New round cuts offer six more value-added beef options The checkoff-funded Beef


The six new cuts include a portfolio of


Innovations Group (BIG) debuted six new cuts last month from the beef round at the first Innovative Beef Symposium in Denver, part of its effort to help meat processors, manufacturers, retailers, foodservice operators and cat- tle producers maximize yield, add ver- satility and increase profitability. “As the marketplace continues to


evolve, it creates opportunities for new beef cuts to be used as a competitive advantage,” said Jim Ethridge, senior director of the Beef Innovations Group for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which contracts to manage new product development efforts for the Beef Checkoff Program. “Past work on the chuck subprimal had yielded benefits to all segments of the industry, and the muscles of the round offer the next fron- tier of innovation and additional value.” As a team of meat scientists and


industry professionals that work together to inspire beef innovation, BIG has con- siderable experience working with the value-added cuts from processing to end- use application. More than 80 representa- tives from meat processors, packers and food manufacturing companies convened to learn how to fabricate, merchandise, menu and profit from the new cuts at the Symposium. Cutting guides and related marketing materials for the new round cuts will be available on www.beefinno- vationsgroup.com by Sept. 30.


lean steak and roast options suitable for retail and foodservice outlets: • Santa Fe Cut — similar to a flank


steak, perfect for fajitas, stir fry or for shredded beef • Round Petite Tender — flavorful,


best cut into medallion steaks, offers a restaurant-quality experience on a bed of pasta or a roast for two • San Antonio Steak — ½-inch lean


steak, versatile and cooks fast, works well with a marinade • Tucson Cut — the perfect lean


cut for foodservice operations looking for value • Braison Cut — ideal for any brais-


ing application and makes a great osso buco or pot roast • Merlot Cut — deep red color, lean


and flavorful, ideal for a variety of ethnic dishes All six new cuts qualify as ‘lean’ or


‘extra lean’ by USDA guidelines, and all have passed a multitude of taste and tenderness tests. According to consumer research, the


key drivers for consumer beef purchases include safety, convenience, ease of prepa- ration, good value, “a taste my family craves,” a lean cut, and a versatile cut that everyone in the family likes, said John Lundeen, executive director of market research for the Beef Checkoff Program. “There’s a resurgence in consumers interest in protein, too,” Lundeen said,


“so these new lean, tender cuts are right on target.” And their convenience is key, since 80% of meals are prepared in 20 minutes or less and 75% are cooked in 30 minutes or less. Dr. Shalene McNeill, executive direc-


tor of nutrition research for the check- off, said the fact that all of the new cuts derived from the round are lean is extremely good news for consumers who might still question beef’s nutritional profile. “Nutrition remains the key barrier


for beef, as nutrition is the No. 1 reason consumers cite for eating less beef,” McNeill said. “But today, more than 90% of saturated fat in the diet comes from food other than beef. “Most Americans just don’t under-


stand how much fat we’ve taken out of beef, simply through close trimming,” she said. “In fact, cuts from the chuck, rib, loin and round have 34.68% less separable fat than is reported in the National Nutrient Database. Checkoff research gives us this information to provide evidence for nutritional label- ing and dietary guidelines.” During the last decade, McNeill


pointed out, the beef industry has gone from representing six cuts that qualified as “lean” to 35 today, with the inclusion of these latest additions. For example, she said, the beef tenderloin has less cholesterol than a skinless chicken breast – and that’s the


kind of message that consumers need to receive. “Beef’s health and wellness opportu-


nity is about capitalizing on the Power of Lean,” McNeill said. In 2007, BIG began its mission to


explore this underutilized subprimal, which represents 30% of the beef car- cass. Since then, a team of meat scien- tists have been working on locating whole-muscle cuts. This effort leverages the checkoff-funded Muscle Profiling Research, which aided BIG to uncover many successful cuts over the years known as the “Beef Value-Added Cuts,” a line of beef steaks and roasts that allow consumers to enjoy more great tasting steaks and roasts that are easy to prepare and often moderately priced. Several of these previously launched


cuts have grown in popularity such as the Petite Tender, Ranch Steak, Flat Iron Steak and five cuts from the chuck roll, and are now being manufactured throughout the United States and sold through retail and foodservice outlets. CattleFax estimates that BIG’s new product development ini- tiatives have already resulted in an indus- try added-value of $50 to $70 per head or $1.4 billion in annual sales. New cuts from the chuck roll and the round are expected to increase this number significantly as they enter the mainstream marketplace. For more information about beef


checkoff investments, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.


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Ohio’s Country Journal • ocj.com • Mid-September 2010 •Markets 11


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