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Well Done, Glen Tender Steaks

Glen Tender wins 2 Gold Stars in the Great Taste Awards

Whether yours is rare, medium or well-done, we all agree that a perfect steak should be tender, juicy and mouth-watering. That was exactly the goal of 3 dedicated local beef farmers when they set out to ensure that their herds of cattle produced the best beef in Northern Ireland. And now they have come close to proving it!

Their company, Glen Tender has scooped two Gold Awards, one each for their sirloin and rib-eye steaks from the prestigious Great Taste Awards organised by the Guild of Fine Foods. Often referred to as the Oscars of the food industry, the coveted Gold Stars are as prized by winners as that little gold man is by Brad Pitt.

Judges on the Great Taste Awards Blind Taste tests included Tom Parker-Bowles of UTV’s Market Kitchen, Charles Campion from the Evening Standard and the Independent, Alex James, farmer, and incidentally bass drummer with Blur, Mark Hix, the chef’s chef and national food journalist, Fiona Sims.

Already a firm favourite on the menu of Shu restaurant, Glen Tender also recently featured on the menu at Stormont, when US delegates enjoyed Glen Tender beef for lunch at the May Investment Conference.

So, just what is it that makes Glen Tender so special? Well, first of all marbling is very important. Marbling is the name for the little flecks of fat that run through good grades of beef, but which help to maintain tenderness and flavour. By extensive research into different beef producing and procurement systems around the world (Scotland, Australia, America, etc) they believe they have come up with a winning formula which incorporates ethical local beef production with a traditional maturing process that ensures all Glen Tender customers can enjoy a truly remarkable eating experience.

The Glen Tender farmers have developed a unique supply chain from the breeding of Aberdeen Angus cattle, through to the dry aged maturing process carried out in their newly built premises. Each part of this chain has been carefully examined and developed by the company to ensure consistency and quality in every cut of meat sold under their brand.

The farmers at Glen Tender believe in the old saying that happy contented cattle produce the best meat, this is backed up by research, linking cattle stress with the marbling content and eating quality of meat .For this reason Glen Tender cattle are finished on Grove farm situated in the picturesque Glencloy, 2nd of the nine Glens Of Antrim. Grove farm has regularly acted as a shop window for N.Ireland produce hosting many farm visits from European Agriculture Commissioner to farmers from all around the UK. Here cattle are fed on a grass diet supplemented with specially formatted concentrate while maintaining traditional ethical farming methods.

And finally, that extra special something just might be that all Glen Tender breeding cattle are tested, literally, for a tenderness gene. Known as Igenity testing, this process identifies the markers that some cattle carry in their DNA, which are likely to result in producing more tender beef. The Glen Tender farmers are using this data to determine which cattle become part of their breeding herds, so guaranteeing the flavour and tenderness that has won the business its two prestigious gold stars.

But for those of us who are just interested in how good it tastes, Glen Tender also operates a home box delivery service, where a selection of your favourite beef cuts will be delivered in person to your door. Like all good things, it’s not available everywhere. If you want to find out if Glen Tender is available for home delivery in your area, check out the website.

If you are too far away from farmers for home delivery, then look out for the Glen Tender Farm Shop, opening just outside Guildford in September. Or, if all else fails, just book into Shu!

For more information, please contact Andy Bryans on 07799412755.