Judging for the World Steak Challenge 2021 took place last Tuesday, November 2, at Fire Steakhouse and Bar, Dawson Street, Dublin.
At the event, a panel of judges from 7 countries judged steaks from 20 different countries worldwide.
At this year’s event, Irish entries notched up a record-breaking haul of 46 gold medals – a first for any country in the competition’s six-year history.
Irish meat suppliers including ABP, Dawn Meats, Kepak and Liffey Meats were among the winners to emerge triumphant at the annual competition.
The competition was supported by official host partner Bord Bia and official supplier Synergy Grill Technology.
The winners, who were announced online today, Wednesday, November 10, also included retailers such as Lidl Ireland and SuperValu as well as Irish meat exporters Ashbourne Meat Processors.
Also taking home titles on the day were Higgins Butchers, James Whelan Butchers, FX Buckley and Martin Jennings.
All the 46 Irish gold-medal-winning cuts were reared on a grass-fed diet.
Sirloin proved the most popular steak securing 19 gold medals, followed by rib-eye which won 16 and fillet which took home 11.
Irish Angus-cross was the most popular breed for the Irish steaks, followed by Hereford and then Aberdeen Angus.
Commenting on the result, Joe Burke, senior manager for meat at Bord Bia said: “In the 6-year history of the World Steak Challenge, no country has ever secured this many gold medals.
“It’s a real testament to the excellent quality of the beef produced here and the outstanding work of our dedicated producers and loyal customers putting Ireland well and truly on the map.”
The World Steak challenge awards are organised by William Reed Business Media, the publisher behind the ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurants’.
The competition aims to give steak producers and suppliers the opportunity to showcase their product quality, breed credentials and processing standards on an international stage.
Other champions named in the 2021 World Steak Challenge included JN Meat International, which won the coveted ‘Best Steak in the World’ title for a third time with a grass and chocolate-fed Ayrshire raised in Finland.
The overall winning cut was from a 16-month-old Ayrshire heifer which was fed between 300-500 grams of chocolate daily.
Other countries taking home titles in the 2021 World Steak Challenge, 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.