Cutting up beef has not changed much since Duane Ellard started in the business 25 years ago.
What’s changed is the Canadian consumer, who now wants a thick, juicy steak that is only five ounces or a four pound roast that cooks in an hour.
During a meat cutting demonstration at the Alberta Beef Producers annual meeting in Calgary Dec. 10, Ellard talked about the new challenges facing his industry, whether it’s older people who want to eat less or those younger than 30 who don’t know how to cook meat.
Read Also
Dennis Laycraft to be inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame
Dennis Laycraft, a champion for the beef industry, will be inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame this fall.
Most people want steaks, he added, but that is only a small percentage of the beef carcass. The hip, chuck, flank and brisket make up 72 percent and not everyone is sure what to do with them.
“When properly prepared, these are all good cuts,” said Ellard, who works with the Beef Information Centre.
As the consumer has changed, so has the beef. Carcasses have gained seven lb. a year since 1975 with an average weight today of 840 lb. The good news is larger animals carry more marbling, which consumers want, but the final cuts are larger.
“A 650 pound animal is a food service dream because the steaks are smaller,” he said.
Bigger strip loins or ribeyes may deter people at the meat counter because the portions are too large. As the first of baby boomers turn 65 in 2010, this large group will place different demands on the food business. They know they need fewer calories and they have the money to pay for specialized products.
Larger meat cuts also present problems for restaurants. Menu specifications may require an eight ounce steak and to make it fit, the larger ones may have to be sliced thin. Thin steaks are harder to cook properly.
That is where meat cutters like Ellard come in. By cutting meat differently they can create new types of steaks that are still tender and juicy without being too large.
Restaurants depend on the meat to draw in the customers so every meal must be perfect.
“People go out for the meat, not the salad or the mashed potatoes,” he said.
