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It’s no secret we’re rather partial to a bit of quality, homegrown grass fed beef from Ireland. Those of you lucky enough to attend (or be nominated) for our annual Murphia List, which celebrates the best Irish people working in London’s hospitality industry, may have spotted that the awards’ longtime supporters are grass fed Irish beef. Yes, those canapés of toasted crostini topped with Irish grass fed beef tartare disappeared extraordinarily quickly this year.
We are therefore delighted to bring you some delicious news, courtesy of Irish beef’s ‘Great Taste Comes Naturally’ campaign, which launches this summer.
Great Taste Comes Naturally
The campaign features top chefs Tom Cenci (of newly launched Nessa in Soho) and Ivan Tisdall-Downes (of Native restaurant fame), who have been experimenting with grass fed Irish beef in their kitchens to produce some special menu items for the summer. But before we get into that, the main ingredient needs some special introduction.
Why is Irish Beef So Good?
We’re glad you asked. Easily identified in a bovine line-up, Irish beef has an inviting cherry red colour - the hallmark of high-quality meat. One of the upsides of it raining a lot in Ireland means that the grass is not just gleaming green but it’s abundant with nutrients, clover and yarrow. Grass fed cattle, therefore, produce great-tasting beef with big, rich meaty flavours and evenly distributed fat and marbling.
Grass based farming also ticks all the environmental-commitment boxes, with traceability and animal welfare second to none, and traditional family farms determined to protect their natural ecosystems. This care in the rearing and production flows through to what you see and taste on the plate when Irish beef is involved.
Tom Cenci's Steaks on Sunday
It’s going to be your new favourite day of the weekend, when Chef Tom Cenci (who has been using grass fed Irish beef for the past decade, incidentally) turns Sunday into an Irish beef extravaganza at Nessa with Steaks on Sunday, showcasing smoked and grilled grass fed steaks sizzling over a charcoal live fire.
Tom Cenci will be serving up special cuts of grass fed Irish beef every Sunday at Nessa
All the cuts will ooze a delicious smokiness, your struggle will be choosing from Irish flank steak, roast rib cap, rib and T-bone, all of which will be served on bread and accompanied by sauces (au poivre, bearnaise, chicken gravy, spiced plum brown sauce) and sides (hash browns, fresh black pudding, grilled tomato, purple sprouting broccoli, skinny fries, beef fat chips). We might need to say ‘beef fat chips’ twice. No, you stop salivating.
Tom says "I am proud to feature this beef on my menu because the taste is truly amazing, it is a testament to the quality and care that goes into every step of the farming process."
Ivan Tisdall-Downes at Native
Over at Native restaurant at Browns, chef Ivan Tisdall-Downes has added a special grass fed Irish sirloin to the menu in a dish that features Wykham Farm asparagus, smoked ox tongue and foraged wild field herbs.
Navite's Ivan Tisdall-Downes' dish is grass fed sirloin with Wykham Farm asparagus, smoked ox tongue and foraged wild field herbs.
Also a fan of grass fed Irish beef, Ivan says "The inspiration for the dish comes from the land that the cattle grazes on over in Ireland. The sirloin has really great evenly distributed marbling thanks to the cattle’s diet of lush green grass and herbs which contributes to a fuller, meatier profile of the meat - its great taste comes naturally."
Ivan believes that Ireland's sustainable farming is in sync with the ethical ethos at Native - "by including this exceptional meat, we not only provide our guests with a delicious meal but also support a more environmentally conscious approach to food."
Both Tom's and Ivan's dishes will be available in their respective restaurants, Nessa and Native at Browns, over the summer months.
More about Grass Fed Irish Beef
To find out more visit their website or follow them on Instagram @irishbeef
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