FSR December 2022

TRENDING ON THE MENU // Beef & Lamb

center include top sirloin, brisket, and inside skirt. Not only do these cuts—and many others—help control food costs, but when they are showcased correctly, they can inspire menu items that diners may not have seen before. Entrees on Draper’s current menu at Bin 54 include a 12-ounce Hanger Steak,

fer seeing something that isn’t a filet mignon, or a tenderloin—and not just because of the price point. “Honestly, I think the tenderloin is the most over rated cut of beef,” Draper says. “Don’t get me wrong, I still love tenderloin— it’s super tender. But it’s lacking in that true, beefy flavor. What you’ll find with

recognition now with diners. So, if you can get an economic cut of Wagyu, that can keep your margin up but also be desirable at the same time.” Lamb finds itself in a similar place as beef: The most popular cuts have risen in price, but demand for the pro tein has risen along with it. Datassential reports that Australian lamb, in particu lar, has grown onmenus 49 percent over the past four years. is is a trend that Draper has tapped into, recently menu ing Australian Lamb Rack as a special to complement the beef mainstays on his menu. He notes that it was a huge seller—one that many guests were sorry to see go away. “I like to menu lamb like McDonald’s does the McRib,” Draper says. “When ever some of these lamb items come off the menu, I definitely hear about how much people are going to miss it. But I think that’s exactly why it works—they can’t wait for it to come back or see what I’m going to do as a special next time.” While lamb rack is a higher-cost cut, the intrigue and change of pace of menuing lamb means Draper is able to charge a premium for it, which is another strategy that helps keep his food costs in check. And there are plenty of eco nomical cuts of lamb, too. Similar to beef, things like shank, sirloin, shoulder, or even the neck of a lambmake for intrigu ing menu items. There’s something romantic about lamb, Draper adds, and that especially applies to Australian lamb. “People def initely associate Australian lamb with quality,” Draper says. “It’s well known as a place where they do lamb right.” If, like most everything else, the price of meat has inflated, the answer for res taurants like Bin 54 isn’t to cut back on meat offerings. It’s to rethink how to showcase beef and lamb as something new and interesting and to find ways to make it as profitable as ever. “We are a steakhouse,” Draper says of Bin 54. “We’re not taking beef, or lamb, off the menu. ere are so many other strategies tomake it work, because we’ve found enthusiasm for eating here is as high as ever.”

WHETHER IT’S A FLAT IRON STEAK OR GRASS FED TENDERLOIN, AUSTRALIAN BEEF COMMUNICATES QUALITY.

the economical cuts is that there’s a great flavor that a lot of people are actually looking for.” One strategy Draper recommends in order to showcase an economical cut is to combine it with another trend. A chef could use a trending sauce or ingredient with a flat iron steak, for example. Draper currently has a special on the menu at Bin 54 that capitalizes on the Wagyu beef trend, something that has grown 27 percent on menus across four years, Datassential reports. Bin 54’s special is an Australian Wagyu Top Sirloin Filet, or what’s referred to as a “baseball cut.” “Wagyu is definitely a premium prod uct, and chefs expect to pay more for it,” Draper says. “But it also has really good

MEAT & LIVESTOCK AUSTRALIA / DEVIN RAINES

as well as a Braised Beef Short Rib served withmirepoix and red wine jus. ese are popular menu items that leverage alter native cuts and offer diners an afford able option that might make themmore likely to opt for an extra glass of wine or a dessert they otherwise wouldn’t have splurged on. In fact, many diners actually pre

52

FSRMAGAZINE .COM

DECEMBER 2022 | SPONSORED CONTENT