A rib-eye steak from Finland has been crowned winner of the 2019 World Steak Challenge, which took place in Dublin on Wednesday. The winning steak was from a grass-fed Ayrshire produced by JN Meat International and reared in Finland.

The steak won the best rib-eye and best grass-fed categories, as well as securing the overall championship title.

This is the second year running that JN Meat International of Denmark has produced a world champion. Last year, the company won the title with a Finnish grass-fed Ayrshire sirloin.

The awards were announced on Wednesday evening at the Mansion House before an audience of around 250 guests and over 40 judges.

Irish medals

Irish producers secured 75 medals overall. An Irish-bred fillet steak, produced by ABP Cahir and available through Aldi supermarkets, was crowned the world’s best fillet. It is a grass-fed Angus cross-reared in Limerick.

In total, ABP Cahir won 18 medals including six golds, four silver and eight bronze.

“This is Ireland’s first category win in the competition with a real quality steak. This was an extraordinarily close competition and ABP Cahir came very close to the overall winner,” said Aidan Fortune, editor of Global Meat News, which organised the event in partnership with Bord Bia.

Ireland had 15 other winning producers. Silver and bronze medals went to the Redmond Family Farm, which took silver for a grass-fed rib-eye Angus cross-raised in Craanford, Wexford. The farm also won bronze for a grass-fed sirloin. Both steaks are served at the Ashdown Park Hotel, Wexford.

The other winning Irish producers are:

Liffey Meats – three golds for fillet and rib-eye steaks, all grass-fed and raised in Ireland; three silvers; one bronze.

Musgrave – three golds for grass-fed fillet, sirloin and rib-eye raised in Co Cork; one silver.

ABP Ireland – two golds for grass-fed fillet steaks raised in Co Louth; five silvers; one bronze.

Ashbourne Meats – gold for a grass-fed fillet; and one silver.

Dawn Meats – two silver; one bronze.

Higgins Butchers – two silver.

James Whelan butchers – gold for grass-fed sirloin Angus raised in Co Tipperary; one silver;

Kepak – gold for a grain-fed sirloin SMX raised in Scotland; one silver; three bronze.

Kerrigans – silver for a grass-fed sirloin Waygu/Holstein.

Martin Jennings Wholesale – gold for a grass-fed Aberdeen Angus-cross fillet; two silver.

Martin O’Dwyer Butcher – one bronze for a grass-fed rib-eye raised in Co Tipperary.

Ralvale Ltd T/A F X Buckley Steakhouses – gold for grass-fed Aberdeen Angus fillet, raised in Ireland and sold at their Dublin restaurant; two bronze.

Tendermeats Limited – gold for a grass fed rib-eye Aberdeen Angus cross raised in Co Galway and available through Dunnes Stores; one silver.

Overall, there were 106 gold medal winners from 40 different companies. Some 255 medals were awarded in total, including the 106 golds, 90 silver and 59 bronze.

Ireland hosts the 2019 World Steak Challenge for the first time. \ Global Meat News

Judging took place at Fire restaurant and lounge in Dawson Street. More than 300 steaks were blind-tested and tasted. The challenge required the services of eight butchers, and nine chefs drawn from restaurants Fire and Sole.

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