Tag: Miami Beef

4 Delicious Gravy Reductions That Start With Quality Meat

Posted on September 13, 2020

There are two types of gravies that are prepared in a commercial kitchen.  The first is a powder-based gravy that mixes with hot water for an instant garnish.  Depending on the quality of the instant gravy, they can taste good (particularly if the Chef augments it with some custom flavoring).

The second kind of gravy tastes the best.  It is the kind that is made from scratch in the kitchen, using authentic, flavorful meat drippings and natural fats, combined with a little cornstarch for thickening and custom seasonings.

Can you tell the difference between a powdered instant gravy mix and an authentic scratch-made gravy, with fresh seasonings? If you are a Chef or cook you definitely can taste the difference; and so, can your restaurant patrons.  At Miami Beef® we are fans of the ‘real thing’ and know how easy it is to create delicious scratch gravies to serve with our succulent steaks and chops.

We’d like to share 5 amazing gravies and reductions that you can try in your own restaurant.  For au jus to a thick beautiful gravy, in just a few steps using the drippings that you are already creating on reserve in the kitchen.

1. Southern White Gravy

One of the things you may not know unless you have traveled extensively through the American southern states is that brown gravy is very much an east coast and west coast thing.  When you ask for gravy in New York, you will be provided with a beef-based dark brown gravy for your meat.

In the American South, however, gravy takes on a whole new consistency, appearance, and flavor.  Known as Southern Gravy, or Country Gravy, it is a thicker consistency (similar to pudding) and it is white in color with flecks of black from the cracked pepper it is seasoned with.

Southern white gravy is served on chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and fried chicken strips.  In fact, Americans from the deep south love their peppery thick white gravy so much, it is popular breakfast food.  You may have heard it called ‘biscuits and gravy’, and it is literally hot English muffin style breakfast bread, with a side order of bacon or sausage, and smothered in the thick white gravy.

Check out this recipe for Southern White Gravy.

2. Smoked Paprika Garlic Gravy

This recipe is for an easy but delicious poultry gravy that can be used on chicken or turkey.   The seasonings include smoked red paprika for a rich deep smoky flavor, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and chicken stock.

If you want to make a better-tasting poultry gravy, create your own chicken stock from drippings.  Simply take roasted or baked chicken reserve and strain it to remove any large pieces of skin or meat.  Next, take that reserve and place it into a saucepot, and add a 30% volume of hot water.  Stir the drippings until the stock appears consistent and well blended.   You will get a dense and delicious flavor with real poultry drippings than any commercial chicken stock.

Find the recipe for this spicy and interesting gravy here.

 3. Spicy or Savory Indian Gravy

If you love Indian foods like chicken curry or tikka masala, you are probably a fan of the delicious Indian gravy.  From region to region in India, the recipe for the standard gravy doesn’t really change that much.   It includes garlic, ginger paste, coriander, cumin and turmeric, pureed tomatoes, and lots of onion.

Try this recipe for a low fuss but delicious Indian gravy.

4. Beef Burgundy Sauce

Many people believe that the best method of creating a beef burgundy sauce is from standard beef stock.  But when you are preparing beef burgundy as a dish, you want to make sure the full flavor of the beef is present in the sauce (not just in the meat) when you serve it.

You can deglaze any roasted beef pan and condense a great Jus into a burgundy sauce, in just a few easy steps.  You will need about 1 cup of burgundy wine (typically a Cabernet Sauvignon is used) to complement the beef dish and create a succulent sauce.  When adding mushrooms, you want a woodsy full-bodied flavor, so the first choice is portabella mushrooms, or even a combination of portabella and Chanterelle mushrooms, which have a pleasant light pepper tastes that compliments roasted beef and red wine.

We like this version of the Beef Burgundy recipe from The Pioneer Woman.

Tips for Deglazing a Pan

This is one of the tricks you first learn in Chef’s school, which is to take a meat roasting pan and deglaze it to derive all the natural fats and flavors and create a risk au jus or thickened gravy.  But how do you know when you should serve meat with a light au jus, versus a thicker consistency gravy instead?

Jus (pronounced zhoo) is the process where the drippings from roasted meat are heated and allowed to condense, often without adding any additional seasonings.  During preparation, the intention is to retain the natural flavors of the meat and let the sauce thicken slightly. A jus is still going to be a thinner consistency than a traditional gravy, but the sauce is strained with wire mesh to avoid any bits of cooked meat or roasted skin.

What is Au Jus vs. Gravy?

Gravy, on the other hand, requires some doctoring.  First, the jus is removed from the pan, and then it is combined usually with some starch to allow it to thicken over low heat.  Red or white wine and other seasonings may be added to augment the flavor; a gravy can be a compliment to the meat being served by tasting slightly different and accentuating rather than blending in with the meat flavors.  Some traditional gravies include a large amount of salted butter, which also enhances the flavor and seasoning of the meat.

To create Au Jus, the deglazing method requires only a small amount of hot water.  No other kinds of stock are used because the goal is to preserve the original flavor of the meat drippings.  When deglazing a pan for a gravy, many Chefs opt to use white or red wine, stirring up the bottom of the pan to loosen fragments of meat that will be included in the gravy.  Flour or corn starch is added to thicken the gravy.

 

Turkey Burgers Miami Beef

Create an Uncommon Turkey Burger with 6 Tasty Suggestions

Posted on June 13, 2020

Decades ago, the only kind of turkey that a consumer would see in a grocery store, was one for roasting around major holidays.  But in the past fifteen years, we’ve watched turkey become a regular stocking item in the fresh meat section, as consumers consider the white meat to be a nutritious and delicious source of protein. And the turkey burger has become a popular meal choice.

Today, turkey meat is readily accessible in grocery stores and it is starting to earn a more prominent place on restaurant menus as well.  In this article, we’ll share a few creative ways you can create some delicious and healthy entrée ideas for your customers.

Why Should You Add a Turkey Burger Or Two to Your Restaurant Menu?

Did you know that turkey is an underappreciated superfood?   Servings of turkey are a rich source of amino acids, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, and protein while being very low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Individuals on a restricted diet for cholesterol need healthy alternatives to beef and pork, and turkey is one of those healthy options.  Turkey meat is also high in niacin, which helps lower bad LDL cholesterol while raising healthy cholesterol (HDL).

While many people know about the impact of tryptophan (the natural hormone present in turkey meat) because it puts you to sleep and makes you feel groggy after you eat, few people know that tryptophan actually helps regulate healthy sleep patterns.  Regular consumption of quality turkey meat can help your body regulate circadian rhythms and reduce insomnia naturally.

Best Methods for Preparing Restaurant Style Turkey Burgers

Miami Beef® provides quality turkey burgers in a variety of grades, from economical to cage-free, vegetarian-fed (hormone and antibiotic-free) turkey.  One of the most important things to consider when sourcing quality turkey meat or burgers, is the agricultural methods used to produce the turkey.

Animal by-products while monitored for safety and commonly used in agricultural dry feed, can pose some health risks to humans, when diseases are passed on to animals through by-product feeds.  The safest turkey meat is raised without the use of growth hormones and antibiotics, and a cage-free production method is more humane for the livestock while producing a premium grade meat.

Turkey burgers can be panned seared in a cast-iron skillet and cooked approximately 10 minutes or until an interior meat temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit is reached.  We recommend skillet grilling turkey patties to allow the meat to retain the natural juices.

Healthy Patty? Healthy Toppings!  What Customers Expect on Top of a Juicy Turkey Burger

When you add some turkey burgers with delicious healthy toppings to your menu, you are creating meal choices that your customers will feel good about.  When it comes to creating exceptional turkey burger menu items, don’t negate the health benefits of turkey by piling it high with unhealthy toppings.

You can get a little creative when it comes to turkey burger toppings.  There are so many options that pair with a quality turkey patty, and you can combine delicious toppings to create unique themes like a Hawaiian turkey burger (with grilled pineapple and ham), or an Italian style turkey burger, with red marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, and some fresh basil (Caprese style!).

Grilled vegetables are also a great choice as a topping combination for turkey burgers. Grilled sweet potato is an economical and delicious topping idea.  Grilled peppers like poblano add some rich flavors, and smoked gouda, pepper jack, crumbled bleu cheese, and camembert cheese are all good choices for a freshly grilled turkey burger.  And a hot hollandaise sauce is pretty amazing too.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with a large pallet of toppings for your customers.  Develop your own house-made turkey burger with all the fixings, and source your quality turkey patties (premium cage-free, hormone, and antibiotic-free) from Miami Beef®.

 

 

 

 

Gourmet burgers restaurant supply

Customize Your Beef Patty: Create a Signature Restaurant Burger

Posted on March 29, 2020

Is there anything more exciting to a consumer, than ordering the kind of epic hamburger that they just cannot create at home?  When a real burger fan opens a menu and sees the thickness of the patty, uncommon gourmet toppings drizzled with a house made sauce, they are willing to pay a premium price for an extraordinary burger and dining experience.

As a meat processing expert, our team at Miami Beef definitely has a special relationship to the great American hamburger.  Some of the best fast-food, theme-park and food truck burgers you have tried may have been sourced from us!

We know that hamburgers, chicken patties and turkey burgers can be a fantastic revenue source for your business.  And if you are looking to revitalize your menu with some fresh new gourmet burger offerings, or create your own house burger, we’ve got some expert advice for you.

The Psychology of the Selling the ‘House Burger’

Restaurants have a small percentage of customers that visit once to dine, and then maybe never come back again.  But for the most part, restaurants that provide quality food, exceptional service, a comfortable or interesting dining environment and good value?  They enjoy repeat customers who explore the menu and arrive at 3-5 favorites that they will continue to order on an ongoing basis.

There is a difference between being a customer or walk-in and being a patron of a restaurant.  And that difference is a relationship that your business builds with your customers.  When you have that positive sentiment with your customers, then any menu option that you create and designate as a ‘house’ item is going to be a success.  Assuming you put that extra work in to make your house entrees an unforgettable flavor experience.

The hamburger is the easiest place to start building your house menu items. Start with a competitive review of what other restaurants in the area are serving, because you don’t want to offer what is readily available everywhere else; you want to stand out!

Next, we recommend doing a little online research with regards to very creative and new trending burger topping combinations.  Look at 5-star restaurants in global luxury destinations like Dubai for inspiration.   We guarantee you’ll get some interesting new ideas to create some exciting new house burger entrees for your menu.

Start with an Uncommon Selection, Shape or Size to Design Your House Burger

Consumers are unimpressed by a hamburger that looks like something they can make at home.  If you really want to sell your brand and some burgers that differentiate you from your competition, start from the ground up with an uncommon burger patty.

At Miami Beef®, we supply commercial food service providers with a variety of options.  From economical blends for production (entertainment venues, theme parks and fast-food restaurants), to ultra-gourmet blends featuring authentic American Style Kobe beef or tender savory Wagyu.

Our commercial customers are able to specify and customize a variety of options with their beef, chicken or turkey patty orders.  Size, shape, volume (thickness) and even custom seasonings.  Our sales team provides accurate information on each size, preparation methods and cooking times, for each consistent precision portioned beef, pork, chicken or turkey patty.

When designing the ideal burger menu, you want to create a number of price points and options, from economical to gourmet.  This provides flexibility of choice for each diner, but also supports a graduation to the top-level burger offerings as well. Some consumers want to order the ‘best on the menu’ and by providing comparisons to other meals, you can inspire them to choose the premium burgers and sides.

Unless your restaurant specializes in the burger and side dish entrée, you want to leave enough room for a good burger assortment on your menu.  For many restaurants, that means between 6-8 different types of burgers, which can also include a healthy white-meat alternative, like a turkey and / or chicken burger.

Get Creative with Your Burger Toppings to Create Some Gourmet Options

Some people like the standard condiments, a little slice of tomato, fresh onion and cheese.  That is the classic American hamburger.  But thanks to the Food Network, and culinary creatives around the world, the gourmet burger is front and center.  Everyone wants to try different types of burgers when they visit a restaurant or get takeout; and many people have a ‘burger bucket list’ that your establishment can help them fulfill.

What could be better than a goal to try every single gourmet burger on the planet? Nothing.  But then again, our family has been creating delicious burgers for over 100 years and we’re a little biased.

We all know what the standard toppings for a burger look like, but what are some ideas for truly uncommon toppings that work with a thick, juicy and freshly grilled beef patty?

Here are some mouth-watering suggestions you can try on your food service menu:

  • Fried quail egg
  • Canadian bacon
  • Grilled sweet potato
  • Mexican street corn (Elote) with crema
  • Hummus
  • Grilled mango or pineapple
  • Grilled poblano peppers (not too hot but packed with rich flavors!)
  • Endives and pepper cream sauce
  • Crab meat slaw or shrimp (surf and turf!)

The toppings are not your only opportunity to create a truly original and delicious flavor.  Consider the condiments that are not average, and homemade burger sauces that you r kitchen can create that adds that extra pizzazz and originality for your house burger(s).

Check out these 33 different and tasty burger sauce recipes on Serious Eats for inspiration.

 

For more than 100 years, Miami Beef® has been a leading provider for national hospitality chains, commercial food service and restaurants in America and overseas.   Learn more about our quality meat assortment, and how you can customize your seasonings, shape and other specifics to create a new house special unique to your food service establishment.

Email us at info@miamibeef.com to talk to one of our wholesale meat specialists.

 

Creative Marketing to Stimulate Curbside Pick-Up

Posted on March 11, 2020

Restaurants and foodservice establishments that want to increase their takeout or curbside pick up revenue have to research new strategies to stimulate non-dining room orders.  Did you know that your profitability per order increases when it is takeout, delivery, or curbside pick-up?  That is part of the reason why the foodservice sector has seen so many successful ghost kitchens emerge in urban areas.  No dining room means lower manpower and overall operational costs and a higher profit margin.

  1. Create a Dedicated Take Out Area to Expedite In-Out Customer Traffic

Intelligent foot traffic design should be your top priority.  Put yourself in the shoes of your takeout customer.  They have called ahead and placed their order, and they have found a parking spot convenient enough to run into your establishment, process payment (if they haven’t done so already) and then leave with their food.

Now imagine that the dining room seating line or reception area is crowded with people waiting for a table.  And that crowd just happens to be standing in the exact same area as pick up orders are processed (at the cash register/reception desk).  So now, your takeout order isn’t so convenient, and it involves a waiting time that is comparable to the time they would have spent being seated to dine inside the restaurant.  That doesn’t work for customers in a rush.

Many restaurants have chosen to reconfigure their layout to provide an express pick up window or line for their takeout customers.  Not only is this express line fast, but you want to make sure you have experienced staff serving customers there, to double-check orders, deal with missing items or any other service issues promptly (without holding up the takeout processing time).

For restaurants that are smaller in terms of square footage and floor space, having a portable heated food warmer and storage cart is valuable.  If orders are clearly marked, the cart with prepared takeout meals can be situated near the front door, where your staff can quickly retrieve and then process the orders for your customers.

  1. Provide Alternative Payment Options

Customers that want to call ahead for a takeout order want prompt and easy service.  If they wanted to spend a great deal of time in the restaurant, they would opt to eat in the dining room instead.   It is important to offer the kind of expedited alternative payment options that your customers want.

Some customers prefer PayPal because they don’t use a traditional bank and can make a digital transaction easily from their smartphone.  Some may use other popular mobile payment methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay (which are becoming increasingly more popular due to low transaction fees compared to traditional debit cards).

Many consumers are becoming increasingly sensitive to the cost of digital monetary transactions.  A dollar or two every time they use their debit card definitely starts to add up on a monthly basis, if they prefer to use a card versus cash.  Give them another affordable and fast processing alternative to pay for their order conveniently, and you’ll find those takeout or curbside pick-up customers returning more often.

  1. Time Your Orders Perfectly to Keep Food Fresh and Hot

All it takes is one bad experience with takeout to ensure that the customer will never order curbside pick up or takeout from your establishment again.   The top complaint from consumers about takeout is the temperature of the food.  When the customer picks up the order, it should be as fresh as it would be if it was served tableside to the diner.

While meats and vegetables tend to retain heat well, other types of food such as bread and salads can suffer some integrity loss, if they are prepared too quickly or queued in heated storage.  A warm salad is probably not the side dish that most customers would like with their meal, nor do they want soggy appetizers or entrees.

There are a variety of food scheduling tools, computer displays, and applications that can help prep teams ensure that they are timing the production of orders correctly to optimize quality and customer satisfaction at the time of pick up.  No one wins if a customer cancels an order.

  1. Dedicate Two Parking Spaces for Curbside Pick-Up Convenience

If you have a dining room and parking lot, it may be time to designate a couple spots by the front door to facilitate quick curbside pick-up for your customers.   How much of a difference can these designated spots make for a restaurant?

Consider your customer experience if they have to drive around for several minutes before they can find a parking spot, allowing them to run in and pick up their food order.  Not particularly convenient right?  And if they are in a rush, the whole benefit of calling ahead to promptly pick up food and head home may be lost.

While legal requirements for designated spots for special needs customers near the building must be accommodated, sometimes finding 1-2 extra parking spaces for food pick up orders can be a challenge.  But protecting that valuable space for pick up orders can be one of the best investments you make to bolster your restaurant takeout revenue.

 

Other successful marketing tactics target increased takeout or curbside food pick up orders on non-peak times and days of the week.  For example, if your restaurant has slower than normal traffic on Monday and Tuesday evenings, that is the perfect time to add a loyalty incentive for your customers.  Something like a free appetizer with every order over a specified dollar value, which is valid for takeout orders only.  Some restaurants have even developed their own loyalty app, that tracks the number of takeout orders the customer receives, and then rewards them with a discount, or a coupon for a free beverage or dessert.

Restaurant owners that consider their takeout or curbside pick up to be a unique and almost separate revenue source, are able to optimize that workflow that is required to have a successful order, production, and pick up methodology.  It’s a science; but if you are able to figure it out and master it, the result is increased profitability and sales for your restaurant.   And positive word of mouth (WOM) advertising from happy takeout customers.

IQF Breakfast Sausage restaurants Miami Beef

Chefs Use IQF Sausage for More Than Just the Breakfast Menu

Posted on February 21, 2020

When you think of sausage, are you creating an image in your head of tasty scrambled eggs, some nice strips of bacon, and sausage patties or links?  IQF breakfast sausage is definitely popular, but it is not the only way that restaurants can serve sausage meat and create exciting new menu options for their customers.

Sausage finds a way into some of the most delicious sauces and gravies.  It is also an accentuating ingredient that adds a satisfying rich protein flavor to popular comfort food dishes and hearty appetizers.

Let’s explore some of the great new ways that your foodservice establishment can incorporate sausage into your menu, and ‘up’ the flavor profile on some favorite traditional comfort food dishes.

Creating a Signature Sausage for Rustic Pizza Restaurants

Can we share a little secret with you? We love pizza.  And some of our long-term customers and friends are owners of established pizza restaurants that have a history of keeping the ingredients wholesome, and the cooking methods traditional for truly world-class pizza.

Did you know that in 2019, there were more than 77,000 pizza restaurants in the United States? Pizza restaurant food revenues in 2019 were reported as $46.34 billion dollars.  Even though there seems to be at least one great pizza place on every corner in your city, there is plenty of business to go around because America loves pizza.

In 2018, a national food delivery service called Caviar conducted a survey and crunched the data, to find out what pizza toppings were the most popular in the United States.  They surveyed data from 20 metropolitan cities in American and discovered that pepperoni was the #1 favorite topping, followed by sausage.

If you are a pizza connoisseur, you know that not just any sausage will do as a topping.  The sausage meat should be well seasoned and crumbled onto the pizza, to add a bit of a spicy (but not too hot) kick.  Then again, some establishment pride themselves on creating their own signature sausage for their pizzas, to differentiate their high-protein meat pizzas from the competitors.

Miami Beef® provides ground sausage in five different meat blends: beef, chicken, turkey, pork, and veal for commercial kitchens and foodservice establishments.  We also provide eight premium sausage blends for restaurants:

  • Traditional
  • Italian
  • Hot & Spicy
  • Country Style
  • Honey Maple
  • Breakfast
  • Natural
  • Chorizo

For bulk or recurrent wholesale foodservice orders, our sales team can help you customize a blend of sausage herbs and spices, and meats to create your own unique pizza ready ground sausage.   Make a signature sausage meat your customers will love and take your rustic pizza to the next level of delicious flavor.

Adding Sausage to Create Savory Soups

The Italian Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden is a best seller.  Is it the spinach? The other fresh vegetables? Or is it the delicious taste of ground sausage in the soup that makes it so satisfying?  When you add ground sausage meat to a soup, you’ve added a rich protein that not only enhances the flavor, it helps make the soup more filling.

The type of sausage you choose for your soup will depend on the flavor profile of the other herbs, vegetables, meats, and seasonings you plan to add to your recipe.  Italian seasoned ground sausage is an exciting option for many different types of soups, including minestrone, and this outstanding Italian Sausage Soup, which is a heritage Northern Italian recipe.

Ground chicken sausage meat can be used to create some really great flavors and textures in classic recipes, like this one for Andouille Sausage Soup, with healthy vegetables and an antioxidant-rich soup base.

Other Delicious Menu Ideas Featuring Ground Sausage

You can add savory sausage to just about any entrée and appetizer recipe when you want to add more flavor and some additional proteins.   For instance, ground spicy sausage is the perfect way to make a low-carb version of stuffed mushrooms for a tasty (and satisfying) appetizer.  Adding cooked ground sausage to a queso dip is always a good idea, and you can create an adult-friendly dip with some hot and spicy sausage from Miami Beef®.

Make our fresh and perfectly seasoned Chorizo sausage meat into a low-carbohydrate appetizer everyone will enjoy.  It’s the ultimate game-night grub and man-friendly finger food.  Try this recipe for Cheese Stuffed Chorizo Meatballs from Yummly, or this variation with Manchego Cheese.

Spicy sausage helps kick any pasta dish up a notch while providing more substance to carbohydrate-rich entrées. Orzo is a delicious and elegant pasta that is perfect with the enhanced texture and flavors of quality Italian style ground sausage.  Create a unique lasagna your customers will love, with one layer of cooked ground sausage meat.

And don’t forget that the most delicious and tender meatballs are a combination of lean beef and traditional ground sausage, with some fresh parsley, garlic, and parmesan cheese for an authentic Southern Italian flavor.  Try incorporating some ground sausage to create a delicious House Burger for your menu, or a delicious sausage patty with grilled peppers or fruit, on a hoagie style bun.  The possibilities are endless, and your customers will appreciate having an alternative to beef and poultry when they are in the mood for something different.

Food Safety Tips for Ground Sausage

When you are purchasing wholesale sausage meat for your establishment, consult with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety checklist to learn about the labeling requirements and specifications for fat content by weight.   For instance, meats labeled “Breakfast Sausage” may contain no more than 50% fat by product weight.  For food safety, remember that uncooked sausage meat derived from ground beef, pork, or veal should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F.

 

We hope that our team at Miami Beef® has given you some innovative suggestions to help you get creative with ground sausage and create some new menu and appetizer options.  Experiment with some seasonal LTO’s (limited time offers) and test out some exciting new recipe ideas.  Keep it fresh, and creative to keep your customers coming back for more.

Brazillian Steak Miami Beef Wholesale

What Does It Take for Restaurants to Offer Brazilian Style Steak Service?

Posted on February 13, 2020

Carving meat off a skewer, removed from a grill, and shared communal style? That is a tradition that goes back to our earliest human cultures and shared around the world.  It is, for all intents and purposes, the original way to barbeque a meal.

Even though this tradition of serving carved meat from skewer to plate touches virtually every culture around the world, it is Brazil that has laid claim to the method of grilling and food service.  If you have ever traveled to a South American country, it is an exciting experience to be in an authentic steak house and has so many options (literally) walking around the restaurant, waiting to be carved with a sharp blade onto your plate.

Piping hot, juicy and tender meat. It’s a mouth-watering delicious thought, which is why the United States is seeing a surge of new Brazilian Steakhouse franchises and independently owned restaurants popping up from coast to coast.

In this article, we wanted to share a few insights about what it takes for a restaurant to create a side-menu of Brazilian style steak or a full-service South American steakhouse.  We’ll talk about the quality of meat, marbling, and the preferred grilling methods, equipment, and other essentials for restaurant owners.

Start with the Right Selections of Meat for Brazilian Steak House Grilling and Table Service

Because our team at Miami Beef actually supplies many South American restaurants, hotels, and five-star entertainment venues, our family has traveled extensively through Brazil and other countries to explore how steak and chops are prepared in the traditional Churrascaria method.

One of the cultural aspects of dining in a Brazilian steakhouse is that it can be less formal and more intimate and personalized.  Authentic Brazilian restaurants that service in the Churrascaria tradition are about communal dining; it’s about sharing a large amount of food with family and friends.  And of course, it is also about the variety of meat that you can sample and dine on, in a Brazilian restaurant.

It is not just one type of steak, but many different seasonings and marinades, as well as other types of meat including poultry and pork.  Spicy, sweet, savory?  It’s all there to sample as the meat waiter goes from table to table, carving the sizzling hot meats onto the plate.

What kind of cuts of meat are most conducive to the Churrascaria or Brazilian Steakhouse style of tableside carving service?  There are five authentic types of meat (including beef) that have different seasonings in the traditional grilling style.

  1. Pkanha

This is the juiciest and most delicious cut (in our opinion) at an authentic Brazilian Steakhouse. The cut is a beef sirloin cap, which has a unique crescent shape of top sirloin.  What makes it extra juicy and full of rich beef flavor? There is a ‘cap’ of fat on the top of each piece.  As the meat grills, that fat naturally hydrates the meat to provide a tender and flavorful finish.

  1. Fraldinha

This cut is a more marbled sirloin, cut from the bottom, and resembles more the cuts of beef that are typically used in tacos and steak salads.   What is nice about Fraldinha is that the marbleized fat also makes for a tender portion of meat, hot off the Brazilian grill and skewer.

  1. Maminha

For individuals who do not like the fatty flavors, the Maminha style of Brazilian beef is a little dryer, and virtually free of fat.  It’s a red lean cut bottom sirloin. This kind of meat is generally served with a dipping sauce and may have a stronger flavor as the lean quality of the meat requires extra margination time and preparation.

  1. Cordeiro

This can be either a full leg of lamb, grilled in state, and carved tableside from the skewer, or it can be a large heavy sword of meat, comprised of layered tender lamb chops.  In a Brazilian steakhouse, the lamb is typically prepared Latin or Italian style, which means heavy use of fresh garlic, pepper, salt, and olive oil marinade.

In some Brazilian steakhouse restaurants, the drippings from the Cordeiro are prepared into a rich and thick gravy, which is then served with crusty bread on the side with the carved meat, and a salad or grilled vegetables.

  1. Linquka

There is a lot of variety in the Linquka.  It is always a pork sausage, but it can be a cured version and then grilled with spices like paprika and garlic, or it could be a mild fresh or smoked sausage.   It can be carved onto the plate or served with rice and grilled vegetables.

Authentic side dishes that are served in Brazilian steakhouses include beans, rice, polenta, cinnamon fried bananas, Pão De Queijo, garlic mashed potatoes, hot crusty bread and rolls, and oil and vinaigrette-based salads.

And don’t forget to offer the national cocktail of Brazil to your menu; the caipirinha (kai-purr-REEN-yah).  Get the recipe for the cocktail from The Spruce Eats.  Remember that most authentic Brazilian steakhouse models include a Prix fix menu for ‘all you can eat’.

What Kind of Equipment Does a Restaurant Need to Offer Brazilian Style Steak?

Unless you plan to make your business model an exclusive Brazilian style steakhouse, there are easy ways to incorporate this style of dining with your current menu.  Consider that for large groups, the Brazilian steakhouse experience or table service would be ideal.  Also, if your restaurant provides onsite catering (or private dining rooms) it could be an exceptional experience for your customers and a strong new revenue source for your business.

A large-scale rotisserie is required that can accommodate the industrial skewers (both large or group sized portions and individual serving sizes). Unlike a standard chicken rotisserie, the Brazilian style indoor grilling unit will be open in the front to allow for full-length lateral grilling and turning of the spit skewers.  Some high end commercial indoor rotisseries have automatic features to keep the skewers on rotation.

We’ve also seen smaller restaurants with countertop versions, offering Brazilian steakhouse-style menu options as weekly specials.  It is possible to integrate it as a reserved menu item and test it with your customer base before investing in a large indoor grill.

If you enjoyed the insights, we’ve shared about Brazilian steakhouse menu items, methods, and tradition, we’d love to hear your comments.  Email us at info@miamibeef.com or leave us a comment below.

5 Benefits of Food Delivery Apps for Restaurants

Posted on August 24, 2019

The restaurant industry is at the forefront of adopting new technology that helps manage the demand for food service.  Many restaurants are expanding rapidly into using independent food delivery apps that help tap into more market share and sales volume.

Let’s explore some of the benefits that restaurant owners should consider, if they are evaluating independent food delivery app services.  If your food delivery volume is starting to become unmanageable for your staff, this may be a viable option for your business.

  1. Increased Sales from Consumers Who Would Rather Dine at Home

No matter how great the restaurant décor and service experience, there are some customers that would prefer to eat at home.  And that’s absolutely okay for restaurant owners, who can expand sales of take-out or delivery items beyond the capacity that their dining room can hold.

But did you know that several studies have concluded that your customers will actually order more food online, with a higher sale value, than they would while dining in the restaurant?  Behaviorally during peak service hours, a customer will hasten to put their order in because they are hungry and want their food as quickly as possible.

By comparison, someone ordering from a delivery app is likely to pre-order when they have a quiet moment and schedule the delivery exactly when they want to eat.  That gives them more time to browse the menu, and order what they really want (without feeling rushed).

  1. Effective Management of Peak Delivery Periods

Your restaurant is lined up out the door!  Exciting, right?  Except that you know customers will only wait so long for a table, before they leave and find another option nearby.  And if your customers find that the popularity of your restaurant means they can almost never walk-in and get a table within a reasonable wait time, they may stop coming altogether.

Dealing with that flow of customers during peak times is a nightmare for restaurant management.  You want to fulfill the demand, but you have a limitation in terms of seating and wait staff that can serve your customers.  Many restaurants that have adopted one or more delivery apps, find that their sales volume increases, because they are not turning away customers during the busiest days and service times of the week.

  1. Subscribing to More Than One App Means More Customers

If you are a restaurant manager or owner, you have probably been approached several times by different delivery apps available in your community.  Have you tried one yet?  Did you know that many restaurants are adopting at least two different apps (where possible by contract) to leverage their delivery sales potential?

  1. Encourages Diners to Explore More Menu Options

Think about the service experience that the average customer has at their favorite (but busy) restaurant.  They wait for a table and sit down to note that other customers are order or receiving their food.  They are hungry and seeing all the delicious plates coming hot out of the kitchen doesn’t help that hunger.

Restaurant diners are prone to feeling a little bit of stress when they open the menu.  Whether they have a limited amount of time before they have to leave or have a suspicion that they may be waiting a longer time for their food, they are prompted to order quickly.  From a production flow this is a good thing; customer in, served and customer out methodology for freeing up tables for the next diner.  But this stress and fast pace can also lower the value of every sale.

In a busy restaurant environment, diners feel pressured to order quickly.  They may not have enough time to evaluate the whole menu and choose some of their favorites instead.  They may not have enough time to evaluate appetizers, or desserts either (given the fast pace expectation at the table).

Encouraging customers to order with an easy-to-use app at home, not only provides the convenience that most customers are looking for, but it gives them ample time to try new things, add things to their meal order that they may not have, if they were dining in and pressed for time.  This is another great advantage of adopting one or more delivery apps for your restaurant business.

  1. It Can Be More Affordable Than Operating Your Own In-House Delivery Service

There is a presumption by some outside of the food service industry, that home delivery is actually easier and more profitable for a restaurant business.  But when you consider the cost of employing multiple drivers, their hourly pay, and dealing with the administrative aspects of late orders, or missing deliveries, how much time are you spending managing your delivery team?

We think it’s prudent to always have at least one driver available to run orders locally, for the average small to medium sized restaurant.  But if you are currently employing several delivery drivers, do the math carefully and consider what each professionally delivered order will cost you with an app, versus the time and effort to deliver with your own staff.   Many restaurants find that using the apps saves them a great deal of expense.

Choosing the Right Delivery App for Your Business

Profitability depends on constantly calculating the cost of product and service in the restaurant industry. As a restaurant owner, you have to weigh the benefits of adding regional app delivery services with the costs and fees that come with them.

Some of the biggest players in the restaurant food delivery app market are:

Surge fees are one thing that restaurants have to watch carefully.  Naturally, you want to increase your food service orders during peak times when your establishment can’t deal with additional foot traffic.  That’s when you are truly expanding your sales potential, beyond what your staff and facility can accommodate on the premises.

Many apps charge what is called a ‘surge fee’ as a premium charge for deliveries during peak meal hours.  This generally includes from the hours of 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for the lunch crowd, and then 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for dinner delivery.   These fees are charged in addition to the service rates by the delivery app provider, so when you are deciding on the right app, try to choose one that does not stack fees on your peak delivery times, to prevent profit margins from being eroded.

 

Our team at Miami Beef® would like to hear from you.  Are you already using an independent food delivery app service in your restaurant?  What do you think about the services in terms of growing your sales volume?  Leave us a comment below.

6 Meaty Comfort Food Menu Items for Fall and Winter

Posted on August 11, 2019

In January of 2019, Restaurant Business magazine shared an interesting article, that stated consumer preferences were shifting back to comfort foods, when they dine out.  In the food service industry, we are all watching the trends, and keeping up with the latest menu and fusion culinary ideas.  But is it possible that consumers are embracing more traditional and nostalgic plates?

The article mentions some research from Technomic’s “Center of the Plate: Beef and Pork” report in 2017.  And despite the emergence of trendy alternative meat products, beef and pork remain at the forefront of the definition of comfort food, that diners want to order when they visit their favorite restaurant.

Take out your menu and review it with the objective of identifying options that fit the category of comfort food.  How many entrees and appetizers do you offer, that would fulfill that need for your customers?  In this article we’ll talk about some perennial comfort foods, and how to add seasonal LTO’s (limited time offers) on delicious comfort food entrees.

What Exactly Qualifies as a Comfort Food?

The best way to start, is to consider meal ideas that closely mimic childhood favorites, or the kind of food your Mom and Dad used to make. Naturally, this varies by region and the ethnic culture of your guests; each country has its own shortlist of traditional comfort food.

Have you seen what a breakout sensation grilled-cheese sandwich establishment are across the United States?  Years ago, you might have thought “grilled-cheese… really?” but the concept struck that exact strong chord with customers. And it’s all about comfort food, and the convenience of getting it on-the-go (without making a mess in the kitchen).

When you look at the psychology behind the average restaurant customer, you know that you are providing not just an essential service, but an experience with the food you serve.  One that they cannot get at home, given busy schedules or low confidence in the kitchen.  From that perspective, the restaurant is the perfect place for anyone to get their ‘comfort food fix’ and enjoy meals that they may not have the time or energy to prepare at home.

Fall and winter are the two prime seasons when restaurant diners seek out comfort foods (but they are popular sellers throughout the year as well).  If you are looking at expanding your menu with some new flavors to draw in the crowd seeking those traditional comfort foods, our team at Miami Beef® has six protein rich and healthy suggestions.

  1. Pulled Pork with Cornbread Topping

If you have ever traveled throughout the southern United States, you know that cornbread is a big deal. And there are so many variations, and ways to increase the flavor of this cornbread topping, such as roasted jalapenos for a spicy and satisfying dish.

Pulled pork is a great and economical way to bulk prepare pork meat for a variety of options, including delicious open face sandwiches, meat pies and more.  With a rich sauce, the combination of the tender seasoned pork with the starches from the cornbread spell comfort food to a tee! Check out this recipe suggestion from Rachel Ray.

  1. Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken

This recipe is delicious with tender bone-in chicken thighs, and an economical plate that any restaurant can add to their menu.   What makes it a comfort food?  Keeping the skin on the chicken, and roasting it to perfection in a skillet, where you get the texture and deep flavor of the seasoned skin with notes of fresh lemon flavoring.

The perfect side for this (for Fall and Winter) would be garlic fried greens like Swiss Chard or Kale, and an appetizer salad and some fresh hot buttery rolls.  Try this recipe from the “Easy Comfort Food’ gallery on the Food Network.

  1. Beef and Mushroom with Mashed Potatoes

Anytime you add tender beef with mushrooms, and mashed potatoes you have instant comfort food!  Slathered with a beef gravy, and topped with some fresh cheddar, it’s not about the visual appeal of the bowl but what is inside it.  Food just like mom used to make, and perfect for a fast preparation lunch special weekly.  Like this recipe from Taste of Home.

  1. Pork Ragu Over Creamy Polenta

Save this recipe for a rainy or snowy day.  Skinless pork shoulder meat is used as the base for the ragu sauce, that features red wine, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.  Polenta is very easy to prepare and economical, and it compliments any kind of a sauce that has bold flavors like garlic, or spicy grilled peppers.

We loved this recipe from Bon Appetite!

  1. Salisbury Steak

This tops our list of the best comfort food on any menu, any time of the year!  Did you know that Miami Beef® provides beef, chicken, turkey, pork and veal Salisbury steak and meatloaf varieties? Some of our premium flavors include Homestyle and Italian, and we offer a complete selection of ground meats, from beef to ultra-premium American Kobe and Wagyu varieties.  Can you imagine how your customers would react to a Salisbury steak made from Kobe beef?  Now that’s something to try your menu!

If you would like to innovate your own Salisbury steaks and custom seasonings, start with this classic and tasty recipe from Delish.

  1. Beef Macaroni and Cheese

A piping hot bowl of macaroni and cheese? Yes please!  But eating an entrée that is comprised only of carbohydrates is probably not appealing to every diner.  It is easy to add some extra flavor and nutritional benefit with quality ground beef.

We loved this recipe called “Wayne’s Beef Macaroni and Cheese” featured by celebrity Chef Paula Deen, on The Food Network.

 

When it comes to creating some delicious comfort food seasonal or perennial menu ideas, stick close to the classic recipes.  That is what people are looking for, rather than a creative take on a traditional comfort food.  They want that good old-fashioned hardy meal, that leaves them feeling satisfied and one that reminds them of home.

 

 

Miami Beef

Protein Rich Crostini Appetizers for Your Restaurant Menu

Posted on July 24, 2019

Consumers tastes are changing, and with millennials as a key target market for the restaurant industry, their preferences are reshaping the food service industry.   These particular customers prefer quality, high-protein meals and snacks that offer nutritional value.

The increased popularity of the Keto and Paleo diets has further changed the kind of menu options that restaurants are innovating across America.  Are you updating your menu to reflect some of these important shifts toward higher protein appetizers too?  If you are thinking about it, allow us to share some delicious inspiration to get you started.

Adding Creative Crostini to Your Restaurant Menu

In Italian, the word ‘crostini’ means ‘little toasts’. And when it comes to choosing the right bread for your crostini, most Chefs recommend a baguette or ciabatta.  The bread needs to have a constitution that will stand up to whatever garnishes you want to place on top (without getting soggy).  Pretzel bread is also another nice choice, to vary up the textures and the colors on the plate.

Crostini bread should be sliced about ¼ inches thick, and then toasted.  There are two ways to do this, depending on what kind of toppings and flavors you want to pile on top.  The traditional crostini are brushed with an olive oil and garlic seasoning, and then toasted in the oven until it is medium brown.  Another method is to deep fry the crostini for about half a minute, which provides a different texture and a hardy base for juicy meat and vegetable toppings.

There is a little bit of fun history that dates back to the medieval ages in Italy. It was developed as a peasant food, as the poor working class could not afford the luxury of plates.  Instead, they toasted bread and placed a combination of vegetables and meats on top, and each crostini was served in a large portion as a complete meal.

Today, the crostini in a restaurant setting is dainty.  It is not meant to be served on large pieces of bread, but rather as an elegant finger food and appetizers, après diner (before dinner).  A menu of crostini appetizers is perfect for establishments that serve wine and spirits, as they are a healthy and satisfying small meal that can be enjoyed with drinks.

How to Serve a Meat Crostini as an Appetizer Single Serving or Group Platter

If you are thinking about adding crostini to your appetizer menu, you will want to add at least three different options.  We recommend providing a vegetarian option for flexitarian diets, and then two different meat varieties, that will cater to customers who want to start their meal with a high-protein appetizer.

Because of the small size of a crostini appetizer, you want to pack as many layers of flavor as possible to create a delicious two to three bite serving.  That flavor creativity starts with the treatment of the bread used for the crostini; many establishments provide a fresh herb and organic olive oil base before toasting and adding their toppings.

You want to create a sensational and uncommon flavor experience, with each different crostini you serve on a platter (for groups) or a 2-3 crostini individual serving.  Plating crostini the right way means a variety of flavors or types of combinations on each piece of toasted bread.

Wagyu beef is uncommon; it’s not available in every grocery store, and the price can be prohibitive for most consumers to eat it on a regular basis.  However, tender sliced Wagyu or a premium Wagyu ground beef preparation garnished with grilled peppers?  That’s something your customers would definitely want to try.

What are some of the best garnishes to try on a crostini?

  • Grilled pears and Wagyu beef
  • Tender grilled beef slices, with jalapeno and fresh blueberries.
  • Beet hummus (its colorful!) ground sausage and fresh basil.
  • White meat turkey with fresh mango and red pepper jelly.
  • Blue cheese crumbled fresh dates and Wagyu beef.

Now that we’ve made you hungry to try some creative options for your restaurant, we’d like to share some of the amazing recipes we found online, with some uncommon but delicious layers of flavor, featuring healthy protein rich meat.  Get ready for some great recipe suggestions you can try on your menu.

Delicious Meat Crostini Ideas from our Team at Miami Beef®

Making creative and succulent crostini’s part of your appetizer menu is a great way to draw in the ‘app crowd’ to your restaurant. The customers who want to enjoy a few delicious appetizers with their friends (and a few beverages) during the big game, or for after-work social.

When we are looking for some new recipe inspiration, the first place we look is to food bloggers. We bookmark some of the most innovative amateur chefs who share tasty recipes with new spins on traditional favorites.  We’ve gathered a few of those suggestions for you to try.

  1. Beef Crostini with Horseradish Spread

This recipe is easy to prepare, economical and packed full of complimenting flavors when you start with tender cooked beef slices. Horseradish and beef are like peas and carrots, they are meant to go together because the combination is mouth-wateringly good.

The food bloggers at A Family Feast share this great recipe and chose to garnish with caramelized onions.  Want to kick it up a notch? Try using a bourbon or wine sauce to sauté the onions for an extra level of tasty.

  1. Beef Tenderloin with Whipped Goats Cheese and Pesto

Talk about delicious!  The medium rare grilled beef tenderloin sits on top of a spread of softened and whipped goat cheese, with a small dollop of fresh pesto on top.   It is elegant, full of rich complimenting flavors, and satisfying.

Get this great recipe  from the food bloggers at Domesticate Me.

  1. Sausage, Kale & Gruyere Pretzel Bread Crostini

Browned ground sausage meat on top of a toasted two-bite sized piece of pretzel bread, on a bed of prepared garlic kale and topped with Gruyere.  It’s uptown, but also healthy and delicious and recipe you may want to try in your own kitchen.    Get the how-to from Wry Toast Eats.

 

If you have some flavor suggestions, you would like to share with our team at Miami Beef® leave us a comment below.  We love hearing from our customers and restaurant entrepreneurs about creative menu option.

 

How to Make a Signature Burger for Your Restaurant

Posted on July 8, 2019

Go into any restaurant in America and we virtually guarantee you will see a hamburger (or two) on the menu.  Did you know that every year, Americans consume more than 50 billion burgers per year? That works out to be about 150 burgers per person, per year!  So, it’s safe to say that burgers are definitely America’s favorite food.

Have you ever wondered why people order hamburgers at a restaurant, when they could order other things that they can’t prepare at home?  The truth is that restaurant burgers are typically not that different than frozen or fresh options for consumers in the grocery store.  But it is how the burger is prepared at their favorite restaurant, and how it arrives at the table that impresses diners.

You see, when you grill a burger at home, you may not have all the ingredients (or the time) to prepare one that is restaurant quality; stacked high with all the delicious toppings.  And so, when burger fans come to a restaurant, they want the ultimate burger experience.  And that means the traditional sides, and incredible toppings.

Many restaurants go the extra mile and create their own signature burgers.  A small selection of house made patties and toppings that is completely unique to their establishment.  In some cases, restaurants offer it as a LTO or limited time offer, but there are many benefits and ways your business can capitalize on a signature burger for your restaurant.

Choosing an Uncommon Patty like American Kobe or Wagyu

When you want to make a statement on your menu, start with an uncommon burger that will get your customers talking?  Premium American Style Kobe burgers stand above the standard patty, with a more rich flavor and superior marbling of the meat, which provides an incredibly juicy bite.

Customers see Kobe beef more often in the grocery stores, but it is still premium priced which means that average American doesn’t grill a lot of it at home.   In short, American Kobe has intrigue and everyone definitely wants to try it, making it a perfect new addition to your hamburger menu.

Another option to explore is the ultra-premium Wagyu beef.  Authentic wagyu is actually quite rare, and you can’t find it generally in your local grocery store.   So, like American Kobe (and even more so) the Wagyu beef burger on your menu would be an exciting addition that your customers would love to explore.

Take Your Wagyu Burger Over the Top with Toppings

When you choose ultra-premium Wagyu for your restaurant menu, you want to think about the kind of toppings you plan to include.  The sensation and flavors of this highest quality beef shouldn’t be masked by standard condiments; no one should really put ketchup on a Wagyu burger if they want to enjoy the full experience of the world-class beef.

But Wagyu can compliment gourmet and high-quality burger toppings.  How would you dress a Wagyu or American Kobe patty for culinary success?  We’d like to share some mouth-watering suggestions with you.

  • Grilled poblanos (trust us)
  • Grilled pineapple or pear
  • Bacon
  • Blue Cheese
  • Baked sweet potato
  • Caramelized onions
  • Grilled red onion
  • Shitake mushrooms
  • Swiss cheese
  • Smoked gouda cheese
  • Muenster

With premium American Kobe or Wagyu beef as the base of your gourmet restaurant burger, it’s hard to go wrong with virtually any robust topping.  Just remember to keep the flavor focus on the tender beef of the premium patty.

How to Grill Wagyu and American Kobe Burgers

You don’t need a special grill in your kitchen or surface to prepare Wagyu or American Kobe burgers.  They cook with the same ease as other frozen or fresh burgers.   However, you will want to make sure that the internal temperature is 160°F for food safety purposes.   Undercooking any kind of beef burger can cause food borne bacteria health risks.

One step that many gourmet chef’s do when preparing a Wagyu burger is to let the patty rest under a lid without heat, to allow the natural juices to proliferate through meat, before placing it on a bun and garnishing with amazing toppings.  That’s the secret to an even juicier Wagyu or American Kobe beef burger.

 

Did you know that every year, our team at Miami Beef® produce millions of pounds of hamburgers and patties for our commercial wholesale meat customers?   All patties we produce in our USDA Regulated Headquarter plant are available fresh or individually quick-frozen (IQF).  We ship nationally and to international customers, supply institutional food service providers, and the hotel and hospitality industry.

After the past 100 years, you could say we learned a thing or two about creating delicious, healthy and nutritious beef patties and flavors that consumers enjoy.  If you would like to explore our Private Label services to create your own brand, or a specific burger seasoned precisely to your specifications for your restaurant or franchise, contact our team to learn more.