With the Royal Highland Show just around the corner, twelve sirloins from producers in the north and north-east have been selected as finalists for the Kepak McIntosh Donald/Tesco steak competition.
The best sirloin steaks will be judged on the Tesco stand at the Ingliston event on Friday June 21 when sampled by a panel of judges from Tesco, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and Kepak.
This year’s contest attracted around 150 carcases from cattle supplied by farmers from as far north as Caithness and down into Angus.
150 carcases entered the competition
The carcases were judged as part of the Tesco Finest range at Kepak McIntosh Donald’s site at Portlethen this week by the firm’s former managing director Ralph Green.
Mr Green, who retired from the company in 2006 after being managing director for 18 years, was the founder of the steak competition back in the late 1990s after the processor became a major supplier of Tesco in 1996.
He said he was “very honoured” to be selected as the preliminary judge and selected his final twelve on the type of sirloin he would buy off the shelf.
Former MD of McIntosh Donald selected best 12
“The twelve sirloins I selected were clear finalists to me with a nice finish and a good level of marbling,” said Mr Green.
“The Aberdeen-Angus sirloins were generally more marbled than the bulk of the conventional steaks.”
Mr Green will present the final winners with their prizes on the stand at this month’s show.
‘Nice finish and a good level of marbling’
Alan Brown, site director at Kepak McIntosh Donald at Portlethen, said: “It was a privilege to have Ralph attend and select the winners to go forward to the show.
“Ralph is a Scottish meat industry legend who was instrumental in the starting the competition and the long term relationship between Tesco and the site all those years ago.
“The quality was excellent and it was a close competition – no doubt he could have picked more than 12.
“This was the first time Ralph had been back to the plant since the retiring so it was good to show the investment in the site, people and technology which help make it the most modern single beef and lamb production facility in UK.
Firm aims to produce 90,000 head of Scotch PGI cattle
“We are well on course to produce 90,000 head of Scotch PGI cattle supplied by our very loyal farmer supply base in Portlethen into supply chains in the UK and all over the world.”
FINALISTS
Aberdeen-Angus – Andrew H Mackay, West Greenland Farm, Castletown, Thurso (A-A cross stot, 371.5kg, R4L, 17 months and 11 days); IJ Blackhall and Sons, Milton of Durris, Banchory (A-A cross stot, 378.7kg, R4L, 20 months and 18 days); Stuart Forman, Fridayhill, Maud, Peterhead, A-A cross heifer, 309.1kg R4L, 14 months and 4 days); Grubb Brothers Ltd, Mountpleasant, Ardallie, Mintlaw, A-A cross heifer, 303.5kg, R4L, 22 months and 5 days); J and M Troup, Southbank Farm, Skene, Westhill, A-A cross heifer, 347.8kg, -U4L, 19 months and 3 days).
Conventional – J Mitchell, Cloisterseat Farm, Udny, Ellon (Charolais cross heifer, 399kg, -U4L, 19 months and 19 days); W & J Cameron, Burnside of Edingight, Grange, Keith (Charolais cross heifer, 332.6kg, -U3, 23 months and 28 days); J Eddie and Sons, Hallhill Farm, Kinneff, Montrose, Charolais cross heifer, 359.1kg, -U4L, 23 months and 29 days); M and I Steel, Wickerinn, Banchory, Limousin cross heifer, 273.3kg, R4L, 23 months and 19 days); K Willox (A Firm), Dykenook, Netherley, Stonehaven, Charolais cross heifer, 340.1kg, R4L, 20 months); W & J Singer, Dunbar House, Scotston, Laurencekirk, Limousin cross heifer, 336.5kg, R4L, 21 months and 27 days); GM Masson (A Firm), Denhead Farm, Catterline, Stonehaven, Charolais cross heifer, 385kg, -U4L, 19 months and 21 days).