pulls moisture from the surface and allows us to get a drier exterior.”
Let it come to room temperature next, he says. Now for the secret ingredient: use Wagyu tallow (rendered beef fat) to oil the pan.
“Get it nice and hot and sear it to medium rare.”
You can buy the tallow online, or make it yourself with a fatty cut and save it in the fridge (you do that with your bacon grease, don’t you?). Bonus: it’s like gold for making fries.
How can I order steak from NuLu Wagyu?
For now, NuLu Wagyu Co. doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar location. To order, contact Hazelbaker at [email protected] or 502-599-5788 (or find him on Instagram or Facebook) and he’ll schedule a (free) delivery.
Tell Dana! Send your restaurant “Dish” to Dana McMahan at [email protected] and follow @elleferafera on Instagram.
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