Paul Wegman
Neck
Neck and
Beef necks keep costs
within margins while
creating elaborate dishes.
By Rob Benes
Kyle Rourke menus tagliatelle with braised
veal, oyster mushrooms, confit quail egg
and dry Jack cheese. He cooks the neck
sous vide rather than using a traditional
oven braise, which yields more protein.
THE 2010 Technomic Beef Volumetric
Study reported that 97% of operators
have beef on the menu: 75% menu ground
beef; 53%, steaks; 46%, roasts; and 8%,
ribs (many operators menu more than one
category). Those are pretty safe choices for
operators to prepare and guests to order.
example, some chefs favor secondary cuts,
such as beef neck. And while beef neck
could be thought of as a fall and winter
comfort food, it can be served year-round.
Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs,
W.Va., breeds its own grain-fed steer,
rather than working with a third-party
meat purveyor.
The National Culinary Review | May 2011
However, there are options when deciding
what kind of meat to use in menu items. For
SOURCING PRODUCT
An operator sources beef to meet the
operation’s goals and mission, which
will determine whether beef is factory-
farmed or grass-fed/pasture-raised. The
“The resort has invested in breeding a
Greenbrier cattle,” says Steven Halliday,
sous chef. “We’re working with two
breeds—Limousin and Black Angus—to
create the best beef for our premier
