Ingredient Focus: Meat and poultry

Products

Canada Beef app

Canada Beef has introduced ‘The Round Up App’ to the global beef consumer. A free download to your smart phone or tablet, The Round Up is designed to simplify the complexities of the preparation and handling of beef. The app features cut selection and definitions by primal areas, cut alternatives for menu selection, cooking and handling videos, health and nutrition facts and brand messaging and attributes. Details: www.makeitbeef.ca/promotions

Tegel partners with Country Hill International

New Zealand poultry producer Tegel Foods now offers Pure New Zealand Premium Chicken in the UAE foodservice market following a tie-up with Country Hill International. Tegel’s range of products includes Rangitikei-branded corn-fed, free-range whole chickens, portions and fillets and the Tegel brand portfolio, with prime cuts and value-added products, such as cooked ready-to-eat shredded and sliced chicken, and chicken rashers. Country Hill also distributes Silver Fern Farms, a beef and lamb brand from New Zealand.

Operations

Chefs would like to use unusual meat cuts, but not all GCC consumers are ready for tripe and tongue

The heavy impact on the environment of meat production is well known, with anti-meat campaigners long highlighting concerns that it is a both a significant driver of global warming and a threat to grain and water stocks.

Multiple studies hit mainstream media in 2015 and in December, even former body-builder Arnold Schwarzenegger weighed in on the debate, but any messages advising people to eat less meat have been highly controversial. It’s not a call experts think any government will be prepared to make any time soon.

That said, as those in agriculture and meat production do what they can to manage the environmental impact of farming, those in the foodservice industry have some responsibility to contribute too. Cooking with meat is expensive, yield can be low and wastage high, so chefs also have a vested interest in ensuring traceability of their supply chain and minimisation of waste in the kitchen. Consumers, at the same time, are increasingly interested in how their food is sourced, prepared and cooked, so for restaurateurs, being ahead of the trends is important.

One of the most relevant culinary trends still up for debate in the Middle East is that of the nose to tail approach — advocated by environmentalists, favoured by chefs, and yet still shied away from by the GCC population.

“Meat and poultry have a large amount of waste, but at J&G we take a nose-to-tail approach where we try to utilise the whole animal,” says Daniel Ferreira, chef de cuisine, J&G Steakhouse, The St Regis Dubai. “Being in a hotel this also enables us to use different parts of the animal throughout the other outlets. Wastage control comes down to training, butchers and showing the junior chefs that there can be a use for everything,” asserts Ferreira.

“There is always going to be high levels of wastage on beef,” agrees Christopher Graham, group executive chef, FoodFund International. “You just need to be smart when writing menus to ensure that all possible edible trimmings can be used in other parts of the menu, for example, a nice pie, or a burger.

“I would love to follow a nose to tail approach here but the demand for the prime cuts in the UAE massively outweighs the demand for secondary cuts. I would love to be able to sell a slow cooked tongue, or shin, or even the marrow, and we try to introduce these at our restaurants, but it’s an ongoing process,” he continues.

At The Hide at Al Qasr, which serves dry-aged beef from Spain, head chef Brian Voelzing says they use secondary cuts like flank, flat iron and hanger “that are packed with flavour but not as popular as your beef fillet”.

“I’m a huge believer in nose-to-tail cooking. I think the whole animal should be used,” says Voelzing. “I don’t think the market for offal is overly popular in Dubai. We have tongue, cheek and oxtail on the menu, but we avoid cuts like heart and tripe as they aren’t overly popular.”

The “slow and low” smoking method used at Perry & Blackwelder’s, meanwhile, enables the chefs to use secondary cuts such as brisket, oyster blade, beef tri-tip and chuck rib, as the meat becomes increasingly tender the longer it is cooked, reveals group executive chef at JRG Dubai, Chris Lester.

Adequate training of new chefs in both sourcing and cooking is another issue that could impact wastage, says Graham.

“I don’t think enough is being taught in schools these days about the source of the ingredients we use. Everyone knows a fillet steak, but not all young chefs are taught about all of the different variables in the meat production that affect the end product. They need to be taught more about the feeds, the environment the cattle grow in, the ageing processes and the pros and cons of all these variables,” he says.

Reflecting on the media approach to issues related to livestock, Graham is both pragmatic and philosophical, most likely speaking for the majority when he says: “Personally, I think there are a lot more serious environmental issues that need to be addressed before we look at livestock. We are by nature carnivores and hunting and gathering has been a part of us since day one on this earth. When the population grows, the need for food does too. This is something we cannot escape, short of the world becoming vegetarians, and even then, crops still need water... and life without a good steak is a pretty miserable one.”

Quite right so, and with that in mind, here Caterer summarises the latest news in the GCC meat and poultry industry, and forecasts the meatiest trends for 2016.

News

Al Rawdah to double production capacity by the end of 2016

Al Rawdah, the first poultry producer to be awarded the official UAE halal seal by ESMA, is developing a new farm at Liwa that will double its production capacity.

“The project is on schedule and will start operations by 2016 end,” said Paul Farhat, head of food service, Al Rawdah Poultry Farm.

Since its launch in mid-2014, Al Rawdah has secured a number of renowned food service institutions within the UAE as clients and recently added Emirates Flight Catering and Atlantis the Palm to its portfolio.

To manage the growth, the foodservice team has recently strengthened its sales team. The brand has also recently been audited and awarded the Emirates Quality Mark seal.

Silver Fern Farms adds premium retail line to Kuwait and KSA

Silver Fern Farms, a New Zealand marketer, processor and exporter of premium quality beef and lamb products, has launched Premier Selection Reserve Beef in high-end retail outlets across Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

“Our Premier Selection Reserve Beef is graded using our Eating Quality System to guarantee the highest taste, tenderness, flavour and consistency,” said Katie King, market manager, Silver Fern Farms Middle East.

Silver Fern Farms Premier Selection Reserve Beef is 100% grass fed and is hand-graded by master-graders on seven criteria: marbling, pH, ossification, rib fat thickness, fat colour, meat colour and carcass weight.

“Only four out of 100 cattle meet the strict Reserve beef criteria,” added King. “This ensures the consumer gets a consistent quality and grade of product every time.”

Top trends

Responsible sourcing: As food sustainability moves up the agenda for foodservice institutions, more focus is given to sourcing cage-free and free-range chickens, observes Paul Farhat, head of food service at Al Rawdah. “Increased emphasis on critical issues such as animal cruelty, diverse and healthy ecosystems, zero-waste and eco-friendly companies means that sourcing local poultry products responsibly has become a source of differentiation for many restaurants and hotels,” says Farhat.

The same applies to the meat industry, says Katie King, market manager at Silver Fern Farms: “Consumers are becoming more conscious of where their products come from. They want to know and understand the process, chain of care and source to be sure what they are getting is ethical and trusted.”

Chef Daniel Ferreira agrees: “Traceability has become a major issue in the industry, and we are now focusing on local suppliers and quality of quantity. Chefs are focusing on fresh and clean dishes, with less complexity, allowing the product to shine.”

‘Clean’ food: Related to their interest in provenance, is the idea that consumers want clean, safe, ‘real’ food.

“Consumers want clean healthy products that are free of hormones, additives and preservatives,” says King. “Silver Fern Farms produces 100%-hormone-free, grass-fed product that is just as nature intended.”

Christine Cash, general manager, sales and marketing at Tegel, calls this ‘real food’. She says: “Consumers are looking for high quality products with clean ingredients and no artificial flavours and colour. Tegel chicken is naturally healthy with no injections and has no added hormones. New Zealand is free from all major poultry diseases, providing continued surety of safe product.”

Consistency, and “an exceptional eating experience each and every time” is also vital, says Robert Serapiglia, director, business innovation at Canada Beef. “Canada’s cattle genetics, internationally recognised production, safety standards and humane handling does not allow deficiencies within our premium grades of A, AA, AAA and Prime.”

Nutritional benefits: Beef is full of nutrients, a complete protein, one of the richest forms of heme iron and zinc and part of a heart healthy diet, observes Serapiglia — and he believes consumers are increasingly aware of this: “Canadian beef is nutrient dense and power packed, nature’s single ingredient super food.”

King says diners also understand the benefits of grass fed beef over grain fed alternatives. “Our Premier Selection, grass-fed Reserve beef is definitely tastier, leaner and healthier — with a consistent quality you can trust every time,” she says.

Evandro Caregnato, culinary director, Texas de Brazil — corporate, says that he is also seeing “a very large interest in grass-fed meat and more natural product from the general public and from our guests, and we are pleased to say that some of our meats are from animals that were pasture-ranged, grass-fed and with no use of hormones and antibiotics”.

Local sourcing: Paul Farhat believes that despite the challenging climate, “preference for sourcing local produce has substantially contributed to the growth and development of poultry farms in the region”.

“With a big potential for additional growth, our business is running at full capacity to fulfil the demand for poultry that is fed 100% natural, GMO-free and farmed in accordance with the highest standards in the business. Sourcing locally provides consumers with a unique and transparent access to the production source, which in turn reflects a sense of security and confidence of what’s being served on their plate. After all, we are what we eat,” asserts Farhat.

Vida Hotels and Resorts culinary director, chef Spencer Black, who oversees Nezesaussi Grill, agrees: “Incorporating organic products has been a growing trend over the last few years and we try to source ‘home-grown’ meat, sourced locally when possible, supporting the local butchers and farmers”.

Secondary cuts: Daniel Ferreira at J&G Steakhouse says there is a big focus on using secondary cuts now, and reveals he’s a fan of the hanger, skirt and the belly.

“Chefs are looking at new ways of creating great dishes with cuts not often seen in restaurants. In this day and age, with all the new kitchen equipment, this is allowing us to break down tougher proteins without changing the texture of the product and allowing us to enhance the flavour profiles,” says Ferreira.

However, Foodfund’s Christopher Graham says he finds this trend is yet to catch on in the UAE. “With rising meat prices globally, this is a great way to maintain costs and also allow chefs to be more creative and showcase different skills. I would like to see the UAE market drift away from the demand for just tenderloins and striploins and start looking at more flavoursome cuts like the flat iron and hanger cuts.” It’s just a case of educating the market and making them appreciate flavour over texture,” he recommends.

Recipe

Enjoy the taste of the Wild West with this recipe for grilled BBQ beef ribs from The Meat Co

Serves 4

The Meat Co grilled BBQ beef ribs

Ingredients:

• 3.5kg beef ribs
• 5g thyme
• 5g rosemary
• 20g salt, fine
• 5g black peppercorn
• 1g dried oregano
• 1g bay leaves
• 1g paprika powder
• 5ltr water
• 2g juniper berries
• 400ml BBQ sauce

Method:

• In a large pot, add water, salt, bay leaves, paprika, juniper berries, thyme, rosemary and the ribs.
• Bring to the boil and simmer for 1.5-2 hours.
• Check the meat; if tender, remove from the water and cool.
• One portion is approximately three ribs — this should be vacuum packed, labelled and stored in the fridge.
• Prepare to order — brush with butter, then baste in BBQ sauce and grill until the meat is crisp and tender.

Sauce Ingredients:

• 200ml BBQ sauce (store purchased)
• 100ml water
• 5g thyme
• 5g rosemary
• 1 orange, juice and zest
• 1 bay leaf
• 2g black pepper
• 5g salt
• 1g juniper berries

Method:

• Mix all the above ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil.
• Pass through a sieve.