Tag: Food Service

Red Carpet Luxury Burger Ideas for Restaurant Menus

Posted on June 6, 2019

The hamburger might be the most iconic official food of America.  In every restaurant setting from fast-casual to five-star fine dining, you will find at least two different hamburgers on the menu. No matter what clientele you serve at your restaurant, it’s important to create some delicious options that exceed expectations, that can become a best-selling entrée.  Because burger fans enjoy experiencing a quality hamburger, you can enhance their dining experience by innovating your own signature burgers.  All it takes are some quality ingredients, and inspiration to create that uncommon masterpiece, to give diners something to Instagram and share with their family and friends.

Where do you start? We’ll share some tips for cultivating your own classic and gourmet burgers that are unique to your establishment.  Miami Beef® has been the research and development team and wholesale resource for some of the best-known burgers across the United States.  And we’re ready to help you develop your next sales leading burger entrée.

Upscale Your Ground Beef Blend with Kobe or Wagyu

Want to create a burger that is a cut above the rest? Start by changing the composition of the ground beef you start with.  Standard chuck or lean ground beef provides good results, but if you really want to create an exceptional flavor, explore using a blend or 100% Kobe or Wagyu beef.

What is the big deal about Kobe beef?  American style Kobe reaches back thousands of years, where the several varieties of black Japanese cattle were selected and exclusively bred as a delicacy.  The desirable qualities of Kobe beef include a tender well marbled meat. The marbled fat that is trademark for American Style Kobe beef holds much of the rich beef flavors that are released during cooking.

The higher the quality of beef the more pronounced the flavor. If you are ready to innovate some luxury burger items for your menu, start with quality and uncommon ground beef and explore exciting toppings that enhance the rich taste of American Style Kobe or Wagyu.

Choosing the Right Bun and Bread Preparation

There is a lot of anticipation when a customer bites into a large juicy scratch burger, nestled in a fresh roll or bun.  Create your luxury burger from the bun-up by being selective about the kind of flavor and presentation you are providing and choose an uncommon bun to differentiate your menu item from your competitors.

There is nothing more delicious than a fresh home baked burger bun.  If your establishment has the capacity to bake your own buns, not only will you add the flavor of your gourmet burger, but you’ll set yourself apart with a signature bun.  It’s not hard when you explore recipes that provide that perfect combination of a textured exterior and soft interior bread.  Remember to stick to recipes that are designed for sandwiches with many toppings, to avoid sogginess.

Here are some scratch bun recipes to consider:

Health conscious consumers want to make a better choice, when it comes to commercial bread and carbohydrate consumption.  There are some great wholesale and retail providers that have created gluten free, and grain free burgers that are low in carbohydrates, and high in fiber.  Once example is the KNOW Better Buns, which provide 16g of protein per bun, 12g of fiber and less than 4g of carbohydrate per serving.

Get Inspired by International Gourmet Burger Toppings

 Quality beef burgers are the ultimate canvas for so many layered and sensational flavors.  When you look at some of the most expensive gourmet burgers in the world, you can start to see how outrageous (and delicious) burger toppings can be!

 Here are some of our favorite suggestions:

  • fresh mustard greens
  • grilled poblano peppers
  • basted and grilled prawns (surf and turf!)
  • Gruyere and fried egg
  • Candied jalapenos
  • Crabmeat and cocktail sauce
  • Feta and cucumber sauce
  • Chocolate coated bacon
  • Pickled mushrooms
  • Spicy beer mustard
  • Brisket and BBQ sauce

Ready to innovate your next sales leading gourmet menu item? Talk to our hamburger experts at Miami Beef®.  We have a full research and development team to help you customize the size, shape and seasonings in your burger.

We offer a variety of uncommon blends of ground beef for commercial food service customers, including:

  • Wagyu
  • American Style Kobe
  • Beef and Chicken
  • Pure Beef
  • Pure Veal
  • Black Angus
  • Pure Turkey
  • Beef and Soy blends

For scratch burger preparation, we provide our quality ground meat in four convenient sizes, from an 8 oz. log to 10 lb. bulk portions of fresh (never frozen) meat.  When you are creating exciting new gourmet menu items, start with Miami Beef®.

Innovate New Flavors with 4 Steak Sauce Recipe Suggestions

Posted on January 21, 2019

Steak is one of the first sections on the menu that customers search for.  How big are your steaks? Size matters, as well as the quality and the side-dishes that come with protein rich entrees. And now more than ever (thanks to the Keto and Paleo diet trends), diners are looking for healthy and meatier menu options.

But how many ways can you prepare a steak? There are only so many standard seasonings that restaurants can use, that appeal to a broad range of customers.  How does your steak compare to that offered by other restaurants and food service competitors around you?

It may surprise you but adding a few savory house-made steak sauces to your menu, can really get diners excited and provide an upsell opportunity.  If the top two premium grilled steaks on your menu come with a legendary steak sauce that you have prepared from scratch, consider the opportunity to engage more diners with your profit-centered steak entrees!

If you haven’t created your own steak sauce, we’d like to share some of the experience we’ve gained through generations of family experience, as a wholesale meat provider for restaurants in American and internationally.   Nothing is better than a great steak; except one that comes with an unforgettable dipping sauce or drizzle.

We’re going to take you on a ‘tour of taste’ and suggestion some easy, but out of this world delicious steak sauces you may want to test on a seasonal menu for feedback from your customers.

On the Side or On the Plate?  How to Serve Your House Steak Sauce

One of the trends we’ve noticed, is that steakhouses are more prone to dispensing the gravy and steak sauce directly on top of the plate, rather than serving it a la cart, in a small condiment bowl on the side.  Which side of the fence do you sit on, when designing your quality steak dishes?  There are advantages to both methods.

First, placing the steak sauce directly on the plate adds that dramatic appeal, when the plate arrives at the table.  It is steaming hot on delivery, and the odor of the steak sauce or gravy can really add to the enjoyment of the guest.  But it can also rapidly cool and even congeal the sauce, making it unappetizing depending on the diner. And messy.

Our preference is to keep your hot steak sauce in a ceramic or metal condiment bowl. If two or more people are dining on steak, you may wish to upsize the bowl and provide a small ladle (again, it’s about social dining preferences).  People like food that they can share communally with their family or guest.  The other benefit of this method is that a ceramic condiment bowl will help retain the heat of the sauce and reduce clumping or the formulation of a ‘skin’ on top of the sauce, which can be unappetizing.  The separate condiment method also makes it easier to charge for extra sauce (if required) for the server.

1. Parmesan and Herb Cream Sauce

How often do you see a steakhouse offering a cream sauce, as a side condiment for a premium grilled steak?  It’s pretty rare, since most traditional sauces lean to white or dark gravy bases, or acidic balsamic or vinegarette with herb recipes.   But a cream sauce can really elevate a tender and delicious steak to unexpected flavors.

Check out this incredible steak sauce recipe on “Damn Delicious”.  The fresh garlic combines with notes of basil and oregano (we suggest using fresh herbs instead of dried).  Serve with sliced tender and marinated rib eye steak.

2. Chicago Style Steakhouse Sauce

One of the things that impressed us when we tried this recipe, was how economical and easy it was to prepare.  The ingredients are so basic, and include one cup of your favorite dark cola, but when combined we have to admit, it’s spectacular.   And two types of paprika? Get ready for some extra kick in this sauce, which is about a 6 out of 10 on the spicy scale.

The notes of brown sugar and caramel really bring it all together and add that slightly sticky consistency you want in a hot steak sauce.  This recipe also calls for ¼ cup of bourbon, which gives it that authentic Chicago Steakhouse flavor profile.

3. Japanese Yum Yum Sauce

Like the name implies, this sauce is terrific on any kind of beef, either as a marinade or prepared dipping sauce. If you have ever had really good and authentic Hibachi, it’s that salmon colored sauce you couldn’t get enough of.  It’s easy and economical to make for restaurants too, who want to put a playful international spin on a steak entrée.

Not only is Yum Yum sauce delicious on beef, but it is also incredible on fish such as seared salmon and shrimp.  Surf and turf? This side sauce is the perfect compliment.   Try this keto friendly recipe (your customers will love it) from the food bloggers at “Better Than Bread Keto”.

4. Five Ingredient Steak Sauce

This great recipe for a savory sauce was sourced from “Southern Kitchen” and you can definitely taste the Southern American influence.  It is so easy to prepare, you’ll be surprised at how much flavor it packs per tablespoon.   The simple ingredients are perfectly paired with beef, and reserve well as a condiment while refrigerated.

Our state-of-the-art facility near Miami Florida, is USDA inspected and features state of the art technology for precision portion control and food safety.  From raw product delivery to custom preparation of a variety of steaks, including American Style Kobe, legendary Wagyu beef to traditional cuts such as sirloin, we serve the food service industry with great flavors and wholesale value.

Contact our team at Miami Beef® for more information on our steaks, chops and other meat products including beef, chicken, pork and private label burgers.  Our reputation for quality is only surpassed by our commitment to service for our customers.  We help bring great to the plate, for the food service industry.

Beef Sliders Are Trending: Start Serving Up a Perennial Favorite

Posted on August 5, 2018

Why would someone choose beef sliders instead of a full-size hamburger?  There are many reasons why restaurants and food trucks experience strong sales when they innovate delicious toppings and flavor combinations.  In fact, it’s a top seller as both an entrée and an appetizer.

If full-sized burgers are a featured item on your menu, adding sliders provides another option that will be popular with your patrons.  Everyone enjoys a great hamburger, but sometimes all you really want to order is a taste, not the full nine yards of a multilevel burger, stacked with toppings.

From light lunches to late night ‘pub grub’ the small size of the beef slider provides just enough protein for a satisfying meal.  Increasingly restaurants are seeing customers who prefer to combine several appetizers for a tapas style dining experience, instead of settling for one starter and an entrée.

Sliders are also ideal for sharing with friends.  Restaurants can plate up to (3) classic sliders with all the standard toppings (lettuce, tomato, cheese and condiments) or choose to serve three different varieties with unique toppings.  Now that’s a great way to get customers excited about your menu, particularly if you rotate the slider combination with new toppings and combinations!

Beef Slider Preparation and Topping Suggestions

Slider cooking times may vary, depending on the size and thickness of the patty, but on average a slider takes approximately 10 minutes to cook thoroughly.   Beef sliders should be cooked and checked using a meat thermometer for food safety, and until each patty reaches an internal temperature (in the center) of 160°F and until the meat juices run clear, with no hint of red or pink.

Some of the most innovative sliders we’ve seen in restaurants were served on crostini bread, lightly toasted sour dough rounds, pretzel buns and sweet Hawaiian rolls. If you are serving spicy grilled peppers as a topping, it pairs well with a soft and sweet bun (as opposed to a crusty roll).

Now for the really fun part… getting creative with the toppings to impress your customers.

  1. Heart Healthy Sliders

Add a healthy option by choosing whole grain, lightly toasted buns.  Add grilled fruit like pineapple slices, grilled sweet potato, portobello mushrooms, grilled asparagus, grilled romaine lettuce, or fresh avocado for a California inspired flavor.

  1. Gourmet Mini-Cheeseburgers

The classic combination of a great slider with old cheddar is a fan favorite for restaurant goers, but you can exceed their expectations by serving it with a variety of different cheese toppings. In fact, you can take the humble slider to the gourmet level, by experimenting with cheese varieties that have the appropriate melting point, including:

  • Smoked gouda (try this with a sprinkle of slivered almonds)
  • Pepper Jack
  • Goat cheese (perfect with grilled vegetable toppings)
  • Brie
  • Swiss cheese
  • Blue cheese
  • Feta cheese

Since sliders cook so quickly, many chef’s use a stainless-steel bowl to cover the beef patty and help thoroughly melt the cheese approximately 1 minute before the patty is done cooking on the grill.

  1. Spicy Sliders

Since sliders are small and appetizing, you can experiment with a variety of homemade burger sauces and grilled peppers to ‘turn up the heat’ for customers who like to walk on the spicy side.

Try some of these topping suggestions:

  • Grilled jalapeño peppers
  • Pickled jalapeño (for a milder alternative)
  • Spicy crumbled Chorizo
  • Grilled Hatch chile
  • Savory grilled poblano peppers

There are so many ways to make the classic slider an exciting appetizer or light-eating menu option for your restaurant.  Get creative, and experiment with different seasonings such as cayenne, cumin, hickory and chili powder to create your own selection of signature sliders, unique to your restaurant.

 

How Restaurants Can Add More Meat to the Appetizer Menu

Posted on July 25, 2018

Did you know that a restaurant that offers a healthy assortment of meat and fresh vegetable entrees that are low in carbohydrates and high in protein and nutritional value, are the top choice for consumers? From the proliferation of eating trends like the keto diet, to individuals who follow low-carbohydrate meal plans for food health (such as the Whole 30 or Atkin’s Diet), consumers have never been more aware of the value of protein rich meals.

And the restaurant industry, needs to listen carefully and respond to that trend and growing demand for low carbohydrate meals.  While many menus are carefully balanced to provide flavors and assortment that appeal both to customers and to profitability margins for the business, the pressure to increase high protein content menu items is not without concern for restaurant owners and investors.

How do you appease the growing demand for protein on food service menus, while avoiding increased cost per meal inflation due to rising costs of natural proteins like chicken, beef, pork and turkey? By innovating new recipes on your appetizer or bar menu.

Changing the Appetizer Menu to Appeal to a Broader Range of Customers

Appetizers have not always been a healthy start to a fun and nutritious dining experience for restaurant goers.  In fact, if you evaluate the menus of many fast-casual and family dining establishments, they tend to be snack food oriented.  A few healthy salads, but other carbohydrate laden offerings including hot bread sticks, loaded potato skins, deep fried mushrooms, tortilla chips, queso and salsa, mini-flatbread pizza’s, wraps, spring rolls and similar offerings.

The limitation of appetizer variety is a missed opportunity and revenue for restaurants.  Individuals with dietary restrictions including diabetes, Celiac disease, and gluten intolerance typically have one choice; the salad.  And one of the most traditional protein friendly appetizers (the chicken wing) is a less profitable choice for restaurants, as the cost of the speciality meat has continued to increase for wholesale customers.

What if we could change the options provided on an appetizer menu, to offer more nutritionally balanced options that focus on hearty beef, turkey or pork meat instead? In terms of economy of scale and pricing strategy, appetizers can be profit centers if the customer sees additional nutritional value worth paying a ‘little extra for”. It sounds like a win/win for both the diner and the food service establishment.

Finding the Right Carnivorous Appetizers for Your Establishment

Using principles of economies of scale, it makes sense for restaurants to offer appetizers which share most (or all) of the same ingredients used to prepare lunch and dinner entrees.  This helps reduce food spoilage and increase volume discount purchasing for the restaurant.

The next step is to identify creative appetizers that fit the culture and theme of your restaurant.  If you operate a scratch kitchen where ‘anything goes’ as far as the Chef’s selection of food fusion, you have more flexibility than a specialty restaurant, with a narrower focus.

What kind of appetizers are restaurant diners talking about?   Here are three protein rich (and low-carb) recipes and ideas you may want to consider:

  1. Asian Turkey Meatballs

With a sweet and savory Asian inspired sauce, these red-meat alternative meatballs can become a hearty and satisfying appetizer for any restaurant.  Garnish with fresh green onion and sesame seeds, with a little extra sauce on the side for dipping.  Get the recipe.

Source Web 2018: chefsavvy.com

  1. Low Carb Steak Fajita Roll-Ups

Flank steak surrounds delicious fresh peppers and sweet red onions to eliminate the extra carbs of a tortilla roll.  Try this recipe for a savory beef appetizer, that is elegant and unconventional with all the great Mexican flavors your customers crave.

Source Web 2018: aspicyperspective.com

  1. Chorizo and Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers

When you eliminate the cream cheese filling and the battered exterior of the classic popper, you create a new appetizer that is friendlier to low-carb and gluten restricted diets.  The robust flavor of Chorizo makes this popper a great appetizer or bar menu item, and it is really satisfying.

Source Web 2018: alldayidreamaboutfood.com

 

Remember, appetizers are not only a preview to the main menu.  Increasingly individuals are quick-dining and ordering appetizers for lunch, or as part of bar service later in the evening.  Coordinate your appetizers with alcoholic and non-alcoholic complimenting beverage suggestions, to increase your per-customer transaction value.

Marketing New Low Carb Menu Appetizers: Get Social with Your Apps!

When you look food service menus, the ‘healthy eating’ suggestion section is usually quite small.  It’s good to see those heart healthy and lower fat or calorie menu suggestions as a courtesy to patrons.  But where the intention falls short, is that the meals are with few exceptions, not as palatable or appealing as the less healthy entrees and appetizers.

Stepping into the decision-making process of the restaurant customer, who would really like to order a carbohydrate rich entrée, such as a pasta or personal pizza, wouldn’t it make sense to balance the nutritional value of the meal by offering a healthy protein appetizer?  And that is one way to market a new menu that promotes high-protein meals and starters.

After you have decided on the new protein appetizers you plan to offer, there are a few ways that restaurant owners can encourage customers to try them out.  First, in the waiting or reception area, use signage or POP advertising to announce the new appetizers.   Some studies have demonstrated that displaying pictures of appetizers before the guest is seated, strongly influences the purchase decision to order an appetizer (rather than skip to the main entrée).

Another method of soft promotion for appetizers is through the wait staff.  Not only should they announce the specials, but they should encourage guests to try out the new appetizers.  If you are marketing based on a healthy eating theme, it’s important for wait staff to be able to quickly answer questions about calories, carbohydrates and protein content per serving.  That information should also be provided on the menu for customers.

Some restaurants launch a test menu of new appetizers, adding 1-3 different varieties to the menu at the same time, while asking for patrons to vote on their favorite one.   This is a great way to ensure that the new appetizers create a fan like following, and helps to boost sales volume, if your customers were involved in the approval process.  It feels good to be asked for an opinion, by your favorite restaurant, and to be part of deciding what to keep and what to remove from the menu.

Host a promotion incentive to get your patrons sharing your new appetizers on Instagram!   Customers can be your biggest advocates and word of mouth (WOM) advertisers.  Make it fun, or make it competitive with tangible rewards, like gift certificates for a complimentary appetizer.  Run an advertising campaign that encourages customer feedback and participation, in exchange for a coupon code to discount their next meal in your establishment.

What does your restaurant or establishment serve for appetizers on your menu?  Leave us a comment on our blog or visit our Facebook page to share with us.  We’d enjoy hearing your suggestions.

 

Portion Control and Food Service Profitability with Miami Beef®

Posted on May 25, 2018

In the restaurant industry, there are many factors that contribute to the success of a business.  From location to the dining environment and ambiance provided to patrons, to menu variety and of course, delicious and innovative meal options.   But one of the most important factors that influence profitability and success, regards a balance of portion sizes to optimize preparation time, while satisfying the needs and expectations of customers.

At Miami Beef®, we specialize in providing quality meat that is strictly portion controlled to our customers specifications.  We know how important it is for restaurants to balance cooking time and preparation with a satisfying portion for their customers.  Learn why portion control is an essential element of profitability, and how choosing Miami Beef® as a food service supplier can help.

Preparation Time and Consistency

Restaurants enjoy repeat customers, when they have an exciting and fulfilling menu to offer.  But customers also expect consistency in their favorite menu options.  Imagine their reaction if the steak they ordered last week, arrives to their table cooked in a different flavor profile, or smaller than what they are accustomed to?  Customers may complain, but some make a quiet decision to eat elsewhere; and that is bad for your business.

As a wholesale customer of Miami Beef, your business can optimize both aspects of profitability with regards to portion control.

  • Customize hand-cut chops and steaks to your specification and provide them in vacuum sealed individual packages that lock-in freshness.
  • Provide low-sodium and lower fat custom cuts for health focused menus.
  • We use state-of-the-art processing technology to ensure that every portion is to specifications outlined by our customers.

The key element in successful restaurant and dining businesses, is to provide the same outstanding flavor and portion size, every time.  Fast food chains have mastered this approach, and gain the profitability benefits that come with scientifically, precision-controlled flavoring and portion sizes.  When operating a scratch kitchen however, it can be a little more challenging, which is why using a wholesale supplier that can insure portion control is an important competitive advantage.

Food for Thought: Consumer Preferences Are Changing

One of the most important shifts that restaurants have witnessed in the last ten years, has been a change in portion expectations from customers.  It wasn’t long ago, that ‘bigger’ meant ‘better’ and while this still works in some niche food service sectors, overall, Americans are more aware of the appropriate meal size and calorie content, for good health.

This presents a bilateral opportunity for the food service sector.  First, portion sizes that are reduced but focused on higher quality ingredients and options, are increasingly more popular for consumers who want to eat healthier.  The second advantage regards economy of scale and food preparation time; not only can you reduce portion sizes, but with less time from kitchen to plate, which makes food service more efficient.

Remember, the faster you can prepare quality appetizers and entrees, the more customer turnover you can achieve in your restaurant.

Some restaurants are innovating a balanced new menu, that offers both larger portion sizes and reduced options. When portion sizes are too large, restaurants may find that customers are splitting their plate, which reduces profitability. Consider offering a lite menu alternative with smaller portions, to appeal to consumers who may be following a calorie restricted diet.

Learn more about our safety protocols, traceability and methods of ensuring premium quality meats for the food service industry.   We invite you to contact our sales team, to talk about your needs and how Miami Beef can be a valued partner in food service profitability for your business.

Traceability in Meat Products Matters for Business and Consumers

Posted on May 13, 2018

Food product recalls, and the increased instances of problems with listeria, E. coli and other pathogens in both fresh produce and the processed meat industry, have brought increasing focus to the importance of traceability.  When a recall happens, it can impact grocery and retail stores, restaurants and institutions who rely on the same suppliers.

The ability to be able to trace meat to its source is important to quality assurance, but also from a public health perspective.  In instances where a foodborne illness has occurred health regulators must do the investigative work to identify the source of contagion or health issue, and they have to do it quickly to isolate and then recall all products that may have been impacted to prevent further outbreak.

In this article our quality assurance team would like to share some of the protocols and steps that we have in place to ensure the safety of the meat products we provide to our wholesale customers.

  1. Beef Is Tagged Prior to Slaughter

Each animal is identified on the farm, as part of new traceability requirements for food safety.   The tag is fastened to the ear of the animal with an identification number.   When the animal is transported for slaughter, that unique identification code moves with the meat from slaughter, to processing.

  1. Raw Meat Retains Unique Identification

During the processing phase, the unique identifier is recorded in lots, where the meat retains identifying data, that can be used to trace the meat and subsequent cuts back to the supplier, who retains information on the farm and original source of the animal.

How Miami Beef® Protects the Food Safety of Our Products

Food safety and quality is our priority, at Miami Beef.  Our processing facility is a USDA Regulated Headquarter Plant, with state-of-the-art technology and designed from the ground up, to provide safe food handling, from raw material delivery to final wholesale and private-label branded products. We track and trace all raw materials from storage to production and shipping, to ensure that we can provide finished products with information essential to producing the safest high-quality meat products.  Our productions rooms, freezers, coolers and dock are temperature maintained and electronically monitored for temperature control, 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year.

Our professional quality assurance team is led by microbiologists, who routinely conduct laboratory testing of our meat products, at all stages of processing.   Our quality assurance personnel also evaluate nutritional content and test for microbiological pathogens, throughout our processing and order fulfillment procedure.  We provide our employees with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) training, to ensure that every member of our team is handling raw materials safely.   Our technology screens finished products for metal detection and bone fragments, to assure the highest quality of meat to our customers.

And because we know food safety is a top priority for our business and our customers, we also arrange for third party regulatory audits of our GMP, hygiene and food safety systems on a regular basis.   These industry experts and consultants help us to constantly improve our product, from raw material handling to finished wholesale and consumer goods, in adherence to HAACP guidelines.  So, when we say that Miami Beef® is committed to providing quality, safe and nutritionally sound meat products for our customers, now you know a little more about what goes on behind the scenes, every hour of the day, to make good on our promise.

For over fifty years, Miami Beef® has been innovating quality hand-cut chops and steaks, hamburgers, turkey, veal and other meat products for the food service industry. We work only with trusted suppliers we have known for decades, as part of our quality assurance process.

We invite you to contact our sales team, to learn more about making Miami Beef® your partner in quality meat and nutritious, healthy meals for your customers.