Top Three Meat Cuts for Winter

The seasonal favorites made to optimize your offerings and keep your case profitable all winter long

Getting the most from your meat department is always a top concern. But maintaining that success isn’t as easy as stocking the same traditional steak cuts and ground products year-round. As seasons change, so do shoppers’ meal plans. And if you want to keep your store optimized for success, you need to adjust with them.

Today’s shopper demands quality ingredients, and meat is no exception. Partnering with meat distributors to stock your case with fresh, tender and properly marbled meat is important year-round. But there is another factor to consider in the winter months when it comes to meeting your customers’ needs: variety.

Stocking the right assortment of offerings with the quality attributes they’re looking for is critical to success. And doing so means understanding your shoppers, what they’re eating and the products they’re looking for. That’s why it pays to partner with meat distributors that does more than just process and distribute meat.

Collecting data and forecasting trends is a huge part of making sure you have what you need to keep your shoppers happy and your store profitable. And we’re happy to share a bit of it with you right here as well. Based on our insights and research, we’re sharing the top three cuts of winter 2021, along with key info, merchandising recommendations and a tasty recipe that any meat lover should enjoy.

1. Boneless Ribeye

Produced from the 3 x 4 primal rib, Cargill boneless ribeye comes from your meat distributors with the backstrap, blade cartilage, rib cap and blade meat removed. Some see this classic steak as a more grill-centric cut, but many shoppers purchase it all year long. Tender, flavorful and simple to prepare, boneless ribeye is an easy crowd-pleaser in any season.

Merchandising Recommendations:
As a rich and flavorful cut, boneless ribeye can be simply seasoned and grilled or seared in a pan, then finished in the oven.

Cooking Methods

Recipe:  Ribeye Steaks With Balsamic Mushroom Sauce¹

INGREDIENTS
2 beef Ribeye Steaks, 1 inch thick (about 8 ounces each)
1 package (8 ounces) cremini or button mushrooms, cut in halves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt

COOKING
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place beef Ribeye Steaks in skillet; cook steaks 12 to 15 minutes for medium-rare (145ºF) to medium (160ºF), turning occasionally. Remove steaks; keep warm. Season with salt and pepper.

Add mushrooms and thyme to same skillet; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Remove mushrooms; set aside. Add balsamic vinegar to skillet; increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir 7 to 10 minutes or until browned bits attached to skillet are dissolved and sauce is reduced to ¼ cup. Stir in butter, mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook and stir until heated through.

Season steaks with salt and pepper to taste. Serve sauce with steaks.

2. Boneless Top Butt

This lean and flavorful cut comes from the sirloin primal. It is the trimmed, boneless portion of the flat cut loin and can be cut down into a number of center-of-the-plate entrees, including the cold weather classic top sirloin roast.

Merchandising Recommendations:

As a lean and tender cut, boneless top butt pairs well with rubs, sauces and seasonings to bring out its deep flavor.

Cooking Methods

Recipe: Garlic & Dijon Crusted Sirloin Roast¹

INGREDIENTS
3 ½ pounds Sirloin Roast
12 garlic cloves, peeled
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup Dijon mustard

COOKING
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Toss peeled garlic cloves with a small amount of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place garlic in foil pouch and seal. Place in oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until soft. Remove and let rest. When garlic is cool, chop into a puree. Mix with Dijon mustard. Set aside.

Raise oven temperature to 425ºF. Remove roast from refrigerator and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Season roast with salt and pepper to taste, then place into roasting pan and into oven.

After 15 minutes, turn temperature down to 300ºF. Cook for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes for medium-rare.

When there are about 10 minutes left, remove meat from oven, spread garlic-mustard mixture all over top of roast and place back in oven for 10 minutes. Remove roast from oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing across grain.

3. Chuck Roll for Stew Meat

A boneless trimmed portion from a square-cut blade. This subprimal features both the chuck eye roll and the under blade, both producing rich, beefy flavor.

Merchandising Recommendations: 
Tender and juicy, bone-in chuck roast breaks apart easily once cooked and delivers both excellent flavor and visual appeal suitable for winter dining. A perfect addition to your meat case, this delicious roast provides variety and affordability that will appeal to shoppers.

Cooking Methods

Recipe: Classic Beef Stew¹

INGREDIENTS
2 ½ pounds beef Chuck Roll for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups water
1 package (.9 to 1.68 ounces) dry vegetable soup mix
1 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound baby red-skinned potatoes, cut into quarters
8 ounces mushrooms, cut in halves
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water
Salt and pepper, to taste

COOKING

Combine beef, water and soup mix in stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 1 ¾ to 2 ¼ hours or until beef is fork-tender.

Add potatoes and mushrooms to stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in asparagus; continue cooking, covered, 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in cornstarch mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

With these top cuts and a wealth of research and data, Cargill works hard to provide strategic retail solutions that many meat distributors can’t match. We do everything we can to help your meat department thrive.

To learn more about our other product offerings and ways we can bring value to your business, download our meat cut guide or contact your Cargill Representative.

¹www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com and www.usda.gov