Beef Short Plate
The Short Plate is the undercarriage of the Wagyu and is commonly known as the belly. The meat is interlaced with Wagyu fat and this area provides exceptional bacon, pastrami, and flank and skirt steaks. There are three basic cuts which allow for a broad range of applications.
Boneless Short Plate better known as the belly, is proportionally mixed between meat and fat which provides a rich and silky texture when braised, roasted, sous-vide or cured. The navel area provides the classic pastrami. Past the navel lends itself to bacon and the complete belly can be braised and portioned and pan seared into a crispy bacon. The braised belly also lends itself to a rich American standard of incredible pot roast. The Wagyu has two bellies at about 10 lbs. each.
Short Plate Short Ribs are the rib bones from the belly to the Rib Eye or Short Loin. These ribs can be braised or roasted whole and then portion cut and served on the bone or remove the meat, trim the fat cap, then portion cut and grill. The ribs can be flanken-cut across the bones and grilled or braised. Angel ribs can also be prepared. The Wagyu has two and 6 lbs each.
Short Rib Bone 6 & 7 are adjacent to the Chuck Short Ribs but generally have a smaller eye of meat attached to the bone. They can be prepared with previously described rib techniques but produce a lower yield. This cut is great to cure bacon style and hardwood smoke. Trim the fat off of the upper bone structure and divide into two bacon chops much like a rib chop. The Wagyu has two at about 6 lbs each that will yield 2 1 ½ cured rib chops.
Skirt Steak (Inside) Skirt Steak (Outside)
The Skirt Steak Inside is a long, thin, flat muscle that is the diaphragm. It is very tender, great to grill and slice or stir-fry. The Wagyu has two of about 1-1/2 lbs. each. The outside Skirt Steak lie embedded below the Inside Skirt Steak and has all of the same characteristics and uses. Both the inside and outside skirt steak are approximately the same size.
