Background Banner

Tijuana Seminar Offers Fresh Ideas for U.S. Beef Customers in Mexico

Published: Jan 05, 2017

Wrapping up a series of 2016 U.S. beef cutting and cooking seminars in key Mexican markets, USMEF conducted one in Tijuana for clients of La Canasta, a major U.S. beef importer. Funded by the Beef Checkoff Program, the seminar offered participants an opportunity to learn preparation techniques for U.S. beef top sirloin, brisket and inside and outside skirt – along with instructions on how to get quality cuts from the top sirloin.

“The strategy was to demonstrate the cuts they sell to their customers in Tijuana and to show them how to maximize profits by adding value, increasing the number of cuts and decreasing waste,” explained Lorenzo Elizalde, USMEF trade manager in Mexico. “Another objective was to share information about alternatives – high-quality cuts at surprisingly affordable prices. The idea was to show participants that there are other alternative beef cuts that are not very common in the market, but which could be of interest to their customers.”

The seminar included cutting demonstrations by instructor Luis Pachuca, who presented a program on U.S. beef primal top sirloin. To complement Pachuca’s session, USMEF Corporative Chef German Navarrete offered cooking suggestions for each of the cuts. Navarrete also described the characteristics of a U.S. beef brisket cut, for which he detailed various uses. He grilled steaks, prepared and cooked top sirloin cap – also known as “picana” – and served attendees a brisket that was slow-cooked overnight in a convection oven.

Tastings of each of the U.S. beef dishes followed Navarrete’s session.

A U.S. beef cutting and cooking seminar in Tijuana, Mexico, included sampling of U.S. beef dishes by clients of a major U.S. beef importer

Elizalde said the series of U.S. beef seminars set the tone for more work to promote U.S. beef in Mexico in 2017.

“This type of activity, which involves clients of top beef importers, not only helps USMEF develop long-term relationships with key players in the market but also direct impacts sales of U.S beef,” he said.