Chocolate-fed sirloin takes home top prize at World Steak Challenge 2021
JN Meat International has retained the title with a grass and chocolate-fed Ayrshire raised in Finland, the third time the Danish firm has lifted the supreme world champion title at the annual event, having triumphed in 2018 and 2019.
The winning cut, from a 16-month-old heifer fed between 300-500 grams of chocolate daily, was praised by judges for its ‘very sweet and tender taste’. The company also collected gongs in the World’s Best Sirloin and World’s Best Grass-Fed categories.
Commenting on the winning steak, chair of the judges and executive chef at the Heliot Steak House in London Ioannuis Grammenos said: “Unique and evenly distributed marbling throughout the meat meant it melted in your mouth but still retained some bite to it.
‘Worthy winner’
“Incredibly tender, juicy and flavoursome, this steaks' delicious and long-lasting taste lingered in the mouth, making you want to eat more and more of it. A well-deserved and worthy winner.”
The WSC awards are organised by William Reed Business Media (WRBM), the publisher behind Food Manufacture and the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. The competition gives steak producers and suppliers the opportunity to showcase their product quality, breed credentials and processing standards on an international stage.
The winners were announced at an awards ceremony held at Dublin’s FIRE Steakhouse & Bar, in association with official host partner Bord Bia and official supplier Synergy Grill Technology.
Win for Australia
Other champions named included Australia’s Jack’s Creek which won World’s Best Fillet for its 100% pure-bred and grain-fed Wagyu, as well as World’s Best Rib-Eye and World’s Best Grain-Fed for its Wagyu/Angus cross.
Lorraine Hendle, managing director of the retail, manufacturing & hospitality portfolio at WRBM, said. “We were thrilled to once again hold the World Steak Challenge,”
“Not only did we receive a record number of entries but the calibre of steaks entered into this year’s event was absolutely exceptional and fiercely contested. We didn’t think it was possible for the bar to be raised any higher. We were wrong and can’t wait to see what 2022 has in store.”
Meanwhile, Rich Products, Müller UK & Ireland and ABP are among the food firms making the final cut in the run-up to the announcement of the winners of the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards.
