Move over dry-aged sirloin and New York Strip, a new contender is in town: a steak from Switzerland has been named the best in North America by the annual World Steak Challenge. While it had the judges salivating, the tender steak from Canton Schaffhausen is not for the faint of stomach, as it is deliberately covered in mould while being cured.

Steak from Schaffhausen crowned as best in North America

Despite the US being the traditional king of barbeque and steak, two entrepreneurs from Switzerland were able to claim the top prize for the continent at the annual World Steak Challenge. At a glitzy ceremony in London, US Prime Ribeye from Neuhausen am Rheinfall-based company LUMA was named the best steak in North America.

The two founders of LUMA, Marco Tessaro and Lucas Oechslin, have spent 15 years perfecting their craft. "We were of course delighted and celebrated this recognition with a few Guinnesses," Tessaro told 20 Minuten.

Swiss steak owes its success to mould

The steak, described by the jury as sporting “deep beef flavours with a nutty note”, may seem alien to the casual cook as it owes its flavour to mould. After being flown to Switzerland from a farm in Kansas - hence why it won the North American category - the steaks are sprayed with noble mould and stored in a place with high humidity. 10 days into the process, the fluff of the fungus grows, making each steak look like it is wearing a white fur coat.

The meat is then ripened for up to 56 days before being cleaned of mould and sold. LUMA explained that the mould makes the cut as tender and as flavoursome as possible, along with giving it a unique nutty aroma. Amateur chefs shouldn’t be put off using mouldy steaks: "Preparing high-quality steaks is no problem at all, as they are more forgiving in terms of doneness than a lower-quality steak," Tessaro explained, adding that they are also safe to touch.

Along with being sold at the best restaurants in Switzerland, the steaks can also be bought on the internet at LUMA’s online shop for 22 francs per 100 grams. You better be quick about it though, as demand is high and it takes the company seven weeks to produce a batch.