U.S. Pork, Beef Focus of ‘Media Hands-on Project’ in Monterrey, Mexico

Monterrey was the location for two recent USMEF activities designed to improve awareness and increase sales of U.S. pork and beef in Mexico. USMEF´s Media Hands-on Project allows journalists from traditional media outlets to learn about U.S. pork and beef products, and especially new grilling trends. A U.S. pork and beef cutting and cooking seminar was also held in Monterrey. Both events were funded by the Pork Checkoff and the Beef Checkoff Program.

The Media Hands-on Project is a series of nine workshops in five Mexican cities – Monterrey, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, and Querétar. As part of the project, a media member from each event earns a trip to the U.S. to learn more about the U.S. pork and beef industries. These educational trips include visits to farms and ranches, meat packing plants and retail food stores, to provide an overview of U.S. production, processing and merchandising.

Members of the media watch as U.S. pork is grilled by a Weber Grill master at USMEF’s Media Hands-on Project in Monterrey

“The purpose of this media project is to promote American beef and pork products to a larger audience by engaging journalists in order to create awareness of different cooking options and special attributes of U.S. red meat products,” said Leticia Flores, communication specialist for USMEF Mexico. “It is really an efficient way to reach consumers and encourage them to try new products.”

Gerardo Rodriguez, USMEF marketing director for Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic, explains U.S. pork and beef production to journalists attending the Media Hands-on project

The recent Media Hands on Project in Monterrey was conducted in partnership with Weber Grills. Presenters utilized U.S. pork and beef products available in local grocery stores and supermarkets, and grill masters cooked a variety of cuts to create dishes unique to the market. In this case, the grilling chefs prepared dishes called “U.S. beef cowboy with pistachio crust” and “U.S. pork cowboy with ginger rub.”

USMEF chef German Navarrete (right) presents a U.S. pork and beef cutting demonstration at the Instituto Culinario de Mexico in Monterrey

Media members attending the Monterrey event – writers from Residente Cultura Culinaria magazine, In Trend magazine, El Horizonte newspaper and Chic magazine – were served the dishes and given opportunities to ask questions about the cuts and preparation methods used during the grilling presentation.

USMEF’s pork and beef cutting and cooking seminar in Monterrey was held at the Instituto Culinario de Mexico (ICUM). Traders, foodservice companies and management personnel from local processing plants were among the 32 attendees.

“The objective of this event was to promote American beef and pork by presenting some culinary suggestions and demonstrating to participants how to obtain U.S pork and beef value cuts,” said Lorenzo Elizalde, Trade Manager for USMEF Mexico.

USMEF Chef German Navarrete presented several dishes, including pork belly pancetta, slow-cooked beef brisket and beef liver with apricot sauce.

Elizalde welcomed participants and spoke about USMEF’s role in promoting U.S. red meat in Mexico. USMEF consultant Luis Pachuca provided an overview of the U.S. beef and pork industries before participants moved to the school´s kitchen, where Pachuca showed them how to derive American-style portioned cuts from primal cuts.