Blonde comes out on top in best Scotch Steak Competition
Date: Monday, June 30, 2008
A sirloin from the only Blonde in the competition beat off steaks from eight Limousin and three Charolais to win the McIntosh Donald/Tesco Best Scotch Steak award at the Royal Highland Show.
The steak came from the sirloin of a Blonde cross heifer which was one of 12 finalists selected on appearance from a record entry of 151 cattle at the preliminary judging last month at McIntosh Donald’s Portlethen meat plant.
The 12 steaks were cooked on the Tesco stand by celebrity chef, Colin Capon, and judged on taste and succulence by a tasting panel, which included NFU Scotland president, Jim McLaren, Tesco commercial director fresh foods, Colin Holmes and Matt Hood, Tesco senior buyer.
The winning entry from Chris Taylor, Annamuick, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, came from a 389.4kg carcase which classified –U for conformation and 3 for fatness.
“The standard of the entries in this competition gets better every year and is great testimony to the quality of Scotch beef,” said Mr Capon. “The winning entry was a clear winner in the unanimous view of the judging panel.”
Mr Taylor, who farms with his father, Ben, moved to Stonehaven from Warwickshire 20 years ago and runs a herd of 150 Blonde cross cows, which are crossed with Blonde and Salers bulls.
All progeny, except replacement females, are finished on the farm on a silage-based diet and marketed to McIntosh Donald.
“This is only the second year we have entered the competition and it was a great surprise to win,” said Mr Taylor, who was presented with the championship trophy and a cash prize of £1000 by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richrd Lochhead.
“The two entries we entered were not specially selected – they just happened to be ready at the right time and are typical of the cattle we consign to the Portlethen plant throughout the year.”
Aberdeenshire also claimed the second and third places with the runner-up award going to brothers, Bruce and Neil McConnach, Brotherton Mains, Johnshaven, with a steak from a 352kg Limousin cross steer classifying R4L with third place going to Alan Melvin, Meikle Tulloch, Banchory, with another from a 369kg Limousin cross steer classifying U+3. This one was bred by Noel Crozier, Bogenraith, Durris, and was bought last September at Thainstone Centre.
The other finalists in the competition were J M Marshall, East Pitkierie, Anstruther; G and D Anderson, Brucewells, Netherley; Scott Willox, Dykenook, Netherley; J A Urquhart and Son, Bogloch, Lumphanan; A E Greig, Denhead, Lonmay; B Grubb, Mountpleasant, Ardallie, Mintlaw; W Innes and Son, Beechbank, Fordyce; G and M Jamieson and Son, Mains of Leask, Slains,Ellon; and K Stewart and Son, Greenhaugh, Huntly.
