"This is the meat of the Danama Bear!"

When I unwrapped the gift from Guildmaster Rizac to celebrate our store opening, I uncovered a large chunk of marbled meat. Thanks to this world's translation feature, I assume “Bear” refers to some kind of magical bear creature.

Unlike beef, it wasn’t a bright red but rather a darker, reddish-black hue. I’d never had bear meat back in my world, so I was intrigued to see what it tasted like.

"Tetsuya, how do you plan to cook this?"

"There’s a lot here, so for today, let’s just grill it simply. Tomorrow, we could use it in a stew or hotpot."

This meat was more than enough for all of us, including Fia-chan’s mother. A single meal wouldn’t finish it, so I planned to try different cooking methods.

"Tetsuya, can I help with something?"

"Thanks! Could you and Lilia chop the vegetables?"

"Sure!"

Cooking together with Fia-chan and Lilia was not only practical but also made the meal more enjoyable.

"Alright, it’s ready. Let’s eat!"

Since we were all exhausted, I kept it simple and made two dishes. The first was stir-fried Danama Bear meat with vegetables. It’s a straightforward dish, but I added a special sauce made with fish sauce, sake, grated garlic, and ginger. I made extra sauce to save for later since it’s versatile.

"Wow, this meat is incredible! There’s no gamey smell, and it’s so tender. The more I chew, the richer the flavor gets!"

"The meat is so delicious!"

"Tetsuya’s sauce is amazing too. It’s surprising how much it enhances such a simple stir-fry."

"No, it’s the meat itself that’s great. I had no idea magical beast meat could be this good."

Despite being a simple stir-fry, the flavor was stunning. The high-quality meat elevated the dish to a level I hadn’t anticipated. Compared to the standard magical beast meat I’d had in this world, which fell short of the carefully cultivated meat in my previous world, this meat was on par with premium cuts back home.

If only there were rice instead of bread—this stir-fry was begging for it.

"Now for the main dish! Let’s move on to the Danama Bear steak."

"...Tetsuya, what’s this shiny wrapping?"

"It’s so sparkly and pretty!"

"This is called aluminum foil. It’s part of today’s main dish, the Danama Bear steak. Be careful when opening it; it’s really hot. I’ll open Fia-chan’s portion for her."

When I unwrapped the foil on the plate, a perfectly cooked steak emerged, proudly showing off its rich, meaty aroma. The aluminum foil came from the backpack I’d brought from my world, so I needed to use it sparingly.

"...Isn’t this just grilled meat?"

"Well, the cooking method has a few tricks to it. Try it and see."

"If you say so, I’ll give it a try."

"It smells amazing!"

Using a knife and fork, they cut the steak into bite-sized pieces and took a taste. I’d cooked it rare to medium-rare, so the center still retained a reddish hue.

"This is... What a juicy, tender texture, and the flavor is out of this world!"

"This is the best meat I’ve ever eaten!"

"Wow, this is incredible!"

The Danama Bear meat was so tender that it practically melted in the mouth, reReasing a flood of savory juices. There was no gamey aftertaste, and though it had a unique flavor compared to beef, it was just as luxurious as a high-end Wagyu steak.

The fact that it could rival the finest beef from my world, despite lacking the controlled breeding and feeding processes, was astonishing. Perhaps the presence of magic played a role in the quality of this meat.

"This is amazing. I’ve had Danama Bear meat before, but it was never this tender or flavorful!"

"In my world, the way you cook the meat makes a huge difference."

Even a seemingly simple dish like steak involves plenty of technique.

First, I tenderized the meat by scoring it with a knife and marinating it with finely chopped onions. This softens the muscle fibers, making the meat so tender you could cut it with chopsticks.

Then I heated a cast-iron skillet from my previous world. Cast iron retains heat evenly and prevents hot spots, making it perfect for sealing in the meat’s juices.

Using bear fat instead of beef fat, I greased the skillet and seasoned the meat with outdoor spices before searing it over high heat. Once both sides were browned, I wrapped the meat in aluminum foil and let it rest. This residual heat cooks the interior gently while locking in the juices.

For a premium ingredient like this, I aimed for a rare to medium-rare finish. With all these steps, it was bound to be delicious.

"...I see. Your world places immense importance on food preparation."

"I couldn’t agree more."

Looking back, Japanese cooking culture really takes food seriously.

"The outdoor spice is tasty, but I also made a steak sauce for you to try."

The sauce was a simple onion-based concoction, made by combining the onion marinade with some of the juices and simmering it down.

"This is great too! Fia likes this one better."

"I think I prefer the spice blend, but this is also delicious."

"Taste is subjective, after all. Be sure to take some of the meat and sauce home for your mother, Rea."

"Thank you, Tetsuya-oniichan!"

This was hands down the best meat I’d eaten since arriving in this world. I needed to properly thank Rizac next time I saw him.