Six Caribbean chefs traveled to Texaslast week with cooking tongs in hand to ...

Six Caribbean chefs traveled to Texas last week with cooking tongs in hand to search out secrets from local chefs on how to cook mouth-watering Texas barbecue dishes with U.S. beef.

Before taking on the barbecue, the chefs saw how production practices contribute to U.S. beef quality in a visit coordinated by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and sponsored by the Texas Beef Council.

The chefs, from the Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Curacao and Trinidad and Tabago, were interested in new U.S. beef cuts, especially those that can be used for barbecue dishes.

“The tangy flavors and tender meat of barbecue are becoming more popular internationally, so we are seeing a strong interest in chefs wanting to learn how to prepare it properly,” said Liz Wunderlich, USMEF Caribbean consultant.

During a visit to Texas  A&M University, the chefs saw what goes into raising an animal that will yield high-quality beef. They also learned about live cattle grading, growth and development, beef harvesting, quality and yield grades, fabrication and palatability and sensory evaluation. 

Special emphasis was paid to muscle cuts from the chuck and the round and other underutilized cuts such as brisket, shoulder clod, top butt, knuckle, flank and skirt because these cuts are inexpensive yet yield delicious dishes when cooked and prepared well.

“For these chefs, there is nothing like seeing the cutting and cooking of U.S. meat items with their own eyes,” said Wunderlich. “Increasing their confidence level in working with U.S. meat, the chefs are much more comfortable introducing these dishes to their restaurant menus.”

Classroom learning was reinforced by featured U.S. beef cuts at mealtime as the chefs observed and sampled underutilized cuts cooked in a barbeque pit in TexMex and ranch cuisines.

The team spent their last day in Texas with Chef Jay McCarthy at the Texas Beef Council culinary facilities as he demonstrated the versatile applications of shoulder clod, knuckle and top butt through cutting and cooking.

Additionally, McCarthy showed the chefs authentic Texas barbecue preparation and cooking techniques by smoking both a brisket and shoulder clod for the chefs to enjoy for lunch.

“Tasting properly cooked barbecue is essential for the chefs so they can judge the flavors of the barbecue dishes they create for their dining guests in the Caribbean,” said Wunderlich.

After intensive sessions with McCarthy, the chefs were turned loose and challenged to develop their own appetizers utilizing one of the new cuts they were taught about.

U.S. beef and beef variety meat exports to the Caribbean through the first four months of this year have increased 37 percent in volume to 4,865 metric tons and 37 percent in value to $1.8 million compared to the same period last year.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, lamb, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.

– USMEF –