US pork training seminars conducted by USMEF in Shanghai covered thawing, cutting, cooking and marketing various US pork cuts

Overall, more than 70 people attended the three seminars, each of which began with an introduction and overview of the US pork industry. A detailed look at US pork production and US pork products was included, along with tastings of several US pork dishes.

The title of each seminar and the specific U.S. pork cuts featured were:

• Foodservice Accounts Training Seminar: French cut loin, tomahawk loin, CT butt, jowl meat, boneless loin, tenderloin, single rib belly, regular belly and spare ribs.
• Foodservice/Retail Packages Seminar: Spare ribs, St. Louis spare ribs, bone-in loin and boneless butt.
• Cutting and Culinary Applications in Foodservice Seminar: Bone-in and boneless butt, St. Louis spare ribs and bone-in loin.

For chefs and butchers, a primer on thawing techniques for imported US pork was followed by a demonstration on proper ways to prepare cuts for various styles of Chinese, western and Japanese cuisine.

Tasting samples were included in the seminars, which were designed to educate Shanghai-area foodservice managers and chefs about US pork

Importers and distributors were educated on the value of US pork and the difference in cost performance between US pork and its competitors in foodservice and retail settings.

A session on packaging and marketing pork cuts highlighted the versatility of US pork and suggested ideas for new merchandising opportunities.

Each seminar also featured a look at new ideas for preparing US pork and a cooking demonstration and tasting. Among the US pork dishes prepared were boneless loin Wellington style, pan-fried French cut loin with carrot puree, roasted boneless loin with soy sauce, slow-cooked grilled tomahawk loin, pan-fried boneless loin with pumpkin puree, roasted bacon roll boneless loin with mustard sauce and pan-fried tenderloin with chutney.