What does the phrase ‘100 per cent Irish beef’ mean when it comes to it being declared on a various food stuffs? Does it mean that the all of the meat in the product is Irish? Or that the product contains 100 per cent beef?
I generally err on the side of the former, guessing that some of those burgers could contain as little as 40 per cent Irish beef. Granted I believe we produce wonderful grass fed beef in Ireland, but does that mean all Irish beef is necessarily good? Essentially, does the phrase signify quality or it is just an empty marketing slogan to trick us into thinking something is better than it actually is?
When it comes to buying beef I avoid the supermarkets. Though not because all supermarket beef is of poor quality. Often it is very good. But supermarkets buy in such large quantities from so many different people (do supermarkets actually deal directly with farmers?) that often one week’s goodness meets with the following week’s badness.
This is why I prefer to deal with a butcher or a farmer at market. In this way, if I am unhappy with the quality I can go back and chat to him/her. With a supermarket, you get a refund and an apology from someone who likely cares little about beef origin, local provenance or the welfare of small to medium farmers.
A beautiful variety of beef I recently began using again is the Dexter breed. It is a small cow indigenous to Ireland that needed re-introduction following a long absence of rearing. Though minute, it produces a wonderful steak or tartare.
I know the idea of eating raw beef is not to everyone’s fancy. But how about adding raw oysters? Chop up your beef into tiny small pieces. Blend your oysters with some light oil until emulsified. Season. Add a few nice herbs: fennel or chervil, maybe. Go out and buy the best sourdough you can find. Grill it until beautifully charred. Serve alongside the tartare. Divine!
