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The nation's most tender steaks - selected with a mechanical tooth - will go into a tasting contest in May to determine the best piece of sirloin.
Meat and Wool New Zealand's annual "Steak of Origin" contest has attracted a record number of nearly 300 entries from around the country.
"Farmers are going through tough times at the moment, however the increased entries in this year's competition are testament to the beef industry's commitment to producing top quality product," said Rod Slater, chief executive of the Beef and Lamb Marketing Bureau.
The competition steaks - processed at various plants around the country including Auckland Meat Processors, Taylor Preston, PPCS, South Pacific Meats, AgResearch, Ashburton Meat Processors, Canterbury Meat Packers and Land Meat NZ Ltd - have been sent to Lincoln University to be measured for acidity levels, the percentage of "marbled" fat, cooking loss, and tenderness.
A panel of chefs, nutritionists and meat industry personnel will judge the sirloins on May 1 at Christchurch, according to taste, tenderness, aroma, juiciness and texture, with a public tasting, contributing 10 per cent to the final score.
The Steak of Origin final will held at Feilding's Manfeild Park, on May 12 during the national Beef Expo.
- NZPA
