|
|
Time for some sortingLast Saturday, I did something that every single person in agriculture absolutely must do. For the past year my wife, Kelli, has been in charge of organizing teams for beef demonstrations in grocery stores in Lincoln and Omaha for the Nebraska CattleWomen. The demos are developed with grocery stores through the Nebraska Beef Council and check-off funds. My oldest daughter, Libbi, a Nebraska Beef Ambassador, and I spent five hours in the South Omaha HyVee store at the Stockyards Plaza. This is the second time this year I have assisted, but this time I was the front person talking to people and Libbi was doing the cooking. The things I heard were not always easy to take, particularly in light of what I knew about the choices these consumers make. I had a great guy to work with in Dave Vincent who has been employed at HyVee for 27 years and currently is the meat manager for this store, one of 13 HyVee stores in Omaha. Dave provided me with sirloins that were cut 1 inch thick. Personally, I prefer my steaks to be cooked rare--and let me tell you that preference was rare with the customers of this store. So during the first hour, some people didn't want to try any of my samples because "they weren't done." When I started cooking them to a more well-done state, suddenly three people told me they were tough and "needed a good marinade." By this time, I wasn't sure if I should be insulted because I am a cattleman producing a product that is not up to par or if I am just a terrible cook. Obviously, it is the choice people make in thinking that their steak must be cooked to the point of resembling a well-tanned hide. So, quickly, I got a little smarter. We would cook the whole steak to about rare and then cube the steak and sear all four sides to capture the moisture inside. Now with the four well-browned exposed sides, every person who tried them said, "Wow, that is really good. What cut is that again?" Would someone please tell me why it is that most of our consumers have led themselves down this path of preference in meat that does not generate a satisfying eating experience? Why is medium-well or even more well-done the preference of so many people? I am not only talking about just urban soccer moms here. I meet far too many farm/ranch people who make the same mistake, and my mother would be at the top of that list. Anything that costs $7/lb should not need a marinade or a sauce to make it edible. A little seasoning to bring out the natural favor is okay, but no other enhancements should be needed or desired. Once again, I will restate my original premise that every single person from the farm/ranch level needs to volunteer to be a part of these demos just one time. It will be a tremendously eye-opening experience for you. I am not just talking about the lack of knowledge in how to prepare food but the misconceptions that consumers have heard and will repeat, such as the health aspects of what we produce. The other thing that hit me so hard on Saturday is simply the number of people at the meat counter that I witnessed who were standing there looking at their many options like they were written in a foreign language. The majority of people in this store did not know how to shop for their own food and I was in Omaha, Neb. "What could I do with that (cut of meat)?" was the most common phrase I heard asked of the people behind the counter. Fortunately, the folks behind these HyVee meat counters are truly experts in this business and were quick to guide folks to cuts of meat that would be ideal for the way they wanted to cook them, whether it was grilling or crock-pot cooking. Of course, ground beef was a huge seller with the many ways it can be used. Let me remind you that I now raise four different animal species that, in turn, generate protein for consumers, but I can say without reservation that beef is in a special position. It has a tremendous flavor profile (when cooked properly) while providing more nutrition than any other calories you can consume. From protein to zinc to the monounsaturated fats in the marbling, if we can help consumers understand all of the products from beef that improve their health on a daily basis, every grocery store will open their doors for us to come in and assist with providing the proper information to the consumer about the very foods we produce. The value of the cow to the planet and people will be the greatest untold story unless we step up to the plate whenever and wherever we can, to separate the bull from the boloney. Editor's note: Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.FacesOfAg.com, or e-mail Trent at trent@loostales.com.
1
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2011. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
|
