Food Product Design: Foodservice Focus - June 2000 - New Cuts on Meat - A generation ago, dining out...

October 2000

By Betty Hogan
Contributing Editor

When is a sandwich no longer a mere sandwich? Just about any time you order one away from home. The simple bread/meat/bread combo of yesteryear has evolved into such a profusion of shapes, sizes and flavors that John Montague, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, would probably not recognize them as descendants of his own invention.

Sandwiches are increasingly popular because they meet the need for taste and convenience. On the operator’s side, they are generally quick to prepare, making them a natural fit for quick-serve menus. While burgers are the quintessential quick-serve sandwich, everyone is talking about the new kids on the block as the means to bring excitement to the category.

Classic favorites and rising stars

Americans are spending an increasing percentage of their food dollars away from home and sandwiches make up a larger portion of that spending every year. Last year, according to Technomic Inc., a Chicago-based food industry consulting firm, foodservice accounted for 51.4% of consumers’ total food dollars, 31.2% of that being spent in quick-service restaurants (QSRs). Burgers make up the largest portion of the total sandwich category in QSRs, with sales of $44 billion from 1998 to 1999. Growth in several categories is outpacing both overall QSR sales and that of burgers. Southwestern or Mexican style QSRs grew 40% faster than the burger category last year, while sales of sandwiches other than burgers grew 19% faster.

"There has been a lot of activity in the ‘other sandwich’ category with the introduction of fast casual chains, like Panera and Schlotsky’s, to the QSR segment," states Tom Miner, a principal at Technomic Inc. "The fast casual chains are targeted towards adults with higher-quality, higher-price offerings. They combine differentiated breads or carriers with fusion ingredients to create new taste sensations." And consumers clamor for these new sandwiches. In fact, "other sandwich" category sales grew to just over $12 billion dollars from 1998 to 1999, a compounded annual growth rate of over 6% a year since 1994.

The forms and preparation methods for sandwiches are as varied as the ingredients that comprise them. Panini, wraps, burritos, pockets, stuffed pitas, tacos, subs and roll-ups are a few of the new forms fueling the growth beyond burgers. The availability and popularity of new, distinct bread forms and ethnic ingredients transforms chicken salad on white into rosemary roast chicken with sun-dried tomatoes and pesto aioli on a pretzel-roll baguette. Although fast casual restaurants are driving this trend, the national quick-serve chains are getting in the act as well, with items such as chicken Caesar pitas, grilled paninis, and steak and cheese wraps.

Make it quick!

No matter how elaborate the flavor combinations, sandwiches signify convenience, implying speed, portability and no need for utensils. Quality and taste compete against component and finished-product holding times that facilitate quick service.

Made-to-order assembly helps ensure product quality and customer satisfaction. Hot and cold components combined just before serving retain more of their original taste and texture. However, offering too many component choices slows the assembly process. While fresh assembly virtually eliminates the need to hold finished products, it requires greater flexibility in point-of-ordering systems to accommodate personalized orders.

Pre-wrapping sandwiches promotes faster order completion. Sandwiches served at refrigerated temperatures lend themselves to pre-wrapping, since lower temperatures reduce moisture migration between components. Central commissary assembly of pre-wrapped refrigerated sandwiches increases production efficiency and reduces labor costs. For hot sandwiches, minimizing holding time is critical to avoid sogginess and warmed-over flavors. Lettuce, sprouts and other delicate vegetables quickly wilt in the heat, therefore, it is better to leave these out of pre-wrapped hot sandwiches subjected to more than a few minutes holding time. Strongly flavored components, such as raw onions or spicy peppers, can limit the broad appeal of pre-wrapped products.

Once taken out of the refrigerator and moved to the assembly station, deli meats, cheeses and vegetables need to be kept at temperatures close to 40°F to minimize microbial growth and moisture loss. Slower moving, less-frequently used components require a longer shelf life to minimize waste.

Regardless of assembly method, components used in quick-serve sandwiches must have short cooking or rethermalization times. Longer holding times ease operations, especially during peak rush hours, when the chance of running out of ready components is much greater. One unusually large order can wipe out the warming bin leaving hungry customers waiting for the next batch. And they don’t like to wait for very long. The industry considers 4 minutes the maximum acceptable assembly time for drive-through orders. Cooking times need to be almost as short.

While it takes only seconds to toast a room temperature bun, meat components pose a greater challenge because they must be kept below 40ºF or above 140ºF to minimize the potential for microbial growth. Meat components held at 140ºF or higher will quickly dry out if not properly formulated. Keeping meat juicy is crucial for sandwich applications — placed between layers of bread, meats normally used in sauce-garnished, center-of-the-plate applications can seem dry and lacking flavor.

Moisture and other meaty matters

Moisture-binding systems help increase moistness and tenderness while minimizing cooking-yield losses. Three of the primary binders used in meats are soy protein, starch and carrageenan. Soy protein used at 1.5% to 2.0% forms a protein gel matrix similar to that of meat. Many ham products contain soy protein used at lower levels in combination with carrageenan or starch. When used above 2%, soy protein can alter the flavor of the meat substrate and contribute unwanted cereal notes.

Modified food starches are commonly used to increase the water-holding capacity and improve the freeze/thaw stability of meats. Modified starches used at 1.5% to 2.0% easily distribute throughout the meat and won’t affect product flavor. Native or unmodified starches tend to settle unevenly throughout the meat, causing irregular color and texture in the product. Starches also tend to soften the texture of meats and alter the "bite."

Carrageenan is a particularly effective binder for whole-muscle, ground and reformed meats, and meat-analog products. Used at 0.5%, it forms a thermally reversible gel that releases moisture from the meat when chewed. While it improves product firmness, it does not affect product flavor. In very high-yield products, above 170%, both starch and carrageenan affect translucency, giving the product a clear or watery appearance.

Carrageenan is a natural product harvested from ocean seaweed beds. As the debate regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) makes headlines, the market for non-GMO ingredients continues to grow. "What’s nice about using carrageenan is that it fits very well with non-GMO products," says Bruce Gubser, application manager, SKW Biosystems, Atlanta. According to Gubser, a combination of soy, starch and carrageenan works very well for poultry products, delivering superior results to any of the three used alone. SKW’s Vitex™ line uses this combined-systems approach, tailoring the levels of the individual binders to meet the specific needs of the meat system.

Brine solutions also increase the water-holding capacity of meats and minimize cooking-yield losses. Chicken breasts tumbled in brines containing salts, phosphates, starch and carrageenan take up moisture and increase from 110% to 120% of their initial raw weight. After cooking losses, the yield returns to 100% of the raw weight of the breast before any processing. Marinades are brine solutions with added flavor components and tenderizing agents. When vacuum-packed, marinade flavors penetrate deep into the meat.

Assembly lines

Restructured-meat processing uses the naturally occurring proteins in the meat, along with phosphates, salts and enzymes to bind the pieces together. We’re not just talking chicken nuggets or patties any more. Advances in technology and ingredients have created a whole new look and feel to restructured meats. For the average consumer, this new class of restructured meat is almost indistinguishable from their whole muscle counterparts.

Deli meats use this technology, binding several large pieces of whole muscle into a natural-looking product shaped like a turkey breast or ham for retail deli sales. For foodservice applications, the pieces are shaped like tubes for round sandwich rolls, or D-shaped logs that evenly cover a sliced baguette or submarine roll. Chicken processors use the same techniques, forming consistently shaped and uniform-weight portions of breast meat. The process retains the natural grain of the meat fiber, imparting both visual and textural characteristics associated with whole-muscle products.

The beef industry is using restructuring technology extensively to develop new value-added products. According to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), 1999 per capita beef consumption in the United States rose for the first time in 20 years. The industry hopes to continue this trend, promoting the use of beef products in applications where chicken or pork products are frequently served. The NCBA has worked with processors introducing convenient beef products to increase beef consumption in all channels.

Aside from the beef used in burgers and the occasional hot-beef sandwich, there are still relatively few cuts of beef used in quick-serve sandwiches. The NCBA’s development efforts have produced three products suited for sandwich applications, the steak tortilla, beef ham and boneless beef filets. The steak tortilla is a restructured blend of beef trimmings formed into a thin disc-shape that looks like a tortilla and easily rolls up into a wrap. Beef ham resembles deli ham and Canadian bacon in taste, texture and color. Beef filets are a portion-controlled alternative to chicken breasts. (For more information on new beef and other meats see "New Cuts on Meat" in the June 2000 issue of Food Product Design.)

Flavor and convenience

Unless it is a vegetarian offering, the focus of most quick-serve sandwiches is the meat. Ground beef tops the charts, with hamburgers in the number one sandwich spot. Grilled chicken is the most often-mentioned sandwich menu item after burgers, according to FlavorTrak™, a syndicated database that tracks 28,000 menu records across the country. Combining burgers or chicken with unique sauces and other protein sources, such as ham, turkey or bacon, is a popular way to transform a commodity into a signature sandwich.

The growing appeal of ethnic cuisine brings new flavors and ingredients into the mainstream. When combined with traditional favorites, the resulting flavor combinations offer possibilities for distinct executions. The popularity of Mexican cuisine and spicy flavors continues to grow. FlavorTrak charts Mexican/Tex-Mex, southwest, spicy/ hot and Cajun/Creole among four of the top 10 preparation styles for chicken in 2000.

Appearance, texture and operational considerations all factor into the decision regarding which form of meat to use in sandwiches. While whole muscle products have a more natural appearance, they generally cost more than ground meats or chunked and formed patties. Without the use of a knife and fork, strips, slices and diced meats are easier to bite into than a whole muscle filet.

Products that ease any operation in the back of the house are always welcome. Many states are imposing minimum age requirements for employees who handle slicing equipment or sharp knives. Keeping current with quality assurance guidelines for appropriate cooking times and temperatures requires costly employee training. Because of these types of issues, pre-cooked, pre-sliced and seasoned meats offer value-added labor-saving solutions. Convenience-focused beef items include pre-cooked burgers, shredded barbecue beef and steak fajita strips.

Poultry processors offer a dizzying array of marinated, pre-cooked, filleted, sliced or diced chicken and turkey to meet almost any possible equipment scenario. "Back-of–the-house breading and coating of raw chicken and fish is vanishing in QSRs due to food safety concerns and the desire for consistency," says Sue Svitak, director of national accounts research and development, Newly Weds Foods, Chicago.

Poultry and fish fillets coated in breading are flash-fried to set the coating and inhibit moisture migration. The operator then deep-fries, or bakes the product for final cooking. Inclusion breaders use the standard 4-step process (marinade, pre-dust, batter and breading) plus particulates, such as jalapeño flavored bits, in the breading, maximizing flavor and visual effect.

Adding more convenience-driven value, pre-sliced deli meats can be packaged with patty paper between sets of slices for portion control. To create a hand-layered look while reducing sandwich assembly time, individual layers are supplied "shingled," like roof tiles. Mixed deli meats for club sandwiches can be stacked, or shingled, in portion-controlled sets as well. While all of these convenience-based enhancements increase ingredient costs, it is offset by reduced labor costs and increased product consistency delivered to the consumer.

Build on this

Flat breads, buns, pitas, baguettes, focaccia, croissants, tortillas, pretzel rolls, English muffins, brioche and bagels. While this list seems endless, if you can put sandwich components in it, on it, between it or around it, you have a base for building sandwiches. Besides all of the different forms, don’t forget the numerous flavor varieties (whole wheat, rye, onion, sesame, etc.) available for each. Cheese, olives, nuts and whole grains in or on top of breads add flavor, eye-appeal and textural contrasts.

The textural differences between bread and filling are important for all sandwiches, but even more for quick-serve products eaten on the go. Wet condiments seep through a slice of loaf bread, but are neatly contained under the skin of a bun or soft roll. A crunchy baguette eaten plain creates minimal mess, but when stuffed with soft or slippery fillings, the contents shoot out like a cannon. The ability to enclose filling contents securely allows the use of many more interesting components, without fear of ingredients falling out onto consumers’ laps. Tortillas, or wraps, and pitas are commonly used to surround a myriad of components in a hand-held meal.

Baking breads on-premise is a popular way to fill an operation with aromas that speak freshness to the consumer. Bakeries and bagel shops capitalize on this phenomenon adding deli meats, cheeses and condiments to the front of the house, quickly converting them into quick-serve sandwich shops. The baking of par-baked frozen or shelf-stable breads delivers fresh-baked aromas, but require on-premise bakery ovens, leaving fresh or frozen fully baked breads as the primary choice for most quick-serve operations.

Appearance differentiation is also important when choosing breads for quick-serve sandwiches. However, aside from pitas and tortillas, there aren’t many unique breads featured on the national QSR menus. "It’s a struggle to get really creative with bread," says Lori Estrada, director of strategic menu at Burger King Corporation, Miami. "We see great new bread concepts often, but the key is supplier capability." The largest QSRs have trouble finding suppliers that can consistently produce these distinct new bread forms in the quantities needed.

And premium breads command premium prices. To cover the cost of premium bread, new sandwiches with higher price points are necessary, or margins suffer. If price points can’t be increased sufficiently, other component costs must be reduced. What can you take out of an already simple grilled chicken sandwich on a Kaiser roll before it becomes just a bun with lettuce and tomato? The answer often leads to a completely new combination, like a grilled chicken Caesar pita. It uses less meat per serving in combination with a higher proportion of lettuce to hit margin targets.

All the fixin’s

Sauces, condiments and cheeses add significant flavor to sandwiches. The correct viscosity and heat stability of sauces is critical to avoid a runny mess once the sandwich is assembled. Applying the sauce between the bread and an irregular surface component, such as shredded cheese or lettuce, keeps it from running off the sides of the meat. For wraps and pitas, the sauce is normally applied last, on top of the vegetables, away from the smooth surface of the meat or bread.

Lettuce and tomato are essential components of almost any sandwich. Grilled onions and peppers are common in Italian beef or sausage sandwiches. Gyros and other Greek-style sandwiches often include cucumbers, tomatoes and olives. Seasoned rice, beans and potatoes are frequently found in burritos, wraps and pockets. Generally lower in price than meat or cheese, they enable costs to be shifted to other components such as signature sauces or premium breads. The inclusion of vegetables has the added bonus of imparting positive nutritional aspects.

While just about everyone likes to talk about fat content and keeping trim, actions (and bulging waist-lines) speak louder than words. The trend continues towards bigger sandwiches that include more meat, cheese and high-calorie sauces. However, there is heightened awareness and increasing menu incidence of healthful components and preparation styles. For now, local sandwich shops and fast casual chains lead the way, offering meatless alternatives such as roasted vegetable wraps, tomato basil paninis and veggie pockets. The most popular quick-serve meatless sandwiches don’t emphasize their lack of meat.

How will quick-serve sandwiches stack up in the future? Given the consumers’ love of new and distinctive products, it’s clear that quick-serve sandwiches will continue to evolve into tasty new combinations unheard of today.

Betty Hogan, a food-industry consultant specializing in marketing and new product development, has worked in the food industry nearly 15 years. Hogan earned a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a master’s in food science from the University of Illinois. Contact her via e-mail at bhogan1992@ alum.kellogg.nwu.edu.

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