Farm News
06-16-06
New pork opportunity cuts add value
By DARCY MAULSBY- Farm News staff
DES MOINES — From grilling to stir fry, four new pork cuts introduced at the
2006 World Pork Expo are adding value to the hog carcass and are challenging
the chicken breast’s dominance as the most versatile of all meats.
“We’re extremely excited about these new cuts,î” said Becca Hendricks,
strategic marketing manager for the National Pork Board. “We’re focusing on
individual muscles from the shoulder and fresh leg to develop these new
opportunity cuts and add more value for pork producers.î”
The Pork Checkoff provided a taste of the new cuts, including the pork breast,
petite tender, cap steak and pocket roast, last week in Des Moines. “These cuts
are tender and have great flavor,Ӕ said Phil Armstrong of West Des Moines, a
first-time visitor to the World Pork Expo who sampled the opportunity cuts at the
Pork Checkoff tent. “They’re very, very good.î”
Tapping into pork’s potential
The new cuts originate from the pork shoulder and leg, two areas of the carcass
that have not had significant new product innovation and are typically undervalued. Traditional shoulder cuts, for example, are used in either shoulder roasts
or sausage trimmings. With pork leg, the meat is typically cured into ham. Neither
option adds a lot of value, Hendricks said. “We see a big opportunity to add value
by selling individual cuts as fresh products.î”
To reach this goal, a Pork Checkoff-funded pork muscle profiling study
conducted by Iowa State University, Michigan State University and the
University of Wisconsin examined all muscles larger than half a pound to identify
chemical traits such as pH and water holding capacity, sensory qualities
including tenderness, flavor and juiciness, and physical attributes.
“We reviewed the data, and with industry input we narrowed the opportunity cuts
to four that offer the most market potential,Ӕ Hendricks said.
They include:
Pectoralis profundi, a shoulder cut marketed as the pork breast. This cut offers
versatility for grilling or as an ingredient.
Gracilis, a leg cut marketed as cap steak. This long, thin muscle is similar
to beef flank steak and works well for grilling and ethnic dishes.
The “knuckle,î” or Vastus lateralis/Rectus femoris, a leg cut marketed as the
pocket roast. This tender, juicy cut works well as a rotisserie product or a small
roast that’s ideal for smaller households.
Teres major, a shoulder cut marketed as the petite tender. This extremely tender
cut fits well with upscale pork dishes including pork medallions.
Driving pork demand
To explore the market opportunities for these new cuts, the Pork Board has
teamed up with meat industry consultants, USDA, the National Cattlemen’s Beef
Association (which worked on a similar project for beef), The Richards Group
(the Pork Checkoff Board’s advertising agency) and Chef Todd Downs from
Indiana, a Pork Checkoff Taste of Elegance winner.
“We’re developing menu possibilities, cooking and handling recommendations,
recipes, photography and merchandising ideas for the opportunity cuts,î”
Hendricks said. “We’ll also tie this in with the Pork Checkoff’s new ‘Don’t be blah’
marketing campaign.î”
But will packers buy into the concept? “They won’t have to dramatically change
the way they process a hog carcass to get these opportunity cuts,Ӕ Hendricks
said. “Plus, these cuts offer a variety of creative promotional opportunities for
packers.Ӕ
In late July, the Pork Checkoff and the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) will
host a packer/processor training seminar at Iowa State University’s Meat
Laboratory in Ames to educate packers on accessing these muscles. The
seminar will include cutting demonstrations and culinary demonstrations. USMEF
staff will also provide their insights on international merchandising and marketing
options for the new opportunity cuts.
While you can’t buy a pork cap steak or pocket roast from your local grocery yet,
the Pork Checkoff is working with packers to get the new opportunity cuts into
chefs’ hands and onto consumers’ dinner plates. ’’With these cuts, we can give
today’s cooks more pork choices and variety while adding more value for
America’s pork producers,î Hendricks said.