International chefs to headline USMEF pork cut initiative

19-10-2011 | Home | News

Three chefs and the winner of one recipe contest from the Caribbean, China, Japan and South Korea will take center stage on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 3, as the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) unveils the promotional program it is implementing around the world for the undervalued pork cut, the pork butt.

Identified in 2010 by USMEF processer and exporter members as a pork cut that would benefit from additional exposure in the international marketplace, the pork butt has been the subject of increased attention in recent months as USMEF’s international directors have educated buyers in the food service and retail sectors regarding this flavorful and tender cut.

“We see incremental opportunities for the pork butt in a number of our markets,” said Dan Halstrom, USMEF senior vice president of global marketing and communication. “As our industry partners around the world get a chance to taste this cut and learn of its superior quality and value, we expect interest will continue to grow.”

The chefs will demonstrate how the pork butt fits into the cuisine of their respective countries and provide samples for those in attendance. The demonstration will be held at approximately 5 p.m., at the end of the Joint USMEF Pork & Allied Industries and National Pork Board Trade Committee meeting. The meeting is part of USMEF’s Strategic Planning Conference, Nov. 2-4, 2011, at the Hotel El Conquistador in Tucson, Ariz.

USMEF recently conducted a pork butt recipe contest in Japan to help create greater awareness of a cut that is not widely known among Japanese consumers. The winner was American Pork Butt with Plum Wine Sauce, which will be prepared by the contest winner at the Nov. 3 meeting.

In South Korea, USMEF participated in a month-long promotion with a leading cooking magazine to highlight the adoption of U.S. pork butt recipes by five “A-list” restaurants in Seoul. It is fairly unusual for top Seoul restaurants to feature pork on their menus, since it is generally considered to be a lower-cost meat used for home meal preparation.

Source: USMEF