Each week the presenters investigate a different topic of the research being done in Irish society.
In episode four of 10 Things to Know About... Beef and Beer, the presenters look at what makes Irish beef so popular, the factors in creating the perfect steak and also the rise of the Irish Craft Beer industry.
Ireland is famous for it’s food and drink; from dairy produce to beef and of course a good ole pint of the black stuff- but how much do we really know about what makes Irish food so special?
What’s the Beef:
Irish beef is renowned throughout the world for it’s quality and taste- so what makes it so special? Kathriona travels to Amsterdam to meet Alain Alders, Michelin starred chef to discuss why he values Irish beef so highly.
As a member of Bord Bia’s Chefs Irish Beef Club Alder’s gives us insight into just how popular Irish beef is the finest-dining establishments throughout Europe.
One of the biggest factors in maintaining a high level of quality beef is how the animals are handled after death. Teagasc's Paul Allen shows Kathriona how they go about post-mortem handling of beef and the factors which impact on the final taste on our plates.
Try a Little Tenderness:
Post mortem handling is huge factor in high quality beef, but the program asks "Could the future of the perfect steak lie in genetics?" Jonathan meets Teagasc’s Dr. Donagh Berry who is looking to develop a ground-breaking first genetics test which could predict the tenderness of an animal’s offspring.
Also in the show they ask the question "What if you could create the perfect steak?"
There’s a whole weird science around it- Fergus reveals that scientists are working on it, but have racked up a whopper bill in the process…
Getting Crafty:
What goes hand in hand with a great burger? A cold beer! Ireland may be famous for Guinness, but the last decade has witnessed the emergence of the new kid on the block - the craft beer.
It's a booming industry with a projected €59m turnover for 2016 and Aoibhinn looks at the explosion of the craft beer industry in Ireland and why this is so.
Aoibhinn visits Seamus O'Hara at O’Hara’s Brewery, where they see the key ingredients and processes that go into making a perfect pint.
Watch the program on RTE 1 Television at 8.30pm this Monday 5th December 2016.