Hawksmoor’s Wagyu and Angus hybrid beef

Hawksmoor and Wildfell Farm have created a hybrid beef that combines 75 per cent Japanese Wagyu with 25 per cent Aberdeen Angus, dry aged for 35 to 45 days. The question the steakhouse has answered is the one every diner faces: choose the soft marbling of Wagyu or the savoury depth of Scottish beef. Hawksmoor refused to choose, and instead engineered a cross breeding programme to deliver both.

The decision reflects the house’s long conviction that flavour emerges from understanding breed characteristics rather than pursuing a single measure of luxury. Wagyu delivers intramuscular fat but can taste one dimensional to British palates trained on beef’s assertive character. Aberdeen Angus brings proper beefiness but lacks Wagyu’s fat distribution. At 75 per cent Wagyu and 25 per cent Angus, the proportions let both voices be heard, with the Angus element contributing a tonal shift rather than announcing itself as a separate entity.

Wildfell Farm, located in Perthshire, manages the cattle from birth through to slaughter, controlling diet, grazing patterns and the timing of slaughter to optimise the final characteristics. The farm’s involvement extends beyond supply: farmers and Hawksmoor’s procurement team collaborated to test different ratios before settling on the 75 per cent formula. The process took several months and required multiple trial batches to confirm the balance would work on the plate.

Dry aging happens at Hawksmoor’s own butchery facilities. The process concentrates beef flavour by removing moisture and allowing natural enzymes to break down muscle tissue, intensifying umami notes. Temperature, humidity and air circulation are precisely controlled: a single degree shift or inconsistent airflow can alter the meat’s final character. At this ratio, Wagyu marbling dominates the visual appearance, fine white lines running through deep red, while the Angus genetics contribute their savoury backbone.

Hawksmoor’s steakhouses, which opened their first location in 2006, have built their reputation on understanding how to match cattle breeds to British palates. The house has long favoured grass fed British beef, recognising that terroir, breed and husbandry leave marks on flavour that cannot be faked by marbling alone. This hybrid signals a different kind of sophistication: not a choice between traditions but an understanding of how to honour both.

Pricing varies by cut and location, with steaks typically ranging from £65 to £95 depending on the specific muscle and thickness. The cut is available across Hawksmoor’s restaurants in London (Covent Garden, Knightsbridge and Mayfair), Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and Edinburgh’s Princes Street location, as well as through Hawksmoor’s online butchery service, which ships across the United Kingdom with delivery typically within two to three working days in vacuum packed, temperature controlled packaging.

Wildfell Farm, located in Perthshire, manages the cattle from birth through to slaughter, controlling diet, grazing patterns and the timing of slaughter to optimise the meat’s final characteristics. The farm’s involvement extends beyond supply: farmers and Hawksmoor’s procurement team collaborated to test different ratios before settling on the 75 per cent Wagyu, 25 per cent Angus formula. This process took several months and required multiple trial batches to confirm that the proportions would deliver the intended balance on the plate.

Dry aging happens at Hawksmoor’s own butchery facilities across the group’s locations. The process typically lasts between 35 and 45 days, a longer window than conventional dry aging, which allows the concentration of umami to develop fully while the Angus genetics contribute their savoury backbone. Temperature, humidity and air circulation are precisely controlled: a single degree shift or inconsistent airflow can alter the meat’s final character, turning flavour development into a matter of millimetres and hours.

The hybrid beef costs more than Hawksmoor’s standard Wagyu or Aberdeen Angus cuts, reflecting the additional complexity of cross breeding, the extended dry aging period and the farm’s investment in selective genetics. Pricing varies by cut and location, with steaks typically ranging from £65 to £95 depending on the specific muscle, thickness and serving location. The restaurant has positioned it as an alternative rather than a replacement to either pure breed, allowing diners to choose according to their preference.

Orders can be placed at Hawksmoor’s restaurants in Covent Garden, Knightsbridge and Mayfair in London, as well as Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and Edinburgh’s Princes Street locations. The cut is also available through Hawksmoor’s online butchery service, which ships to addresses across the United Kingdom, with delivery typically arriving within two to three working days and meat arriving vacuum packed in temperature controlled packaging to maintain quality during transit.

Imagery courtesy of Hawksmoor (@hawksmoorrestaurants).