Beefing Up Your Profits #1

BEEFing up your profits - Volume 1 Your guide to secondary cuts

Contents Marketing

Meal options

Meat Standards Australia™ (MSA). . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Rump

Loyalty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9

Rump meal options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34-35

Know your customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Perfect steak tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

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Value-added products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-15

Knuckle

Point-of-sale material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16-17

Knuckle meal options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Hot spots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Perfect stir-fry tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Presentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

19

Blade

What’s in a name - beef cuts. . . . . . . . . . . . .

20

Blade meal options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Perfect roast tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Meal occasions

39

41

Topside

Casual entertaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23

Topside meal options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Mid-week meals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

24

Perfect casserole tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Finger food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

25

Formal entertaining. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

26

Inspiration

Kids favourites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

27

Ideas for the retail cabinet layout. . . . . . . . . . 45-50

Fresh ideas with mince. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

28

Storage and food safety What’s the temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Fresh/chilled meat storage guide. . . . . . . . . . .

31

Carton handling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Avoiding cross-contamination . . . . . . . . . . . .

32

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INTRODUCTION Welcome to Meat & Livestock Australia’s BEEFing up your profits Volume 1 – a fantastic initiative from MLA to lift beef retailing to the next level.

In today’s competitive retail environment, how you market your products to your customers can be even more important than the beef itself.

Innovation is the key to building on your recent retailing successes and help create a strong foundation for your business to thrive. Using the valuable tips in this guide will build excitement and activity around the meat case – you won’t be able to hold the customers back!

Initial trials have shown that by utilising some of the great ideas in this book you can increase your turnover and also your GP, so why wouldn’t you look at it as a serious option for your business.

In this guide, we will aim to show you: n Our pride in the Australian beef industry and our meat retailers. n Meat Standards Australia™ (MSA) – a beef and sheepmeat grading program that labels meat with a guaranteed grade and best cooking method to maintain consistent meat eating quality. n Innovative ways to sell MSA beef - rump, knuckle, blade and topside. n Selling techniques for you and your staff. n Inspirational meal suggestions – take the guesswork away from your customers by providing meal solutions. n The importance of marketing yourself, your staff and your store.

Meat retailing is a competitive business. You’ve got vigorous competition from many other sources – fast food, home-meal replacements, other retailers – as well as the demands of running a retail operation. BEEFing up your profits - Volume 1 gives you the tools required to create a dynamic retailing environment for your staff and your customers – innovate and inspire today.

Regards,

Lachlan Bowtell Marketing Manager – Trade Meat & Livestock Australia

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

MARKETING Meat Standards Australia™(MSA) Meat Standards Australia is the result of many years of research testing the on-farm production, processing, carcase attributes, ageing and cooking effects to determine their individual and collective effect on meat eating quality.

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4

MSA is a consumer-based grading system which accurately predicts eating quality for individual beef and sheepmeat muscles. It solves the long-standing consumer problems of selecting meat and choosing an appropriate cooking method. The MSA labels provide a consumer guarantee of eating quality at three levels in conjunction with cooking

PREMIUM TENDERNESS

method – it’s all the consumer needs to know to purchase and prepare meat with confidence.

MSA 3 MSA assigns three grades of consumer eating quality: n MSA 3 – Guaranteed tenderness n MSA 4 – Premium tenderness n MSA 5 – Supreme tenderness PREMIUM TENDERNESS

When MSA meat is cooked as described, the eating quality is guaranteed at the labelled grade.

SUPREME TENDERNESS

MSA 4

To become a MSA licensed outlet, retailers must sign a MSA Outlet License Agreement and adhere to the requirements set out in the MSA Standards Manual for Trademark Usage (see back page for an application form to become an MSA retailer).

PREMIUM TENDERNESS

SUPREME TENDERNESS

Licensed MSA participants have reported increased sales and customer loyalty as a direct result of offering customers the consistency of a MSA 5

guaranteed MSA graded product with recommended cooking methods.

What can MSA do for your business?

I’m very comfortable with using MSA beef in n Add value to the beef component of your business through value-adding.

my shop. I can buy exactly what I want and

n Increase meal options while reducing costs.

know it’s going to be consistent every time,

n Improve your consumers’ eating experience and satisfaction.

along with minimal wastage. My customers

n Implement cut-by-cook and meal occasion cabinet layouts – making it easier for your consumers to purchase.

like that MSA beef comes in labelled and certified, with the grading sticker on the

The Comprehensive Guide to Value Adding Beef CD can show you how all of this can be achieved to increase your business profitability. Visit www.msagrading.com for more information.

bag.

Kevin Green Albion Park Meats, NSW

SUPREME TENDERNESS

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

5

In an attempt to increase the quality of the food offered for our residents, a couple of years ago we moved to being muscle-selective on secondary beef cuts. We did extensive product testing and found that MSA produced consistent products, every time.

For example, when I want a stew or casserole prepared for my residents, I can offer them a very consistent, textured soft diced beef that presents well and fits the eating profile that is a dietary pre-requisite for elderly Australians, every time. Just fantastic!

In the past though, we were likely to end up with half-tough, half-

David Vaile

mashed product because we weren’t being muscle selective.

Food Services Manager Marian Hospitality Centre, NSW

Changing this has also added a number of percentage points to our bottom line through customer and resident satisfaction, increased turn over and reduced wastage.

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MSA preparation and cooking technique MSA product verification n

Look for the invoice stamp on invoices

n

All MSA product have inserts into the vacuum-packaged bags

n

Carton labels show evidence of MSA rating, ageing requirements and cooking methods

GRILL

Barbecue

Pan-fry

The product when prepared must be sliced between 21mm and 25mm thick.

21mm - 25mm

ROAST

Oven Roast

The degree of doneness can be measured by the internal temperature eg, rare = 55-60˚C, medium rare = 60-65˚C, medium = 65-70˚C, medium well = 70-75˚C and well done = 75˚C. Resting for 10 minutes once removed from the oven is recommended.

STIR-FRY

Stir-fry

The product when prepared into strips should be approximately 6mm in width and depth and approximately 75mm in length.

ASIAN-STYLE

Asian-style

Products should be prepared by cutting 2mm thin. The best result for this is to par-freeze the product and cut on a slicing wheel.

BRAISE and CASSEROLE Products should be prepared into 20mm cubes and cooked in a sauce or gravy for approximately 2 hours.

Braise and casserole

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BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

Marbling 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Beef meat colour 1A

1B

1C

2

3

4

5

6

7 Colour darker than the 6 chip

Fat colour 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 Colour darker than the 8 chip

Colours displayed show the darkest colour of each grading and are a guide only, not a true representation.

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Carton labels – what to look for

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2 3 1 EXAMPLE CARTON LABEL

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Best Before date – the date by which it is

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recommended the meat be used, if kept under

Packing date – identifies the date, month, year and time the product was packed into the carton

the specified conditions Meat can still be sold after its best before date provided it is in good

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condition Meat packed with a use-by date,

Product identification – this names the primals, sub-primals or portion cuts in the carton

however, cannot be sold once that date has passed

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Carcase identifier or category cipher - This cipher identifies the carcase based on age,

2

MSA eating quality information – indicating

dentition (number of teeth) and sex For example,

cook methods, ageing requirements and MSA

*YG* signifies young beef, male and female

grade

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Loyalty What’s your definition of loyalty? A wise professor once said ‘my wife loves loyalty programs – she’s got 5 of them!’ The concept of loyalty has different meaning for different people. In this context, we are referring to customer loyalty.

Take a good look around your local shopping centre. There will be many places people can buy food – it may be a restaurant, a fast food outlet, a supermarket, a butcher, a deli – the list is endless. You need people to come to you when they are making a decision about mealtime. In order to do this, you need to instil the message that ‘you are a special customer to me’.

Here are simple ways to encourage loyalty in customers: n A simple greeting over the counter with a welcoming smile. n An acknowledgement that you remember what they bought last time and making a suggestion of what you think they would like to try. n Giving the kids a small treat when they walk in the shop with their parent (always checking that this is acceptable). n Running promotions with them – for example, buy a beef roast to go in the draw for a food hamper. n Developing a customer loyalty program where points are given for purchase and are redeemable for discounts.

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

Loyalty program idea

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Best Butcher Shop

Best Butcher Shop As a member of the Best Butcher Shop for every $X you spend you receive one PL AM EX

receive 20% off your next purchase.

E

stamp. Accumulate 10 stamps and

TIP Go to your local copy centre and print loyalty cards that you can stamp – e.g. every 10th purchase receive a 20% discount or another initiative.

I open the store til 6pm everyday as so many families now have both parents working and rushed off their feet. They know they can come to my store and can pick up a beef dish ready to cook – they love the convenience. Two of my most popular lines are beef tucker bags and steak Diane.

Kevin Green Albion Park Meats, NSW

We were sceptical of MSA when we first started using it, but MSA has put beef back on the map in my store. We do a lot of value-adding with the knuckle, especially in winter.

If you seam it out according to MSA principles, you get great results for pan-fry cuts and oven-ready cuts and products. Our customers love it, we’re selling more beef than ever and it has enabled us to broaden the range of beef cuts on offer through value-adding.

Luke Dixon

It has proven to me that you don’t need to use the

Luke’s Magic Meats, Shepparton, VIC

premium cuts to make money, secondary cuts like the knuckle work just as well when you sell by cooking style.

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

Know your customers In order to effectively market to your customers, you need to know who they are Ask yourself the following questions: n

Are your customers looking at your counter as they walk past?

n

What kind of clothes are they wearing?

n

What style of car are they driving?

n

What kind of restaurants are in the local area – is it fast food or boutique restaurants?

n

What ethnic background are your customers from?

n

Do you have growers’ markets in the local area?

n

Does the local greengrocer or supermarket stock organic produce?

Using this information, you’ll be able to make assumptions on their socio-economic status which will help you tailor your range of products to their expectations For example, if your area has a lot of school-age children, you can anticipate that your customers will like childrenfriendly food – sausages, hamburger patties, stir-fry strips

Effective marketing n n

Contact your local Chamber of Commerce

Sponsor a local community organisation/

for data on your local demographic

group to conduct a letterdrop so locals are

Identify if there are like-minded organisations

aware of your business

in your community that can help with n

n

n

Set up working relationships with the

marketing activities

greengrocer, baker and independent bottle

Take a weekly stroll around the local

shop Bounce ideas off each other as to

shopping precinct to see what your

how you can sell meal solutions to your

competitors are doing Remember, anywhere

customers For example, place a bag of

that a person can buy food should be

chopped stir-fry vegetables with beef strips

considered a competitor to your business

and oyster sauce in the counter as a meal solution for your customers

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Value-added products Value-adding is a broad term that can apply to anything from inventing a new meat cut to a ready-to-cook stir-fry Almost every meat retailer has value-added products, and it pays to be aware of the food safety risks It adds value to your business and to your customers’ purchasing decisions

Value-added product

Safety rule

Ready-to-cook chilled products

Ensure storage and handling procedures for chilled

such as marinated products and

meat are followed (refer to pages 30-32).

stir-fry strips

Store and handle separately for both chilled meat and ready-to-cook products Advise customer on correct storage and cooking times and methods if required

Stuffed meats

Advise customer to take heat measurement from the centre of the product with a meat thermometer

Whole muscle

Heat only needs to be applied to the surface

Sauces

Bringing the product to a rapid boil will kill most of the bacteria

Prices are examples only.

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

Cross-contamination In a busy retail outlet, its not uncommon to sell strips followed by parcooked meat. Follow these simple rules to prevent cross-contamination occurring. n Wash your hands thoroughly with warm soapy water or sanitiser. n Take the value-added product out of the chiller and ensure that any handling of it takes place in a completely different area to the place where chilled/fresh meat is handled. n Use clean equipment when handling the value-added product, including clean tongs and gloved hands. n Ensure that the equipment you used to serve the value-added product does not come into contact with any chilled/fresh products. n Wash your hands thoroughly with warm soapy water or sanitiser before going back to working with chilled/fresh meat. n Use your plastic bag as a glove to handle product.

MLA has conducted research on value-added products under their ‘Creative Butcher’ program and found that as the range of value-added products increases, the turnover and profitability of the store increases exponentially. One important point to come out of the research was that people need familiar products – it may be no use trying to market a highly-spiced item when your customers prefer traditional flavours.

Customer jargon demystified S I N K S – Single income no kids

B ab y b o o mers – born between the years 1946-1960 (aged 46-60)

D I N K S – Double income no kids G enerati o n X – born between the years E mpt y N esters – people who have

1961 – 1975 (aged 31-45)

children but the children no longer live at home G enerati o n Y – born between the years P re b o o mers – born between the years 1900 – 1945 (aged 61-106)

1976 – 1990 (aged 16-30)

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Strip and cube tips Give your customers the benefit of your knowledge by preparing

TIP

stir-fry strips from primals that eat well with only brief cooking – eg, tri-tip, oyster blade MSA suggests cubes could be prepared from the chuck tender and chuck roll These muscles will perform well in wet cooking but will still retain

When preparing your stir-fry strips or meat cubes for the

their shape In this way, you’ll eliminate inconsistency in eating

cabinet, try to avoid mixing

tenderness and bring a satisfied customer back for another

the leg cuts with other cuts

purchase

as the colour difference will confuse your customer, and may look stale or old and dry.

Strip preparation: Strips should be approximately 6mm in width and depth and approximately 75mm in length

Cube preparation: Cuts should be prepared into 20mm cubes, and should be cooked in a sauce or gravy on low heat for approximately 2 hours

I’d estimate that 60 per cent of my business is value-adding, it’s the way society is evolving. A lot of elderly people frequent my store to buy the value-added beef lines, they can buy smaller portions and try a dish that is different from their typical diet. We all like variety.

Artie Vella Nambour Plaza Meats, QLD

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Point-of-sale material It’s at the retail outlet that the final purchase decision is made by the consumer, so it makes sense to use bright, colourful and engaging point-of-sale (POS) material to catch consumers’ eyes. Be aware that POS is only effective if it’s on display, and needs to be changed regularly to avoid it fading into the background.

In-store point-of-sale solutions The in-store point-of-sale solution is a hands-on management system developed for retail butchers. It includes a purpose-built sales register, scales and printer with an integrated EFTPOS and consumeradvertising screen that presents information about specials and new products. The system also involves a website (retail portal) that provides butchers with the infrastructure to set up and run their own customer loyalty program, whereby customers can earn points on their purchases and then redeem them against future purchases. The website portal also acts as an information resource for butchers.

POS material MLA regularly sends free POS material to retail butchers to support the marketing of red meat. Recent successful programs include the ‘Bring out the Beef’ campaign. If you’re not receiving this material, call the MLA hotline on 1800 550 018 to register.

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

Ticketing

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TIP

The ticketing you use needs to clearly reflect the product it is advertising The font sizes on the ticket need to be clean and clear to

Print staff cues on the back

accurately convey what it is you are selling

of the tickets to give your

Serving suggestions and cooking methods printed on the ticket can help customers in making their purchasing decision

staff additional sales tips. If the customer is purchasing stir-fry strips, the tip could be ‘when you’re cooking these, heat up the pan and brush the strips with oil, not

Ask the customer:

the juices.’

AM

PL

E

Do you need any mince? We have a special on today. 2kg for $18 EX

Reverse of price ticket

the pan. This helps to seal in

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Hot spots Every meat cabinet has a hot spot This is the area that customers

TIP

naturally gravitate to The hot spot can clearly be defined by standing on the customers’ side of the counter and watching where customers stand when they wait at your counter for service Look out for the

Try ticketing that is a different

direction of traffic flow, and take note of the counter area they see when

colour from other areas of

they are approaching your store

the meat cabinet to highlight Research indicates that the hot spot usually takes up approximately

the hot spot items and draw

a quarter of your cabinet space Traditionally, this area is used for loss

customers in.

leaders – those items that are high volume, low cost This area is the most valuable real estate you own Use it to its full potential by moving your value-added products into this space, and use ticketing and point-

Don’t keep the same items

of-sale to highlight these items

in this area week after week – rotate your stock to create

Try moving your top-sales staff member to this area and encourage them to upsell other areas of the counter to add to the customers’

interest. Use a sign that says

purchases

‘New product item’ or ‘Meal of the week’ to draw attention.

k

ee Meal of the w rs

e Beef skew

New product Beef lettuc

item

e cups

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

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Presentation No matter what the business, without great customer service it’s difficult

TIP

to survive Your staff are your frontline – they make the first impression on customers and how they act reflects directly upon your business n

Presentation – it’s common sense, but take a close look at your staff one day If they have long hair, are they using hair nets? Do they have a smile on their face when talking to customers? Are

Talk to your state government department about food standards in your area.

hands clean and are gloves used where appropriate? e g, one

n

gloved hand for product handling and one ungloved hand for

A good place to start

money handling

looking is:

Sales technique – critically listen to your customers and your staff

www.foodstandards.gov.au

when speaking Do their speech patterns match? Ask your staff to greet the customers with a smile and a greeting If you are a

for local contacts.

high street butcher, work on a more intimate relationship with your customers – ask them how they enjoyed the steak they bought last week, for example If your shop is in a major shopping centre, the conversation will likely be more general - ‘What are you having for dinner tonight?’ Remember, not all customers will share your staff’s sense of humour n

Strengths and weaknesses – identify the strengths and weaknesses of your staff members Do all of your butchers enjoy selling and dealing with customers as well as preparing meat?

If not, have those team members who don’t enjoy face-to-face interaction work on preparing the meat

n

Uniform – do you have a staff uniform available for all staff members? Step back during the day and check that the uniforms are clean, with no missing buttons and well groomed Personalise your staff by having them wear a name badge

n

Cabinet – make sure there’s no clutter on the cabinet and that the glass is regularly cleaned inside and out (cleaning the inside when meat is out of the cabinet) Be critical of your shop – stand out the front each day and identify areas that can be improved Even ask friends to come by and do the same – they may pick up things you haven’t seen

n

Cabinet layout – try to keep products in the same space in the cabinet the majority of the time With the exception of new lines, rotate them through the hot spot

Best Butcher Shop

F RED

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What’s in a name - beef cuts Most common name

Alternative name

Brisket Butt steak Chuck steak Blade Bone-in blade steak Scotch fillet

Pot-roast (when rolled) or usually minced Butt fillet Stewing steak, casserole steak Clod, bolar blade, blade minute steak, blade steak, oyster steak Y-bone steak, american T-bone steak Cube roll, rib fillet, rib steak, cube roll steak, boneless rib, rib eye,

Topside roast Round medallions Rump medallions Eye round Eye round steak

boneless rib steak Cap roast, topside, pocket roast Eye of knuckle, knuckle medallions Eye of rump Girella, girello, eye of silverside Girella steak, girello steak, scallopini steak, round steak, minute steak,

Full rump Topside Cap roast Topside steak Round Round roast Round steak

round medallion Whole rump, rump, whole piece rump Inside Inside cap, cap roast Inside steak, schnitzel Knuckle Knuckle roast Knuckle steak, grilling, frying and barbecue steak, minute steak,

Neck Silverside Silverside steak

schnitzel, beef round schnitzel Chuck steak, stewing steak Outside, corned beef (when corned) Outside steak, skillet steak, minute steak, schnitzel steak, silverside

Oyster blade Standing rib roast

steak sandwich Oyster steak, flat iron steak, boneless blade steak Rib roast, standing rib, ready rib roast, cube roll roast (on the bone), scotch fillet roast (on the bone), also sliced to give you rib eye steaks on

Rostbiff Rump - D-trim Rump cap Rump steak Boneless shin Osso bucco Shin shank steak Silverside steak Sirloin Sirloin steak Spare ribs T-bone steak Fillet Tenderloin - eye fillet centre cut Tenderloin steak Tenderloin tip Outside flat Eye round

the bone or rib steak (bone-in) Rump cap roast, top sirloin, rump cap Whole rump Rump cap roast, top sirloin, rostbiff Rump centre steak, centre cut steak Gravy beef, beef shin Shin bone-in Stewing steak Minute steak, skillet steak, schnitzel steak Whole sirloin, sirloin plate, sirloin roast New york, porterhouse, entrecote, boneless sirloin, double entrecote Short ribs, korean short ribs T-bone, beef shortloin steak, whole t-bone, shortloin Tenderloin Chateaubriand - eye fillet centre cut in large piece Fillet, filet mignon, tournedos, petit medallions, medallions Fillet tail, carpetbag steak, fillet end steak Silverside roast, corned, minute steak, schnitzel steak, skillet steak Girella roast, scallopini steak, silverside roast, corned silverside, also used for pastrami, eye of silverside

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

MEAL OCCASIONS Providing your customers with easy meal solutions can bring a smile to their face and increased sales for you. The following pages are filled with delicious meal suggestions for you to implement.

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BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

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Casual entertaining Did you know …

Having friends and family around doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the kitchen preparing a meal Purchasing a value-added beef dish from your retail shop saves time and adds enjoyment for your customers

That beef mince, beef sausages and beef steak (excluding prime steak) are respectively the top 3 popular beef cuts in Australia.

The Leading Edge - Sept - Dec 2004

Beef Prepare strips for a delicious beef stir-fry with fresh asparagus and snow peas

Beef Suggest beef skewers with a tomato vinaigrette on a hot summer’s night

Teriyaki Package teriyaki sauce with your rump steak display for a ready-made meal solution

Meatballs tapas-style What could be easier than placing a platter of meatballs with antipasto ingredients

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Mid-week meals Did you know …

It can be hard thinking up a fresh idea for dinner each night Make that process easy for your customers by offering these easy suggestions Try teaming with local produce suppliers and offering a complete meal package

That 30% of consumers are inspired by recipe leaflets and 12% ask their butcher for advice.

The Leading Edge - Sept - Dec 2004

Chilli Prepare stir-fry strips with a chilli sauce and snake bean marinade Suggest cooking in batches to avoid over cooking the meat

CharWhat can be easier than rump steak on the BBQ? Use the cooking tips on page 36 for a perfect result, every time, for you customers

Spaghetti bolognaise A favourite with kids and adults alike – spaghetti bolognaise Team with a ready-to-mix sauce and packaged pasta for a one-stop solution for busy customers

Shepherd’s pie Today’s bolognaise sauce can be tomorrow’s shepherd’s pie

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

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Finger food Did you know …

Finger food meal solutions can make your customers’ next casual function an easy affair with your help You’ve already thought of what to serve, packaged it up – all they need to do is quickly cook and take the credit themselves Think of occasions when finger food would be perfect – Melbourne Cup day, casual family barbecues, even sophisticated adult birthday parties – and get ready for the rush!

21% of meals are prepared partially from scratch. When cooking these meals, cooks are in ‘ready-made’ mode and will use prepared or ready-made ingredients as a main ingredient.

The Leading Edge - Sept - Dec 2004

Gazpacho shot with beef Suggest poaching beef in gazpacho, cut into small pieces and serve in a shot glass with some of the soup You could even suggest adding beef to a shot glass of bloody Mary

Beef on Beef on French bread and beef ragout tartlettes are so easy to prepare and serve

Beef Suggest dry-marinated Cajun beef skewers, mini-satays, or beef and baby vegetables

Stir-fry Suggest beef noodles with sesame oil and steamed Asian greens for a different take on finger food

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Formal entertaining Did you know …

The main course at the next dinner party doesn’t have to be hard – there’s nothing easier than a slow-cooked beef roast It’s vital to use the correct muscles when roasting, so your customers get a perfect result, every time

86% of all meals cooked in the home are made from Sunday to Thursday The Leading Edge - Sept - Dec 2004

Mediterranean beef roast Coat the roast with sundried tomato pesto and wrap with prosciutto slices Display with the recommended roasting temperature and time

Roast For more traditional fare, suggest roast beef with Yorkshire puddings

Beef It’s cold out – winter’s here Prepare beef cubes in a red wine marinade for a delicious casserole

Marinades rub Prepare a dry rub with Moroccan spices on rump medallions

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

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Kids favourites Did you know …

Try these kids beef favourites for sure-fire winners with the younger members of the family You may even convert a few older members as well

Kids love to eat food with handles! Beef dippers and beef skewers are easy to prepare, handle and eat.

Beef Suggest adding extra crunch to the kids beef stir-fry by adding fine carrot sticks and crunchy 2 minutes noodles

Summer beef fajitas Try beef fajitas with shredded lettuce, finely sliced tomato and a dollop of avocado

Kids Add a ‘surprise’ filling for the kids into meatballs Incorporate a small cube of mozzarella cheese as you shape them

Sausages Beef sausages are great for kids – just the right size to hold when wrapped in bread with tomato sauce

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Fresh ideas with mince Did you know …

Value-adding mince can add real dollars to your imagination run wild – starting with these

That 70% of consumers purchase lean meat.

suggestions

The Leading Edge - Sept - Dec 2004

your bottom line, as well as your pocket Let

Gourmet burgers with soft blue cheese Make gourmet burgers with soft blue cheese, served on char-grilled Italian bread that’s been drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with a clove of garlic

Moist Adding lemon rind and zest to meatballs can bring a new flavour to a traditional favourite

Beef Add beef stock powder and cornflour to beef mince and combine for an easy dinner solution – beef lettuce cups

Curly Pre-made meatballs packaged with pasta makes an easy purchase at dinner-time

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

STORAGE and F OO D S A F E T Y Your business relies on correct storage and handling techniques as these can maximise yield, shelf life and taste.

It’s important to take the time to implement and continue with correct storage and handling procedures with your staff.

Remember these four rules

1 Keep it clean 2 Keep it cold 3 Keep it moving 4 Keep track of ageing from dates on cartons

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30

What’s the temperature?

The safe delivery of fresh/chilled meat to your shop is critical. Potentially hazardous food must be transported at a temperature of 5˚C. National standards state that maintaining temperature at, or below 5˚C throughout the cold chain from the abattoir to the retail customer is a requirement of the Australian Standard for the Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products.

The critical point to remember when storing fresh/chilled meat is – the lower the temperature the longer the shelf life. So for the best results always store fresh/chilled meat at a temperature range of ideally between 0˚C to 2˚C. Although meat may be kept at, or just below, 5˚C during distribution and retail display, this temperature is not optimal for maximum shelf life.

Make sure the air flow is not extreme, with relative humidity at about 85 per cent. It’s also essential to: 1. Ensure a free flow of air in your cool room.

2. Make sure your cool room is clean and has proper shelving and trays.

3. Always store your meat fat side up.

4. Minimise dehydration with a stock rotation plan based on the oldest packed-on date.

Vacuum-packed beef can be stored for up to 12 weeks in a controlled cool room at 0˚C to 2˚C, as long as the cold chain has been maintained. Under good manufacturing practice, the acceptable shelf life of vacuum-packed beef stored ideally at 0˚C to 2˚C is about 6 to 12 weeks. Keep a temperature gauge in your cool room, monitor and record temperatures on a daily basis and manage temperature fluctuations. Keep cool room access to a minimum.

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

31

Fresh/chilled meat storage guide 1. The right temperature for storing fresh/chilled meat is ideally 0˚C to 2˚C.

TIP

2. The right humidity in the cool room should be around 85 per cent.

3. Always place fresh/chilled meat in single layers on trays – fat side up. Avoid stacking of primals.

4. To avoid drying the trays of sliced meat must be covered with plastic film.

5. Different types of chilled meat should not be mixed. e.g poultry with beef.

Guideline storage times for beef packed, transported and stored at 4-5˚C. n Vacuum packed whole beef primals - 6 weeks

6. Raw and cooked meat should never be stored together on the same tray. Always store cooked meat above raw meat to avoid

NB. Up to 12 weeks at ideal cold chain

cross-contamination.

and cool room temperature of 0˚C.

7. A strict stock rotation program should be set up and maintained.

Rotating your stock regularly will ensure that you have a consistent stock turnover. Look to the carton ‘packed on’ date for a guide.

32

Handle with care Correct carton handling maximises returns so

6

when your delivery arrives make sure it’s in perfect condition and follow these simple rules

Keep a written record of what is in your cool room

7

A strict stock rotation program should be set up and maintained Rotating your stock

1

Accept only carton product that is very cold to

regularly will ensure that you have a consistent

touch, delivered in an insulated hygienic van

stock turnover Look to the carton packed on

that is itself cold and carries the appropriate

date for a guide

state registration for meat cartage Checking the meat temperature on arrival keeps track

8

show a leaker Under no circumstances should

on the quality of meat, and adds to a longer

you accept these bags Send them back to

product life 2

Check cartons for blood or weep – this may

the wholesaler or processor If missed, these

Check delivery invoices against your order

can lead to a food hazard as well affecting your

specifications

bottom line

3

Check weight and characteristics of the meat

4

On delivery, stack the carton product

door is left open That will keep the cool room

immediately on shelves or pallet in the cool

temperature stable Slight variations can cause

room

weep which can reduce shelf life and your

Store the carton with the end panel out, check

profits

5

9

Cut down on the amount of time a cool room

the packed-on date and group dates together Best to use within 3 to 5 weeks of packed-on date

Avoiding cross-contamination Bacteria can spread from one protein to another through crosscontamination To decrease this risk: n

Keep fresh/chilled meats and poultry separate

n

Always store fresh/chilled meats below cooked meats in the cool room

n

Don’t place cooked foods on the same trays that held raw meats, unless they have been sanitized

n

Use separate cutting boards for raw meats and always store in cool room after washing and sterilising Use colour coded boards to avoid potential cross-contamination issues

n

Always wash hands thoroughly in hot soapy water when changing work between red meat and poultry

References ‘Meat technology – What’s new’ newsletter, October 2006 – Meat Industry Services ‘Meat Technology Update’ newsletter, June 2003 – Food Science Australia Meat Industry Services Section

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

MEAL OPTIONS Try these versatile meal suggestions from the rump, knuckle, blade and topside muscles for easy meal solutions for your customers.

33

34

Meal Options

Rump

Asian-style

Pan-fry

Barbecue

Braise and casserole

Oven Roast

Stir-fry

H.A.M 2090

Using the rump muscle provides you with many versatile options to retail to your customers. MSA grading gives your customers peace of mind that if they cook the cut to the suggested cooking method, they’ll get a great result, every time.

Show your customers you sell PREMIUM MSATENDERNESS meat!

SUPREME TENDERNESS

Teriyaki steak with wasabi butter

A

Eye of Rump H.A.M. 2093

Rump medallion, pea and coriander pancake with lemongrass aioli

B

Eye Rump Centre H.A.M. 2095

Honey glazed roast beef with corn and potato mash

C

Eye Rump Side H.A.M. 2094

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

35

Meal Options

Rump H.A.M 2090

Spinach and feta rolled beef roast

D

Rump Cap H.A.M. 2091

Chilli beef and snake bean stir-fry with cashews

E

Rump Flap H.A.M. 2096

Korean-style beef

F

Tri-tip H.A.M. 2131

36

The Perfect Steak It can be hard to judge when a steak is cooked to perfection. Use this guide to advise your customers on how to achieve a great result, every time.

The perfect steak – knowing when to turn and when it’s cooked

Rare

Medium rare

Medium

Medium well

Well done

Cook for a few minutes

Cook on one side

Cook on one side until

Cook on one side until

Cook on one side until

per side, depending on

until moisture is just

moisture is pooling on

moisture is pooling on

moisture is pooling on

thickness. Turn once

visible on top surface.

top surface. Turn once

top surface. Turn and

top surface. Turn and

only. Cook until steak

Turn once only.Cook

only. Cook on second

cook on second side until

cook on second side until

feels very soft with

on the other side until

side until moisture is

moisture is pooling on

moisture is pooling on

back of tongs. A meat

surface moisture is

visible. Steak will be

top. Reduce heat slightly

top. Reduce heat slightly

thermometer will show

visible. Steak will be

cooked to medium when

and continue to cook

and continue to cook

the internal temperature

cooked to medium rare

it feels springy with

until steak feels firm with

until steak feels very

of a rare steak as

when it feels soft with

back of tongs. A meat

back of tongs. A meat

firm with back of tongs.

55-60°C.

back of tongs. A meat

thermometer will show

thermometer will show

A meat thermometer

thermometer will show

the internal temperature

the internal temperature

will show the internal

the internal temperature

of a medium steak as

of a medium well steak

temperature of a well

of a medium rare steak

65-70°C.

as 70-75°C.

done steak as 75°C.

as 60-65°C.

In my brasserie, flavour and tenderness are the key to satisfied clients. Secondary cuts allow us to offer our clients a better value cut that tastes great. You just need to be innovative to create a great menu item.

When I started here, I wanted to take bistro dining to another level – that’s one of the reasons I started using MSA beef. As a direct result of MSA, red meat sales have increased to the point that they now take in 43.5 per cent of main course revenue – a situation that sees red meat sales outstrip chicken and seafood.

One of our most popular beef items on the menu include a top sirloin steak – that’s off the rump cap and eats sensationally. I also include an oyster blade steak in the mixed grill plate and the client feedback has been fantastic.

More and more customers are looking for a ‘clean, green’ product and our red meat fits the bill. Discerning customers want to know the origins of their meat these days, and MSA’s traceback program gives them peace of mind. I also speak with the producers who supply my meat, feedback is a two way street. Branded beef products allow me to showcase different breeds and feed regimes and allows me to keep my customers fully informed as to where the product is from. This gives me a huge point of difference in a very competitive environment.

Wayne Abrahams North Ryde RSL Club, NSW

38

Meal Options

Knuckle (round)

Asian-style

Pan-fry

Barbecue

Braise and casserole

Oven Roast

Stir-fry

H.A.M 2070

Selling strips from the knuckle muscles gives you and your customers many choices for meal options.

Show your customers you sell PREMIUM MSATENDERNESS meat!

SUPREME TENDERNESS

Warm beef noodle salad

A

Eye of Knuckle H.A.M. 2067

Beef, sundried tomato pesto and spinach wraps

B

Knuckle Undercut H.A.M. 2069

Beef and snowpea stir-fry

C

Knuckle Cover H.A.M. 2068

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

39

The perfect stir-fry It’s all in the preparation when cooking a stir-fry. The key to a successful meal is having all the ingredients ready to go before you think about turning on the heat! n A useful tip for customers is to mix a little oil in

n Remove meat from pan before adding aromatics

with the meat instead of adding it to the pan. This

such as garlic, chilli and spices. Drizzle the oil

will reduce the amount of oil needed and help to

down the sides of the wok or pan before adding

seal in the juices. This is important when using a

these ingredients, use a spatula to distribute down

non-stick wok or pan, which requires cooking on

the sides and surface of the wok or pan.

a moderate heat. The oil on the meat allows the

n Stir-fry vegetables according to density. Cook

meat to cook successfully rather than stewing. n Let customers know if they are purchasing prepared strips to stir-fry them in a hot wok – around 200 grams at a time. Advise them to work

carrots and broccoli first, then add vegetables like capsicum a couple of minutes later. Leafy vegetables such as bok choy are added last. n Return meat to the pan and add any sauces.

from the outside to the centre, where it will be

Stir-fry only to combine – do not reheat meat for

hottest, when adding meat.

long or it will toughen.

n The cooking surface should be hot – there should be lots of sizzle. The wok should be hot enough to evaporate a bead of water on contact. n Brown meat in small batches (about 200 grams at a time) to keep the pan hot and prevent meat from stewing.

n Heat through and be sure not to bring to the boil. n If buying steaks, cut into strips of meat to 60mm x 12mm x 12mm.

40

Meal Options

Blade

Asian-style

Pan-fry

Barbecue

Braise and casserole

Oven Roast

Stir-fry

H.A.M 2300

The versatile blade muscle can be used in so many ways to maximise returns – try something different today.

Show your customers you sell PREMIUM MSATENDERNESS meat!

SUPREME TENDERNESS

Beef with crunchy noodles

A

oyster Blade H.A.M. 2303

Roast beef with horseradish Yorkshire puddings

B

Bolar Blade H.A.M. 2302

41

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

The perfect roast The perfect roast is so easy to achieve – let your customers know how with these easy steps.

n Preheat oven to recommended temperature – refer table below for suggested temperature. n Place roast on a rack in a roasting tray. This allows

thermometer into the thickest past of the roast away from any fat to ensure correct readings. n Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil

the heat to circulate around it, browning it evenly.

when cooked. Resting allows the juices in the

Without a rack the bottom of the roast will begin

meat to bloom back through the meat fibre, giving

to stew.

a moister and more tender result.

n Follow suggested cooking times – refer table

n Rest in a warm place for 10-20 minutes for large roasts or 5-10 minutes for small roasts before

below. n The most accurate way to determine when the

carving.

roast is ready is to check internal temperature using a meat thermometer. Insert the meat

Suggested cooking times / 500g

Oven temperature Internal meat temperature

Rare

Medium

Well done

55-60˚C

65-70˚C

75˚C

Rib eye / scotch fillet, rump, sirloin, fillet, topside

200˚C

15-20min

20-25min

25-30min

Silverside, blade, round

160˚C

20-25min

25-30min

30-35min

42

Meal Options

Topside

Asian-style

Pan-fry

Barbecue

Braise and casserole

Oven Roast

Stir-fry

H.A.M 2000

Great for strips in Asian-style cuisine, as a roasting piece or even diced for casserole, topside adds value every time.

Show your customers you sell PREMIUM MSATENDERNESS meat!

SUPREME TENDERNESS

Lemon and herb topside roast

A

Topside Cap off H.A.M. 2001

Beef pad thai

B

Eye of Topside H.A.M. 2013

Vietnamese noodle and beef salad

C

Topside Cap H.A.M. 2012

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

43

The perfect casserole A casserole is simple to make and even easier to eat on a cold winter’s day.

n Mix a little oil in with the meat instead of adding oil

n Bring all ingredients to the boil and then reduce

to pan. This will reduce the amount of oil needed

heat to low, cover and simmer for approximately

and assist in sealing in the juices.

2 hours or transfer to oven dish and cook on

n Brown meat in small batches (about 200 grams

low oven (160˚C) for 2 hours. Keep checking the

at a time) to prevent the meat from stewing. Keep

casserole while cooking – a slow simmer is all

the pan at medium high heat as you cook each

that’s needed. Stir occasionally and adjust the

batch to help the meat seal and brown evenly

heat as the dish cooks if needed.

rather than stew or burn in the pan. Set aside. n Reduce heat and add onions, garlic and spices and sauté until transparent. n Add flavourings, firm vegetables such as carrots and celery and stock or water.

n Add soft vegetables in the last 20 minutes of cooking.

44

I think you need to take the time with marinades and use fresh, good quality ingredients. My customers can tell the difference between a generic marinade and one that has been made from scratch. The plus side is that you’ll earn more for your effort.

You can tell when a customer needs help with their buying decision. If they’re indecisive about what to purchase, ask them questions – what cooking method do they want to use, how much time do they have to prepare the dish, how many people are they cooking for? Using my knowledge to help customers keeps them coming back to the store.

Kane Illsley Aldgate Village Meats, SA

I’ve never had a customer complaint using branded beef. I get great customer feedback telling me what tender meat they’ve enjoyed, which is what it’s all about in meat retailing.

In summer I sell more of my steaks marinated with Cajun pepper than fresh steaks. Customers know that our marinades are very tasty, sugar-free and salt-free.

In winter the beef bourguignon is a great seller. I add together diced knuckle with bacon, onion, red wine and garlic marinade and it walks out the door.

We aim to help educate the customer, so we offer serving suggestions and cooking methods for what they are buying. We find that sometimes people are afraid to ask questions so to combat this our

Larry Brewer Star of the North Meat Retailer, Currambine, WA

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

I N S P I R AT I O N

Tricks of the trade - merchandising beef successfully for greater profits and customer satisfaction.

45

I N S P I R AT I O N

46

1

2

3

4

outside of the meat.

purpose as the fat promotes flavour

strip product is perfect for stroganoff

consumer demand. This larger stir-fry

backgrounds.

moist roast beef.

butchers with customers from Asian

Asian-style cut that may well suit

or knuckle cap. It is also a traditional

this preparation like topside centre eye

sauces. Use less tender meat cuts for

style BBQ’s and served with Asian BBQ

or cooked on wire racks or hibachi-

very popular and can be added to soups

This Asian-style cuisine has become

very thin slices on a meat or deli slicer.

Par-freezing the meat allows you to cut

Shabu shabu

process yielding a lean, succulently

4

be simply removed after the cooking

bolar blade or chuck tender.

flavour due to the caramelisation of the

This technique also serves a multiple

eating quality satisfaction and ultimately

succulent and tender. The fat strip can

This process also increases the depth of

identify the correct way to carve a roast.

is paramount to increasing consumer

selection, matched to a cooking method,

sauce is required. Use cuts from rump,

juices through the roasting process.

grain is running helps consumers to

cooking process keeping the meat

seal in juices, as this helps to preserve

roasting cut to identify the way the

industry experts that correct muscle

It has been widely lauded by meat

and curry dishes where cooking in a

better when pre-seared in a pan to

3 Stir-fry strips

and helps baste the meat through the

Lean roasting cuts of meat perform

Denuded topside

layer of fat down the middle of a lean

2

The concept of the butcher placing a

Denuded whole bolar blade

1

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

47

5 removed by slicing down either side of the sinew and then removing. This creates a perfect pocket steak ideal for tasty mouth-watering stuffings or

from the rump muscles, they produce

consumer friendly products with

minimal effort.

minutes per portion.

just placing in a hot oven for approx 25

classic can be cooked very easily by

Customer tip: Advise the customer this

fillings.

Oyster blade sinew can be easily

oyster blade angel steaks

7

rump sub primal’s. Simple to seam out

6

6

Keep it lean and keep them keen using

Rump centre cut steaks

8

5

like topside centre cut.

These can be cut from less tender cuts

schnitzels and improve the tenderness.

with a much greater surface area for

Slicing on an angle will reward you

7 Topside schnitzels

8

inside an hour.

smaller roast cooked, rested and served

customers requirements with the

portions are perfect to match individual

lean, mini roasts. The two different size

sinew with your knife produce two

bolar blade and by following the centre

Take one more step after producing a

Mini bolar blade roasts with removeable fat strips

48

9

10

slices. This smaller slice version should

total package.

strip size.

very well. Look at page 6 for suggested

very quickly whilst handling marinades

for many Asian-style stir-fries and cook

blade. This is a fantastic presentation

muscles like tri-tip, rump cap and oyster

possible using offcuts from tender meat

be postage stamp size and as thin as

selection when it comes to stir-fry

same price as your lean meat in the

10 Stir-fry strips – small (Mongolian Cut) Emphasize the importance over muscle

11

Removeable fat strips are sold at the

Rump caps with removable strips

9

at page 6 for perfect cube size.

shoulder portion of the bolar blade. Look

carriage, tail of the blade and the front

style. Use knuckle cap, knuckle under

and turn to sludge using this cooking

tenderloin will break apart very quickly

this process because muscle meat like

more tender. Meat selection is critical in

cooking in a liquid to make the meat

Casserole cooking utilises both time and

11 Dice

BEEFing up your profits – Volume 1

49

14

a grilling steak. It is totally denuded of all sinew, scores brilliantly in consumer tested research conducted by the MSA team. With over 500,000 consumers going through this tasting panel the results speak for themselves. Blade is a lower value primal and ideal for value adding.

that familiar cap muscle to a whole

rump slice. In the past rump cap was

cut following the grain resulting in less

than favourable eating quality. Using

sub primal cutting techniques we can

now cut the rump cap against the grain

resulting in a superior eating quality

experience.

The oyster blade steak can be used as

This fantastic meat cut has been in

13 oyster blade steak

13

hiding for too long. Years ago it was

12 Rump caps steaks

12

texture and mouth watering tenderness.

bursting full of delicious avour, great

eating experience with each meat slice

cutting board and results in a superior

the meat rather than it being left on the

The resting process traps more juice in

resulting in a more evenly cooked roast.

settle through the fibres of the meat,

foil. This allows internal meat juices to

warm place, or loosely covered with

meat. After cooking store the meat in

when it comes to roasting and grilling

all take on this advice, but it’s crucial

Customer tip: Rest, rest, rest, we should

14 Rump centre cut

50

Become MSA licensed • Guarantee consistent quality

'UARANTEED %ATING 1UALITY

• Drive customer loyalty • Grow your business MSA licensed outlets also receive: • Training for all staff - Red Meat Essentials, an introduction to MSA - Red Meat Advanced, MSA value adding workshop

'UARANTEED 4ENDER ! TENDER JUICY CUT THAT WILL ADD AN EXTRA DIMENSION TO YOUR HOME COOKING

• Point of sale material after the completion of training

Complete and return the form below and a representative will contact you about becoming a MSA licensed retailer:

-3!

'RADED -EAT Example Point of sale material

Please contact me regarding MSA licensing: Name: _______________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Contact telephone: ___________________________________________________________

Fax to: 07 3620 5250; or

Meat Standards Australia 1800 111 672

Mail to: MSA, PO Box 2363, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006

Website: www.msagrading.com