Does More Marbling Make a Better Filet Mignon?
Beef Marbling Score is one of the most useful ways to understand Australian Wagyu, but a higher BMS doesn't automatically mean every person will prefer the steak.
We recently cooked Australian Wagyu Filet Mignon from two different marbling ranges side by side—4–7 BMS and 8–10 BMS—and tasted them together.
Both were exceptional.
More importantly, there wasn't a unanimous winner.
Pictured above: 4–7 BMS Australian Wagyu Filet Mignon on the left and 8+ BMS Australian Wagyu Filet Mignon on the right.
Some tasters preferred the additional richness and flavor of the 8–10 BMS filet, while others preferred the slightly cleaner flavor and texture of the 4–7 BMS filet.
That makes filet mignon an excellent example of why choosing Australian Wagyu isn't simply about buying the highest BMS available.
What Does Australian Wagyu Filet Mignon Taste Like?
Filet mignon is generally one of the leanest steak cuts, even when it comes from Australian Wagyu.
Despite that, both of the filets in our tasting delivered a juicy, strong and distinctive beef flavor.
Tenderness was exceptional.
The meat was soft enough to cut with a fork, with virtually none of the chewiness that can sometimes distract from other steak cuts.
Even though filet was among the leanest cuts in our tasting, it was still voted one of the favorite steaks overall.
4–7 BMS Australian Wagyu Filet Mignon
The 4–7 BMS filet was exceptionally tender and flavorful without being overwhelmingly rich.
Compared with the 8–10 BMS filet, it had:
- Less richness
- A slightly cleaner beef flavor
- A smoother, less grainy texture
- Exceptional tenderness and juiciness
For someone who wants the tenderness and flavor of Australian Wagyu without an extremely rich eating experience, 4–7 BMS may actually be the better choice.
Several tasters preferred it for exactly that reason.
8–10 BMS Australian Wagyu Filet Mignon
The 8–10 BMS filet delivered everything we liked about the lower-BMS filet, but with noticeably greater flavor and richness.
The additional intramuscular fat gave it:
- More intense flavor
- Greater richness
- A more pronounced texture
- The same exceptional filet tenderness
For customers who enjoy highly marbled Wagyu and want a more decadent filet experience, 8–10 BMS is the direction we would recommend.
Which BMS Filet Mignon Is Better?
Neither one universally won our tasting.
And that's probably the most important thing we learned.
Choose 4–7 BMS if you prefer:
A slightly leaner and less rich steak, while still getting exceptional tenderness, juiciness and Australian Wagyu flavor.
Choose 8–10 BMS if you prefer:
More richness, more pronounced flavor and the fuller experience that comes with heavier Wagyu marbling.
Some of our tasters preferred the 8–10 BMS filet. Others preferred the 4–7 BMS.
Everyone thought both were excellent.
BMS Is About Preference, Not Just Quality
It's tempting to look at Beef Marbling Score as a simple quality ladder where a higher number always means a better steak.
That's not quite how Australian Wagyu works.
BMS tells you how much intramuscular marbling is present, but marbling is only one part of what makes exceptional Wagyu exceptional. Genetics, feeding program, animal management and how the beef is raised all contribute to flavor, tenderness and overall eating quality.
That's particularly important with the Australian Wagyu we source. The genetics and feeding program behind the cattle are a major reason we believe both marbling ranges delivered such exceptional beef flavor and tenderness.
As BMS increases, richness, flavor and mouthfeel generally change with it. But whether those changes make the steak better depends partly on what you personally enjoy.
That's especially noticeable with filet mignon because tenderness is already one of the cut's defining characteristics. You don't necessarily need extreme marbling to make a filet extraordinarily tender.
Instead, moving from 4–7 BMS to 8–10 BMS primarily changes the richness, flavor, texture and overall eating experience.
Our Takeaway
Australian Wagyu Filet Mignon surprised us.
Despite being one of the leanest cuts in our tasting, it was also one of the overall favorites.
Both marbling ranges were juicy, remarkably tender and full of distinctive beef flavor. The 8–10 BMS filet was richer and more flavorful, but that didn't make it everyone's favorite.
That's why we don't believe there is one BMS score that's right for every customer.
If you want extraordinary tenderness with a little less richness, start with 4–7 BMS. If you want a richer and more intensely flavored filet, choose 8–10 BMS.
Either way, you're getting a very different experience from an ordinary filet mignon.
Continue Learning: Explore our Wagyu Academy for more guides to Australian Wagyu, BMS, steak cuts and cooking techniques.