The closing date for entries to the world steak challenge, organised by Global Meat News, is 28 May.
The competition has moved out of London for the first time and will now take place in Dublin, following the confirmation of Bord Bia, the Irish food board, as official host partner.
More than 30 experts, including butchers, meat scientists and chefs, have agreed to adjudicate in this year’s event.
They will meet in Ireland to judge the steaks on 9 July and 10 July.
Executive chef of Dublin's Fire and Sole restaurants Richie Wilson is the chair of the judging panel.
He says that “there is no possible way you could sway this [competition]. Each entry is a full joint, it’s not cut. We will be employing master butchers for the day to cut those steaks.”
The Lord Mayor of Dublin & Fire executive chef Richie Wilson at the launch of the 2019 world steak challenge in Dublin on Monday
At Fire restaurant, Hereford prime is used, but Richie says that while he thinks “grass-fed delivers more flavour than grain- fed, I could be wrong”.
Listen below as Richie explains the judging process to the Irish Farmers Journal:
Listen to "Judging the World Steak Challenge" on Spreaker.
For the 2019 competition, the awards ceremony is on July 10 in the Round Room of the Mansion House.
Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to rib eye, fillet steak and sirloins.
But from the winners in each of those categories, only one steak will achieve the status of world’s best steak 2019.
Last year, entries were received from 22 countries spanning four continents and featured 35 different breeds of cattle.
In total, an expert panel of 33 judges awarded 45 gold, 37 silver and 54 bronze medals.
The 2019 categories are:
World’s best steak. World’s best steak producer.World’s best grass-fed steak.World’s best grain-fed steak. World’s best sirloin steak.World’s best fillet steak.World’s best rib-eye steak.2018 world’s best steak
The 2018 champion was a grass-fed Ayrshire produced by JN Meat International of Denmark.
The steak, which was reared by Atria Finland, won best grass-fed and best sirloin medals in the annual challenge.
“[Ayrshire] is a race that can get more marbled,” CEO and founder of JN Meat International John Sashi Nielsen told the Irish Farmers Journal.
He says small family farms in Finland supply Atria Finland and the cattle are reared both indoors and outdoors, but receive just grass or hay.
“They are killed from three to seven years of age,” he said.
When asked about the costs of rearing an animal to that age, he said “sometimes you have to think about when you take [slaughter] an animal for tenderness and taste”.
The farmgate price for beef in Finland, according to Bord Bia, is €3.95/kg for an R3 bull or €3.71/kg for an R3 heifer for the week ending 5 May 2019.
However, John Sashi Nielsen says that in the supermarkets their beef is €80/kg to €100/kg.
He will be back to defend the title of world's best steak this year.
In previous years, the title has gone to ABP Poland - the Polish division of ABP Food Group (2017) - and the Australian cattle ranch Jack’s Creek - entered by Albers GMBH - which has won twice (2016 and 2015).
Read more
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The closing date for entries to the world steak challenge, organised by Global Meat News, is 28 May.
The competition has moved out of London for the first time and will now take place in Dublin, following the confirmation of Bord Bia, the Irish food board, as official host partner.
More than 30 experts, including butchers, meat scientists and chefs, have agreed to adjudicate in this year’s event.
They will meet in Ireland to judge the steaks on 9 July and 10 July.
Executive chef of Dublin's Fire and Sole restaurants Richie Wilson is the chair of the judging panel.
He says that “there is no possible way you could sway this [competition]. Each entry is a full joint, it’s not cut. We will be employing master butchers for the day to cut those steaks.”
The Lord Mayor of Dublin & Fire executive chef Richie Wilson at the launch of the 2019 world steak challenge in Dublin on Monday
At Fire restaurant, Hereford prime is used, but Richie says that while he thinks “grass-fed delivers more flavour than grain- fed, I could be wrong”.
Listen below as Richie explains the judging process to the Irish Farmers Journal:
Listen to "Judging the World Steak Challenge" on Spreaker.
For the 2019 competition, the awards ceremony is on July 10 in the Round Room of the Mansion House.
Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to rib eye, fillet steak and sirloins.
But from the winners in each of those categories, only one steak will achieve the status of world’s best steak 2019.
Last year, entries were received from 22 countries spanning four continents and featured 35 different breeds of cattle.
In total, an expert panel of 33 judges awarded 45 gold, 37 silver and 54 bronze medals.
The 2019 categories are:
World’s best steak. World’s best steak producer.World’s best grass-fed steak.World’s best grain-fed steak. World’s best sirloin steak.World’s best fillet steak.World’s best rib-eye steak.2018 world’s best steak
The 2018 champion was a grass-fed Ayrshire produced by JN Meat International of Denmark.
The steak, which was reared by Atria Finland, won best grass-fed and best sirloin medals in the annual challenge.
“[Ayrshire] is a race that can get more marbled,” CEO and founder of JN Meat International John Sashi Nielsen told the Irish Farmers Journal.
He says small family farms in Finland supply Atria Finland and the cattle are reared both indoors and outdoors, but receive just grass or hay.
“They are killed from three to seven years of age,” he said.
When asked about the costs of rearing an animal to that age, he said “sometimes you have to think about when you take [slaughter] an animal for tenderness and taste”.
The farmgate price for beef in Finland, according to Bord Bia, is €3.95/kg for an R3 bull or €3.71/kg for an R3 heifer for the week ending 5 May 2019.
However, John Sashi Nielsen says that in the supermarkets their beef is €80/kg to €100/kg.
He will be back to defend the title of world's best steak this year.
In previous years, the title has gone to ABP Poland - the Polish division of ABP Food Group (2017) - and the Australian cattle ranch Jack’s Creek - entered by Albers GMBH - which has won twice (2016 and 2015).
Read more
Farmers tackle Minister Creed and Bord Bia on QA and carcase specifications
Beef Summit: maybe it’s time to review beef grid - factories
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