According to the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot Culinary Forecast, new cuts of meat are a top trend for 2019.
As protein experts, cutters can help operators increase sales and customer satisfaction in several ways. Successful cutters should or will have a finger on the pulse of retail and restaurant trends and provide product education, recipe and presentation ideas, and insight into ever-evolving menu trends. Working in tandem with clients and even other artisan producers, cutters should also be an integral part of an operation’s menu development strategy. Offering a consistent supply of top-quality pork, custom cuts and signature products that aren’t available from broadline distributors can set your business apart.
To help operators stand out from the crowd, showcase alternative, lesser-known cuts that are comparable to their beef counterparts. Think Delmonico, pork flat irons, pork sirloin chops—and of course, the current darling of the food world—pork belly.
“Pork belly started on high-end menus and now it’s found on fast casual and QSR menus,” says Chef Jen Moyer-Murphy, corporate executive chef at Clemens Food Group. “Chefs are not afraid to experiment with new cuts because the modern diner is more globally influenced than ever before. We’re seeing a mash-up of getting back to our roots and using the whole animal, so we’re seeing cuts such as pork skins, pork cheek and pork collar being used on menus.”
Diners are feeling experimental, making this an ideal time to introduce customers to new dishes and flavor profiles that can add excitement to the neighborhood meat counter or spice up the LTO menu. Use this printable infographic as a starting point to educate customers about alternative cuts. Working together, you can bring a whole new world of protein possibilities to the plate.
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