THE FOODSERVICE GUIDE TO PORK FOR FUNCTIONS AND EVENTS - NEW GUIDE FROM BPEX LTD

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Make your function or event extra special with pork – one of the most versatile and cost effective meats available – and a little help from a new booklet from BPEX; ‘The Foodservice Guide to Pork for Functions and Events’.

Pork is ideal for an indulgent dining occasion whether it’s a formal banquet, wedding breakfast or even a buffet style function, yet it often tends to be overlooked. BPEX foodservice trade manager, Tony Goodger, set out to find out why.

He said: “Research consistently shows that pork is a popular choice amongst consumers when dining out of the home and it’s perfect for a variety of functioning occasions.

“For example, ham hock terrine, which is easy to make and offers an excellent gross profit margin, is great as a starter on function menus as it can be pre-plated and served cold. Hog roasts and even good old bangers and mash are a great choice for wedding breakfasts. And of course caterers can choose from a huge selection of indulgent evening meals featuring pork, such as slow cooked rack of pork and roast fillet of pork.

“But when you compare ‘Pork Loin’, for example, with the more descriptive ‘Baked Rack of Lamb with Herb Crust’ or ‘’Roast Sirloin of English Beef’, it’s easy to see why pork loses out. Our research suggests that with a more appetising explanation, such as ‘Slow Roasted Belly of Pork’, sales would increase dramatically.”

Menu construction is just one of the areas covered in the new leaflet produced specifically for chefs dealing with conference, banqueting or function catering. ‘The Foodservice Guide to Pork for Functions and Events’ also includes a whole host of hints and tips on storing, serving and cooking pork, as well as recipe ideas for function catering and advice from top industry experts.

Tony added: “Just as getting the menu descriptor right is crucial, it’s also important to source good quality ingredients. By using pork which features the BPEX Quality Standard Mark caterers can reassure customers that the meat they are using is fully traceable and produced to high standards of welfare.”

Follow these basic steps from BPEX when serving pork on function and banqueting menus:

·Keep the dish simple so it can be plated up quickly
·Cook roast pork with a combination of steam and heat to maintain moisture
·Cuts such as belly and fillet are easy to cook and hold well meaning they can be served to a large number of diners with ease
·Always ensure you describe the cut and cooking method used on your menu. Add any interesting additional features such as ‘outdoor’ reared or ‘free range’
·Inspire customers with your enthusiasm for pork at the menu planning stage

To get your free copy of the booklet available to caterers, simply contact BPEX Ltd by telephone on: 01908 844114 or by email at: foodservice@bpex.org.uk.

The dedicated BPEX website for caterers is packed full of advice, recipes and helpful tips – log on to www.porkforcaterers.com for a wealth of information.

Notes to editors
BPEX Limited represents pig levy payers in England and works to improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the English pig industry. BPEX Ltd is a subsidiary of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.

For further information please contact Claire Bradley at HD Communications Limited.
T: 01372 824763 E: claire.bradley@hdcommunications.co.uk