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U.S. Pork, Beef Promoted During First-Ever Seminar in Puebla, Mexico

Published: May 01, 2018

For the first time ever, USMEF organized a U.S. pork and beef cutting and cooking seminar in Puebla, the fourth largest metropolitan area in Mexico and one that is well-known for its culinary traditions. The seminar at the Instituto Culinario de Mexico was funded by the Pork Checkoff and the Beef Checkoff Program.

USMEF Chef German Navarrete (left) and consultant Luis Pachuca present an interactive U.S. pork and beef cutting and cooking demonstration in Puebla, Mexico

Distributors, foodservice companies and processing facilities from in and around Puebla sent representatives to participate in the day-long event. It was designed to promote U.S. pork and beef through product education and sharing information on how to purchase various cuts of U.S. red meat.

A brief video of the seminar can be found online.

“It is important to reach out to existing customers and potential new customers to keep them informed about the range of U.S. pork and beef cuts available to them,” explained Gerardo Rodriguez, USMEF marketing director for Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic. “This seminar was part of our effort to expand the promotion of U.S. red meat throughout Mexico. The professionals we invited are key decision-makers in the food industry.”

USMEF Chef German Navarrete offered ideas for new dishes using U.S. pork and beef cuts

USMEF chef German Navarrete and consultant Luis Pachuca presented interactive cutting and cooking seminars using U.S. pork and beef, suggesting new options for preparing and cooking various dishes. Navarrete’s culinary suggestions included U.S. pork belly pancetta and slow-cooked U.S. beef brisket, which participants had an opportunity to sample. As a bonus, Navarrete prepared a dish with U.S. beef liver and apricot sauce.

Pachuca provided an overview of the U.S. pork and beef industries and showed participants how to cut U.S. pork loin chops that were cooked by Navarrete.

“Participants really enjoyed the medium rare pork loin prepared by Chef German,” said Rodriguez. “Many said it was something new for them and that they would pass along the cooking method to their clients.”

Pachuca explained to participants how to derive U.S. beef value cuts like baseball-cut strip steaks and cap sirloin steaks from the top sirloin. He also demonstrated how to get other value cuts from the chuck roll, such as Denver steaks, chuck roll country-style ribs and Delmonico steaks.

Participants in the U.S. pork and beef cutting and cooking seminar in Puebla, Mexico pause for a group photo