Irish beef in a class of its own

It’s not often that anecdote is backed up by hard scientific fact, but those who claim that Irish beef is in a class of its own are on to something.

Just why Irish beef tastes better than beef produced in many other countries will be explored in an upcoming episode of the RTÉ series 10 Things to Know About... which will look at the science behind the Irish beef sector’s international reputation.

Part of the reason beef produced here is prized abroad is because our cows, like those in Kobe in Japan, for example, are raised outdoors and on grass that has a high nutrient level, says presenter Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin.