Deli Turkey
Deli Turkey Breast is 34.7% of deli meat sales and can be whole muscle (made from one to three breast lobes) or made from up to 10 pieces of turkey muscle pressed together.
The difference between turkey breast and turkey meat.
- Turkey breast is made only with breast meat.
- Turkey meat is made with thigh and breast meat.
Identifying the quality of a turkey breast premium turkey is made with 1 to 2 breasts.
- The fewer pieces used ensures that the product is a higher premium item.
- The cost per pound will be higher.
- No binders are used.
Standard turkey breast is made with 3-5 breasts.
- It is the most common and is less expensive than premium turkey.
- Some binders may be used.
Value turkey breast – Commonly uses 6 or more breasts.
- Considered a value item and will be the cheapest price per pound.
- Binders will be used to hold it together.
- The most common binder used is Carrageenan, which is derived from seaweed, which retains moisture and makes it a less expensive product to produce.
Turkey Varieties
- Cooked Turkey – Oven-Roasted: Cooked in oven with dry heat. Oven-Prepared: Cooked in the bag.
- Smoked Turkey - Cooked in a smokehouse or with smoke flavoring added, has a mild natural or artificial smoke flavor.
- Honey Roasted – Is injected with honey, then oven cooked and has a sweet, mild flavor.
- Specialty Flavored – Usually basted with flavored sauce (Peppered, Cajun, Barbecue, etc.), Marbled or coated with spices then oven cooked.
Suggested Handling Tips:
- Keep deli turkey refrigerated.
- Use the first in, first out method for product rotation.
- Once opened, wrap deli turkey tightly with plastic wrap in the deli case.
- Once the package has been opened, label it with the sell-by date. Most manufacturers recommend 5-7 days once opened.
- Most turkey should be sliced along the long edge.
Key Selling Points
Remember, the fewer the pieces of turkey muscle used to form the turkey breast, the better the quality.
- Turkey is generally lower in fat than other deli meats.
- Many customers are substituting turkey for beef and pork in recipes.
Percentages (Source - 2019 IDDBA What’s in Store)
Deli Beef
Deli beef is 11.7% of deli bulk meat sales.
Premium beef cuts use whole muscle beef.
- Beef comes from the top round, bottom round, eye of round or brisket of cattle.
- It is cooked with dry heat. Water and spices are sometimes added for flavor.
- It may be caramel coated for visual appeal.
Economy Beef/Restructured Beef
- Made from several large muscles, chopped and pressed into a shape.
- Usually injected with water for tenderness.
- Best used as a shaved meat.
The difference between the cuts, grade of the meat, and number of muscles used in the product determines the quality, and difference in taste, and texture.
Roast Beef - Oven roasted and is available in different degrees of doneness.
- Rare, medium rare, medium (pink center surrounded by brown), or well done (brown throughout).
Pastrami - Traditionally beef brisket dry cured with pepper and garlic, then smoked.
- Also available in bottom round (flats) and top round varieties.
Corned Beef - Traditionally beef brisket cured in a brine and sugar solution.
- Also available in bottom round (flats) and top round varieties.
USDA GRADES USED
Generally, Choice, Select, or Standard grade beef is used in roast beef, pastrami, corned beef. Cuts used and grades determine the quality, pump, ISP added and price differences.
USDA Choice – 1 or 2 pieces used.
- The fewer the pieces used ensures that the product is a higher premium item. The cost per pound
will be higher. Boneless single lean muscle.
USDA Select – 3-5 pieces used.
- Less likely to contain ISP, will contain a higher pump than Choice.
USDA STANDARD - 7 or more pieces used.
- Standard is more of a Value Deli meat – the muscle is pressed into a shape.
- ISP Added or isolated soy protein will contain a higher pump than Choice or Select.
Handling Tips
- Keep all deli beef refrigerated.
- Use the first in, first out (FIFO) method for product rotation.
- Once opened, wrap deli beef tightly with plastic wrap in the deli case and use it within 5-7 days, or follow the manufacturer’s suggested shelf life once opened.
Key Selling Points
- Beef is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins B-6, B-12, and Zinc.
- It offers new flavor/texture options.
Percentages (Source - 2019 IDDBA What’s in Store)
Deli Ham
Ham accounts for 30.9% of deli bulk meat sales. All ham comes from the back leg of a pig and has been cured (preserved) with salt.
Federal regulations determine how hams are labeled:
- Ham has no additional moisture added to it. Or more moisture was cooked out of it than was added during processing.
- Ham with natural juices retains most of the juices it naturally possesses.
- Ham with water added has additional moisture added but can contain no more than 10% water. Most deli hams fall into this category.
- Ham and water products (A percentage of its weight is the added ingredient) have even more moisture added. “Added ingredients” are listed in the “cured with” statement on the label.
Ham Varieties
- Cooked ham (boiled ham) - Cooked using moist heat and mild flavored.
- Baked ham - Cooked with dry heat to a higher internal temperature than cooked ham. More intensely flavored but less moist than cooked ham.
- Smoked ham - Cooked in the presence of smoke, or cooked and flavored with natural or artificial smoke flavoring. It has a mild, smoky flavor. Less moist than cooked ham.
- Caramel-coated ham, glazed ham - Coated on the outside with a “burnt-sugar” topping or sweet glaze, such as honey (glazed ham), and is sweet tasting and tender.
- Honey-cured ham - Cured with a solution containing honey then cooked. It is sweet tasting and tender.
Suggested Handling Tips
- Keep deli ham refrigerated
- Use the FIFO method for product rotation
- Once opened, wrap deli ham tightly with plastic wrap in the deli case
- Once the package has been opened, label it with the sell-by date. Most manufacturers recommend 5-7 days once opened.
Key Selling Points
Deli ham prices can vary based on the way the product is produced. Hams will typically cost more if they are:
- Made from whole muscles
- Leaner, without a lot of fat
- Unique in shape, not uniform
- Naturally smoked
Meats followed in percentages of sales:
Chicken – 7.8%; Salami – 5.7%; Bologna – 3.6%; Other – 5.7%
Percentages (Source - 2019 IDDBA What’s in Store)