Originating from Piedmont in Northern Italy, Piedmontese cattle have been reared in Ireland since the 1980s and their meat is now available on the domestic market.
Being naturally low in cholesterol, lean and tender, Piedmontese beef is rapidly growing in popularity, due to its health advantages and good cooking qualities, and is available from a growing number of good butchers.
Detailed information on this very interesting and flavoursome meat, including a list of breeders, is available from The Irish Piedmontese Society (irishpiedmontesesociety.com).
Two of their members, John Commins and Michael Fennelly, operate the ‘Irish Piedmontese Beef’ company, supplying Piedmontese beef from their Bord Bia approved farms in Two-Mile Borris, Co Tipperary and Stradbally, Co Laois.
As innovative and pro-active suppliers, they are introducing a lot of consumers to this relatively new product through attendance at food shows and other events. They are also Good Food Ireland members and you are likely to see their beef name checked on some interesting restaurant menus.