The Wall Street Journal has a great article about the beef industry's fight to bring beef back to the table in a recession:The National Cattlemen's Beef Association and its Beef Promotion and Research Board have ramped up efforts at grocery stores to lure consumers who have become less inclined to visit restaurants. For example, the industry this year will hand out 60 million coupons valued at $1 or more for beef purchases, up from 10 million coupons last year.
The industry also recently introduced an online education program designed to teach consumers how to be their own butchers at home so they can harvest cheaper cuts. For example, they'll learn how to cut steaks from a tender roast or cut beef kebobs from a sirloin steak.
Similarly, a "Bargain Beef Bundles" program is designed for shoppers who want to buy beef by the side or the quarter to store in their home freezers.
And if the falling price of traditionally expensive cuts isn't prompting consumers to open their wallets (see graph, from the Wall Street Journal) they are promoting new thrifty cuts of beef that have only bee on the market for a few years:
The Denver Cut- cut from the chuck roll area. Beef Innovations Group calls it juicy, tender and generously marbled. It made it's debut last year from the Kansas City Beef Council. Consumers are catching on, too- here is one person's post about grilling them up at home.
The Western Griller & Western Tip Steaks- AKA bottom round and tip steaks. Beef Innovations Group calls it big on size and flavor. Here is a recipe for ginger-lime beef steak that uses Western Griller steaks.
Country Style Ribs- are described as boneless and perfectly portioned.
The Denver is being tested in restaurants while the ribs are popping up in grocery stores. And according to the Wall Street Journal, some familiar cheap cuts of beef are being renamed to be more appetizing to the public:
In recent months, Cargill Inc., which owns one of the nation's biggest meatpacking companies, has begun trying to make some low-value beef cuts sound more appetizing. Thus, a piece that butchers have long called "flap meat" is being recast as "Cordelico Sirloin," while "ball tip" has been rechristened "Cabrosa Steak."
Further Reading:
The Leader-Post on the beef industry bashing the new health study findings.
The High Plains Journal on beef demand.
The Weekly Times Now on positive meat sales.
