The beef industry is worried the increased cost of living could prompt a review of the weekly grocery spend, resulting in consumers opting for sausages rather than steak.
It comes after 500 kilograms of steak was put to the ultimate pub test by professional judges and nearly 400 punters at the Darling Downs Beef Battle.
Eight branded beef companies went head-to-head, with the Menegazzo family's Stanbroke Pastoral Company winning with its Diamantina Wagyu steak for the third year in a row.
Stanbroke sales representaive Chris Woolhouse said he was humbled and excited by the result.
"I think these sorts of competitions just help everyone strive to become better and better about what they're actually producing, how they're handling the animal and what they're presenting to the to the consumer," he said.
He said trends in meat consumption had changed as a result of COVID-19.
"Sausages were red hot in the retail space and I think it has become sort of more of a once a week, if that, for some people particularly at the price point that it is," he said.
"If you're paying good money, you want good product, so again that's where the brand recognition comes in."
Beef battle promotes brands
Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise general manager Justin Heaven said he hoped consumers would be lured to brands of beef in the same way they chose cereal.
"It's the pub test I suppose … what we taste here tonight is some of the most sought-after beef globally," he said.
Godfrey Morgan from The Grove Premium Australian Beef breeds shorthorn cattle near Condamine on the Darling Downs.
He said there was an opporunity for producers to capitalise on the stories behind their beef.
"Whether it's restaurants or a butcher shop, or your normal supermarket ... if people are chasing the story, it's a marketing opportunity," he said.
Steak at the competition was judged on beef flavour, flavour intensity, tenderness, juiciness and overall liking.
"We value our high-end steak and I feel like that's ... what we got tonight," guest Amy Hogben said.
Fellow guest Tiffany Lockhart said it was her second Darling Downs Beef Battle.
"[The steak] is definitely cooked just as well as it was it was last year [and] the event itself is probably topping what it was last year," she said.
How much for a steak?
Australian Lot Feeders Association president Barb Madden said the latest consumer price index had meat and seafoods at the lowest rise of all grocery items.
She said it was a concern for Queensland's lot feeders as they continued to pay a sustained high price for cattle and grain.
"We are an industry that [has] copped a bit from mother nature, coupled with the global pandemic, the war in the Ukraine, Russia … record grain prices, record cattle prices, labour shortages like we've never seen," she said.
"I'm certain that we'll ride these out, and the tide will turn, and more positive trading conditions will eventuate.
"What we're seeing is beef brands really having input through to the international markets because of their consistent supply of tender high-quality grain fed beef and soy, particularly in the Asian market."
Chef's top steak tips
Sydney Royal Branded Meat competition chair and corporate chef, Sam Burke, said he was impressed with the beef on offer in Toowoomba.
He said Aussie beef was the best in the world.
"I'll stand behind Australian beef anywhere in the world because I know the passion, technology and the sustainability that goes into the product is second to none," he said.
The chef, who is employed by the red meat industry's research and development body, Meat and Livestock Australia, said he had a few simple rules for preparing good quality steak.
The first was to bring it to room temperature.
"I give it a little seasoning of salt and if it has got a lot of marbling in it, no oil needed, get the grill nice and hot," he said.
He also suggested a neutral flavoured oil like canola or vegetable oil to avoid overpowering the meat.
He said to watch for the pooling of juices on top once the steak was on the barbecue.
"When you see the juices starting to come up to the top, give it a nice flip," he said.
His final rule was that he only used pepper at the end.
"I only do pepper at the end because it's got a bitter note and if you cook it straight from the start, you don't want that to go on your steak," he said.
