‘Can you give me 500 grammes of tenderloin, 400 grammes of ribeye and T-bone? You might also get someone saying, ‘I just want a nice, decent one-inch steak of this cut and this cut,’ just to have that experience and choose which one I prefer,’ says Omar Tamimy, the director of Merino Meats.
This is increasingly becoming the new way of ordering as meat lovers move beyond buying ordinary cuts sold by the kilo to premium steaks that can be ordered in portions as small as 250 grammes – enough to offer a taste of richer flavour, greater tenderness and a more refined dining experience.
Kenya’s beef market is carving out a new niche: ribeye, tenderloin, porterhouse, striploin, picanha and t-bone are no longer just indulgences in five-star hotels and upscale steakhouses. People are buying to cook in their homes.
Mr Tamimy says managing supply is also important during the peak periods such as November and December.
‘You can’t be taking in a lot of supply of beef just to get a few particular cuts. If we know we are getting tenderloin steaks and ribeyes from a specific section, we tend to take more hindquarters because that is where most of these premium sections come from.’
During peak seasons, the business balances full carcasses with quartered or half-sectioned carcasses to meet the demand meant for both premium and ordinary cuts.
What are consumers paying for when it comes to premium meat?
Timothy Kipng’etich, a trainer and meat grader at the Meat Training Institute, adds that premium beef begins with understanding the animal itself.
‘Many people think the most expensive cut automatically becomes a premium cut, but premium cuts are defined by quality and where they come from on the carcass,’ he says.
Most premium cuts, including tenderloin, T-bone, striploin, topside and silverside, are obtained from the hindquarter.
‘The muscles in those areas do very little work during the animal’s lifetime, which makes them naturally tender. Compare that with muscles such as the neck, brisket and shank, which support the animal’s movement. Those muscles develop more connective tissue and collagen, making the meat tougher,’ Mr Kipng’etich explains.
Breed also matters.
Mr Kipng’etich says breeds with better feed conversion rates, such as Boran and Charolais, generally produce better-quality carcasses suitable for premium markets.
Age is equally important. ‘The younger the animal, the more tender the meat. As animals grow older, the collagen fibres become tougher, reducing tenderness,’ he says.
He notes that bulls intended for premium beef are commonly slaughtered at around 18 months, while heifers are processed at about 42 months.
The feeding practices further influence quality.
Consequently, consumers often associate premium steaks with marbling, which is the fine streaks of fat running through the muscle.
‘Marbling contributes to tenderness, juiciness and flavour,’ he says.
He adds that grain-fed cattle would produce more marbling than grass-fed animals.
‘Some customers prefer less fat, forcing butcheries to trim away some of the marbling before sale. That also affects profitability because trimming reduces the saleable weight.’
Even after slaughter, the work is far from over. Proper ageing allows natural enzymes to break down muscle fibres, which improves the tenderness and flavour over time.
‘Ageing is one of the factors that enhances the eating quality of premium beef,’ Mr Kipng’etich says.
He cautions that expensive meat should not be mistaken for healthier meat.
‘Premium pricing doesn’t necessarily mean healthier meat. Good farming practices, proper feeding and safe production systems remain the most important determinants of quality.’