APRIL 2014
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014
For all your Australian Butchers’ Guild enquiries please contact
AUSTRALIA
Stephen Pocock Trade Marketing Manager T. 03 9249 9510 M. 0411 680 506 E. spocock@mla.com.au
NSW/ACT
Matthew Carmody State Program Manager T. 02 9463 9236 M. 0411 680 507 E. mcarmody@mla.com.au
VIC/TAS
W. australianbutchersguild.com.au
Michael Tan State Program Manager T. 03 9249 9593 M. 0408 385 873 E. mtan@mla.com.au
QLD/NT
Gary McPherson State Program Manager T. 07 3620 5211 M. 0411 680 515 E. gmcpherson@mla.com.au
SA
Brett Atkinson State Program Manager T. 08 8471 5800 M. 0411 680 519 E. batkinson@mla.com.au
NEWSLETTER INQUIRIES Elisha Moran T. 02 9463 9188 E. butchers@mla.com.au
Meat & Livestock Australia Limited (MLA) Level 1, 40 Mount Street North Sydney NSW 2060, Australia T. +61 2 9463 9333 F. +61 2 9463 9393 W. www.mla.com.au
WA
Rafael Ramirez State Program Manager T. 08 9209 2890 M. 0408 083 014 E. rramirez@mla.com.au
CONTENTS 4 STATE WRAP UP 8 BUTCHER PRICING 12 FLAVOUR MAKERS PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT 16 PRODUCER PROFILE 20 MASTER CLASS: NECK FILLET ROAST 24 SHOP TO PLATE: CATALANIAN LAMB NECK ROAST
AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER
NSW & ACT
With our Autumn Lamb Roast campaign in full swing, several state butcher launches have been held in NSW. North Coast butchers together with their QLD border mates dined on a lamb roast lunch at Ballina RSL. Butchers on the North Side of Sydney were treated to a breakfast held at the appropriately named ex-butcher shop turned café, The Butchers Block Café in Wahroonga, and Western Sydney Butchers had a lamb roast dinner at Penrith Panthers. Attended by a mix of ABG members and non-members, attendees were armed with plenty of information which can be applied to their business: launch information included the Autumn Lamb Roast campaign details and insights, the ABG member’s competition, value adding demonstration as well as Beefing Up and Racking Up Your Profits program resources. These events are a great educational and networking opportunity with plenty of time to catch up with share ideas with fellow butchers – all with the same outcome in mind: a sustainable industry and profitable business. Please keep an eye out for your invitations to future launches and Australian Butchers’ Guild events.
APRIL 2014
VIC & TAS
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The Ashburton Meats’ business plan highlights that having a different approach to your meat category and a solid business strategy, that isn’t driven by price alone, is key for butchers to differentiate themselves from supermarkets. Located in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, owners Colin McMicking and Paul Klooster have positioned the shop in a way that brings their patrons closer to the paddock. “Promoting paddock-to-plate has really paid off because customers are interested in knowing where their meat comes from and that the animal had a good life” Col explained. Col supplies the shop with his own grass-fed beef, Gippsland Pure Beef, from his property in Tarwin Lower. Carcases are processed using the Tenderstretch Method* by Radford’s abattoir where they are MSA graded. Not only does the Tenderstretch improve MSA grading scores, it’s another way to set the shop apart from supermarket MSA product. Col said “the MSA grading science is beneficial for our paddock-to-plate plan because it guarantees eating quality and backs up our quality claims”. *See overleaf for definition of the two hanging methods.
QLD & NT
“You can be sure I’ll be a starter at every event that you have if possible” and “I really enjoyed meeting other butchers and learn something new.” were comments made by Susan Macdonald at our first Australian Butchers’ Guild breakfast. A great turn out with thirty butchers attending the big breakfast and presentations with most butchers back in their shops and ready to work by 9.30am. Big thanks to Les Nothling who made the trip from his Stradbroke Island Shop to attend. There was plenty of positive feedback for Flavour Makers Natural’s team captain, Michael James for his presentation on lamb roast recipes from our Racking Up Your Profits program and his own in-store value adding lamb roast recipes. Michael’s presentation proved popular giving retailers some new and exciting ideas to support our latest Lamb Roast campaign.
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER
SA
It’s been great to see new and innovative ideas out in the industry such as butchers branding their red meat products – offering customers a quality standard that they personally stand behind, value for money bundle deals (roast & veg packs) and innovative lamb roast value added products. With the cooler months approaching, consider adding the winter cuts back into your range or expand them. Get some great ideas from our website or share your own ideas with fellow colleagues on the ABG Facebook page. Save The Dates! Tuesday 20th May – Dhaba at the Spice Kitchen with Ragini Dey. Experience the passion behind Ragini’s cooking as she shares her vast knowledge of spices and fragrances to compliment winter beef and lamb dishes. Lunch and selected beverage will be available. Seats are limited. Time 11:30am – 2:30pm. Monday 26th May – The Barn Steakhouse in Mt Gambier, local chefs will give your knowledge and taste buds a run for your money! Dinner and selected beverages will be available. Seats are limited. Time 6:30pm – 9:30pm. Invites will follow soon for the above events.
WA
Thank you to all our WA – ABG members who recently supported our Autumn Mini Lamb Roast launches in Perth, Bunbury and Albany. It was fantastic to see retail butchers across the state networking and showing their support of the new in-store lamb promotion “Win a $10,000 family holiday”. The campaign is now over but we had heaps of your customers on the ABG Facebook page asking about participating retailers – hopefully they bought lamb roast from you over the weekend! The store that attracts the most entries will also win a $2,000 travel voucher, the winner will be announced in the next newsletter.
APRIL 2014
* HANGING METHODS
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After an animal is slaughtered and ‘dressed’ (the removal of an animal’s head, feet, hide and internal organs during processing) it is then hung for an average of 24 hours or until it reaches the ideal temperature range for further processing. The way a carcase is hung during this time will impact the eventual eating quality. The two methods of hanging are Tenderstretch and Achilles Tendon. Tenderstretch
The tenderstretch method is to position the hanging hook under the ligament that runs down the back of the carcase, or under the hip-bone of the pelvis. In this position, the legs are suspended at a 90° angle, which limits the contraction of muscles during rigor mortis. This method especially benefits the hindquarter cuts.
Achilles
In the more traditional Achilles technique, the hanging hook is positioned through the rear heels. Gravity causes tension in these muscles as the carcase goes through rigor mortis which can result in slightly tougher meat than tenderstretch method.
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER
BUTCHER PRICING Butcher Business Performance Strong & Sales Steady In March Quarter
23% of butchers reported to Millward Brown that their business performance was ‘thriving’ in the March quarter, compared with 18% the same quarter last year. An additional 58% said they were ‘doing okay’ (62% in 2013) and 19% responded with ‘usually slow or struggling’ down from 62% this time last year.
Millward Brown reports over the March quarter that the top two responses related to red meat sales performance from butchers participating in MLA’s butcher survey were steady to slightly weaker. For beef, the top two responses for ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ sales was 10%, steady on the December quarter, but slightly weaker compared with 11% the March quarter in 2013. When asked about lamb, butcher’s answers indicated slower sales compared with the same quarter last year, with 28% reporting
‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ sales performance compared with 36% in 2013. Sales were also slower than the December quarter when 33% of responses were in the net top two. Trends in butcher sales performance continue to be influenced by supermarket competition in both the beef and lamb categories. According to Nielsen Homescan data, there was growth in total sales of beef and lamb at retail reported in the 12 months to February – up 3.2% and 6.9%, year-on-year, respectively.
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The Nielsen Homescan data also indicates that for the 12 months to February 2014, the non-supermarket share of sales for beef stood at 20.4% compared with 23.6% the same time in 2013; in addition lamb shares stood at 20.1% compared with 24.7% year-on-year. Pricing trends from the Nielsen Homescan data indicate that in the 12 months to February, the average unit price for beef fell 5.9% for supermarkets and 4.4% for butchers. For lamb, supermarkets were even more competitive, with their unit price averaging 7.4% lower compared with the 12 months to February 2013, while for non-supermarkets the unit price of lamb actually rose 0.1% over the same period.
MSA BEEF O C T- D E C 2013
JAN-MAR 2014
DIFF %
176
194
0.0
Beef Rib Eye/Cube Roll
32.45
32.53
0.2
Beef Round/Knuckle
15.02
15.26
1.6
Beef Sirloin Steak
27.81
28.49
2.4
Beef T-Bone Steak
22.03
22.75
3.3
Beef Rump Steak
20.99
21.42
2.0
Butt Fillet
37.62
39.56
5.2
Beef Blade
12.71
13.21
3.9
Beef Diced
14.62
14.75
0.9
Beef Stir Fry
15.99
17.03
6.5
Respondents
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER
NON-MSA BEEF
Respondents
O C T- D E C 2013
JAN-MAR 2014
DIFF %
325
325
0.0
Beef Rib Eye/Cube Roll
29.64
31
4.6
Beef Round/Knuckle
15.01
14.8
-1.4
Beef Sirloin Steak
26.5
27.55
4.0
Beef T-Bone Steak
20.82
21.03
1.0
Beef Rump Steak
20.28
20.98
3.5
Butt Fillet
35.28
36.72
4.1
Butt Silverside-Corned
10.66
10.82
1.5
Butt Silverside-Fresh
12.34
12.08
-2.1
Beef Blade
12.76
12.72
-0.3
Beef Mince (Regular)
9.29
9.41
1.3
Beef Mince (Premium)
12.11
12.13
0.2
Beef Diced
13.87
13.99
0.9
Beef Stir Fry
15.61
15.96
2.2
Beef Sausage (Regular)
8.78
9.1
3.6
Beef Sausage (Premium)
11.54
11.77
2.0
Veal Schnitzel
27.39
28.45
3.9
Veal Stir Fry
23.05
23.05
0.0
Veal Roast
17.61
18.22
3.5
O C T- D E C 2013
JAN-MAR 2014
DIFF %
CHICKEN
Diced Chicken
14.4
14.5
0.7
Stir Fry Chicken
14.56
15.04
3.3
Whole Chicken
7.58
7.55
-0.4
Chicken Breast
14.09
14.21
0.9
Chicken Wings
4.72
4.66
-1.3
Chicken Legs
6.02
5.84
-3.0
Chicken Thighs (Boneless)
12.77
12.82
0.4
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LAMB O C T- D E C 2013
JAN-MAR 2014
DIFF %
Lamb Cutlets
33.89
34.6
2.1
Lamb Forequarter Chops
12.49
12.63
1.1
Lamb Chump
18.55
19.02
2.5
Lamb Loin Chops
20.3
20.97
3.3
Lamb Shanks
10.88
11.36
4.4
Easy Carve Lamb Leg
16.38
17.19
4.9
Lamb Mini Roast
19.89
21.02
5.7
Diced Lamb
19.73
20.47
3.8
Lamb Leg Roast
12.28
12.61
2.7
Lamb Mince
15.61
16.25
4.1
O C T- D E C 2013
JAN-MAR 2014
DIFF %
Pork Loin Cutlets
18.87
19.18
1.6
Pork Mince
13.33
13.41
0.6
Pork Stir Fry
15.68
16.51
5.3
Pork Scotch Fillet
16.19
16.44
1.5
Roast Pork Leg
10.82
10.72
-0.9
Diced Pork
14.28
14.57
2.0
Ham (Sliced)
22.19
22.46
1.2
Bacon
15.11
15.27
1.1
Pork Chops (Loin)
15.67
15.93
1.7
Pork Chops (Forequarter)
10.15
10.12
-0.3
MLA collects prices over the last three months from a sample of butchers in NSW, VIC, QLD, SA and WA. The tables provided show the average prices collected in the March quarter.
PORK
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER
FLAVOUR MAKERS PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
P R O D U C T:
Roasted Rack of Lamb with a Garlic & Rosemary Infused Crust F L AV O U R M A K E R S PRODUCT CODE:
21704
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PRODUCT FEATURES 1.
All Natural
2.
Great with Lamb or Beef
3.
Suitable for roasting, pan-frying or grilling
4.
Also makes a great Stuffing Mix
5.
Can be combined with plain bread crumbs to create a delicious Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Schnitzel Crumb
Add a new dimension to your meat offerings with this brilliant new concept from Flavour Makers. Our All Natural Roasted Garlic & Rosemary HerbCrust will provide an eye catching and delicious point of difference to any retail display. Just follow the mixing instructions and apply the crust evenly to a sirloin, chop, lamb cutlet or rack for a golden and mouthwatering result. It cooks up to brilliant deep golden colour providing a satisfying element of crunch to the eating experience along with a delicious herb and garlic flavour.
HINTS & TIPS 1.
Apply the crust at no more than 1/4 of the thickness of the meat.
2.
For a firmer bind replace some of the water with egg.
For best results your customers should lightly spray the top with an oil spray prior to roasting. 4. Stuffing Usage: Combine 50% Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Crust with 50% Cold Water and use as required. 5. You can also add it to your standard breadcrumbs to vary your schnitzels and WOW your lamb cutlets > Is there no end to the possibilities? 3.
AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER
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Retail Presentation Image: RECIPE IDEA
Consumer P
Roasted Rack of Lamb with a Garlic & Rosemary Infused Crust
of lamb with a garlic & rosemary infused crust
Retail Presentation Image <<<
n Image:
b
Consumer Presentation Image:
1 Unit
2 Units
10 Point Rack of Lamb
1.2 kg (approx)
2.4 kg (approx)
Flavour Makers Roasted Garlic & Rosemary HerbCrust
160 g
320 g
Consumer Presentation Image
>>> Ingredient
Canola or Vegetable Oil INGREDIENT 10 Point Rack of Lamb Chilled Water
1 Unit
Flavour Makers Roasted Garlic & Rosemary HerbCrust 1.2 kg Retail Preparation: Canola or Vegetable Oil (approx)
Chilled Water ted Garlic 1.& In a large
1 UNIT
50 2 ml 4 UNITS UNITS
6100 ml UNITS
1.2kg
2.4kg 40 ml 4.8kg
7.2kg 80 ml
320g
960g
(approx) 2 Units
(approx)
160g
(approx) 4 Units
(approx)
640g
6
2.4 kg 4.8 kg 7 50ml 100ml 200ml 300ml (approx) (approx) (a 40ml 80ml 160ml 240ml gradually Flavour Maker 320 g combine 640 g 9
mixing 160 g bowl, Herb Crust with water, then oil and continue to stir until a
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R E T A I L P R E PA R A T I O N
1. In a large mixing bowl, gradually combine Flavour Makers
Roasted Garlic & Rosemary HerbCrust with water, then oil and continue to stir until an even mixture is achieved. 2. Apply a 1 – 1.5cm thick layer of the HerbCrust mix to top face of the lamb racks, ensuring to apply it firmly and evenly.
RETAIL PRESENTATION
1. Display crusted side up in foil backing trays.
2. Garnish with fine strips of lemon rind or sprigs of fresh rosemary.
CONSUMER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C, and set fan speed to low
if using a fan forced oven.
2. Prepare vegetables for roasting if desired, using a separate oven
tray. If they’ll require more than 25 minutes of cooking time, ensure to place them in the oven for the appropriate amount of time before your adding lamb roast. 3. For best results, lightly spray the HerbCrust with an olive oil spray (or similar). Place tray into the oven using the middle rack. 4. Roast for approximately 25 – 30 minutes, checking regularly after 20 minutes. Cooking times can vary depending on the efficiency of your oven as well as the individual size and trim of your lamb rack. 5. Remove tray from oven and let portion rest in a warm place (without foil) for 5 mins, then carve into individual cutlets before serving.
TIP:
If required, you can quickly and easily crisp up your HerbCrust after the portion is fully cooked by placing it under a medium grill for a short time. Conversely, if your HerbCrust has reached the desired colour and texture before the portion is fully cooked, cover it with aluminum foil and continue to cook as required.
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER
PRODUCER PROFILE Riding High On The Sheep’s Back
With lamb so ably produced and popular amongst consumers, the consumption of the more mature sheep meat has, in a mainstream sense, becoming a thing of the past. However with Australians seeking unique stories of provenance, production and breeding to give their meat a story, a renaissance of the slower maturing sheepmeat has been seen and the production of quality product has started to bring it back into vogue.
Paul and Kylie Walton of Wurrook Superfine Prime produce a slow maturing, fine grained merino meat on their property, Wurrook, situated 150 kilometres west of Melbourne’s CBD. They invited Australian Butchers’ Guild onto their property to talk about their Superfine Prime Merino meat.
APRIL 2014
17 Caption: Paul and Kylie Walton
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER
Traditionally Superfine Merino sheep aren’t produced for meat, they’re more of a wool producing animal. What made you decide to use the breed for meat production? Consumers do sometimes consume merino lambs which are a by-product of the wool industry, however, the ‘parents’ of Prime lamb – generally what is eaten – are not of pure Merino breed; they are a first cross ewe and a meat breeding ram such as a Suffolk or a Poll Dorset relying on hybrid vigour to give these lambs maximum weight gain. Our meat is pure Superfine Merino; our Wurrook Superfine Prime utilises a unique 150 year old pure Wurrook bloodline. We have a dual production here at Wurrook – we produce wool and meat from our Superfine Merino sheep. We find the quality of our meat is reflective of the quality of our wool – we produce award winning superfine wool so the grain of our meat is delicate and fine. We also allow our animals two years to mature slowly on our natural grasslands so the meat has a longer time to develop its flavours and balances. It’s a lovely sweet red meat that has a rich and distinctive flavour.
Can you tell us a little about how you produce the Superfine Prime meat? Our farm is situated between Ballarat, Geelong and Colac, on the Western Plains of Victoria. This region is known as healthy grazing country and for its fresh, clean air. The property consists of 7,000 acres of which about 300 acres is cropped with cereal crops and the remaining is very suitable for grazing. Our flock currently consists of 20,000 Wurrook Superfine Merinos which have been producing some of the best superfine wool in the world for 150 years. For generations we have always eaten our merino meat but we started to specifically market Wurrook Superfine Prime around five years ago. Unlike fat lamb, which is bred to grow out quickly, the Superfine Merino is a naturally slower maturing breed of sheep. That is why the age at which we process our merinos is two years old. We’re proud of our consistency. The sheepmeat category Wurrook would be classified in under AUSMEAT would be Mutton but we’re far more specific than standard ‘Mutton’ which can be anything up to seven years old, of any breed and any management. Allowing our Superfine Merinos to naturally mature for two years on the land has dual benefits. One being they will produce two fleeces of award winning superfine merino wool and the other is that it allows time for the natural flavour and quality of the meat to develop.
APRIL 2014
With our merinos being a self replacing, pure breed and the meat and wool from them of such high quality, you won’t get a much better example of sustainability. Even though there are the obvious seasonal changes to our pastures we have found that we are able to ensure the consistency of the meat’s flavour by supplementing the merinos’ diet with cereal grains grown on our farm for two weeks prior to processing. The welfare and low-stress handling of our sheep is vital to the production of Wurrook Superfine Prime. We maintain complete supply chain management from paddock to plate so you’ll always know where it has come from, what it has been eating and how it has been treated. This includes a strict protocol of no growth hormones and no antibiotics. Our client’s needs, in terms of cuts and weights, will determine where Wurrook product ends up but we cater to both retail and restaurants in Victoria and we’re pushing into the other states soon. Our speciality cuts come vacuum packaged.
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How do you cook Superfine Prime? We advocate slow cooking of our meat and find that it actually hits a point where it blooms when it is properly cooked. The grilling cuts such as cutlets, back straps and tenderloins are also very popular with both our restaurant and retail customers. It’s a sweet meat because of its natural sugars. The sweetness is a good indication that our animals are really well looked after. We have been told by our customers that there is a beautiful balance of fat and structure through the meat. To do a shoulder in a more conventional way a 1.5 -2kg shoulder will take about 2 - 3 hours. The shoulder is made up of several working muscles but when cooked properly the flavour and tenderness of our Wurrook shoulders can far exceed some of the other cuts from the sheep.
For more information or orders please contact Paul and Kylie Walton on E. kylie-walton@bigpond.com M. 0429 180 667
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERS’ GUILD NEWSLETTER
MASTER CLASS Neck Fillet Roast
The Neck Fillet roast (Item #5059) is prepared from a whole lamb Forequarter (Item #4972).
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1.
3
3.
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2
Split the forequarter in half by removing the spine and the rib cage: Cutting along both sides of the spine with your boning knife.
2.
Flip over and start removing the rib cage.
4.
Keep following the bones until you reach the cuts you made along the spine bones, remove spine and rib cage completely.
4
Follow along the rib bones, on both sides of the forequarter, with your knife.
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AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; GUILD NEWSLETTER
5
5.
Take one half of the boneless forequarter (Item #5047) and remove the ligamentum nuchae (otherwise known as 'Paddy Whack'). Take care to remove all of it, as it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tenderise during the cooking process.
6
6.
Locate the seam between neck and the blade and gently follow the silver skin with the blade of your knife to remove the neck fillet roast.
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7
7.
Trim the neck fillet of excess fat and sliver skin and trim the edges.
Neck Fillet roast (Item #5059)
AUSTRALIAN BUTCHERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; GUILD NEWSLETTER
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SHOP TO PLATE Catalanian Lamb Neck Roast Wonderful fresh flavours and a heady aroma sure to entice the appetite!
INGREDIENT
DESCRIPTION
1
2
4
10
20
UNIT
UNITS
UNITS
UNITS
UNITS
12kg
Lamb Neck Fillet Roast _approx. 300g each
Boned, Flap Left On
600g
1.2kg
2.4kg
6kg
Mushrooms
Button
50g
100g
200g
500g
1kg
Spinach
Baby Leaves
25g
50g
100g
250g
500g
Breadcrumbs
Fresh
25g
50g
100g
250g
500g
Garlic
Whole Cloves
10g
20g
40g
100g
200g
Lemon Zest
Finely Grated
2.5g
5g
10g
25g
50g
Pepper
Cracked Black
1g
2g
4g
10g
20g
4
8
16
40
80
Serves
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P R E PA R A T I O N 1.
2.
3.
Coarsely chop mushrooms and garlic. Place in bowl of food processor with spinach, breadcrumbs, lemon and pepper. Pulse until a coarse paste is formed. Lay neck fillet out, best side down. Spread approx. 60g of mushroom mixture over lamb. Fold long edge of fillet in, then roll fillet in flap to enclose filling.
CONSUMER INSTRUCTIONS 1.
Preheat fan forced oven to 160°C.
2.
Brush roast with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in small roasting dish. Add 1 cup beef stock. Cover dish tightly with foil, pinching edges to secure.
3.
Cook for 1 ½ hours. Remove foil and cook for further 30 to 45 minutes or until tender.
1.
Display on trays, sprinkle with extra cracked pepper if desired.
Secure with food grade bands 20mm apart.
RETAIL PRESENTATION
RECIPE NOTES *
Frozen spinach, thawed and well drained, could be used in place of the raw spinach leaves.
SERVING SUGGESTION 1.
Serve with vegetables and reduced pan juices.