Archive for March, 2009

F. Dick Professional Butcher And Chef’s Knives March 30th, 2009

jsummers

I’ve used F. Dick knives and sharpening steels for 30 years and I dont think there is a brand out there that surpasses the quality of these knives.

F. Dick is a leading brand worldwide in professional areas due to the highest quality and the optimal use in accordance with ergonomic requirements and has been a manufacturer of high quality products in the following areas since 1778: 

*Tools and machines for butchers

*Chef’s knives and tools

*Machines for sharpening and grinding technology

The ErgoGrip Line

Ergogrip 5 Inch Curved Boning Knife

Ergogrip 5 Inch Curved Boning Knife

The Ergogrip knives are ergonomically designed to reduce hand and arm fatigue. These knives offer superior slip resistance, an extra wide thumb rest and a polished durable stainless steel blade. The Ergogrip knives offer large selection of specialized designs and sizes for specific butchering tasks. No compromise has been made when it comes to function and safety.

The Benefits Of Ergo-Grip Knives    

1. Polished, durable stainless steel blade with laser-tested cutting edge

2. Seamless connection of blade and handle

3. Extra-wide thumb rest for control, comfort, and safety

4. Well-defined finger guard for safety

5. Non-slip plastic handle, no abrasion, ergonomic design

6. NSF listing for commercial use

The Sanigrip Line       

Sanigrip Breaking Knife

Sanigrip Breaking Knife

The Sanigrip knives offer the same ergonomic design as the ErgoGrip line of knives with the addition of antibacterial properties incorporated into the handle.

    

The Advantages Of SaniGrip Knives

1. Permanent, durable antibacterial protection right from the start

2. Contributes to hygienic safety in working areas

3. Protects on a natural basis, hygienically faultless and durable. Inhibits the growth of bacteria and kills them

4. Polished, stable blade, cutting edge checked by laser

5. Balanced hardness, significantly less material consumption

6. Safety due to finger protection and thumb support as well as rounded knife backs

7. Knife lies comfortably in the hand, thus precise handling and improved efficiency

8. High quality knife alloy and material compositions

The new SaniGrip knife series is the result of an intensive exchange of information between research and practice. Friedr. Dick uses trendsetting technology for the highest hygiene and strived-for EU standards. These knives are equipped with an antibacterial active ingredient in the knife handle.     

As opposed to germ-killing chemical substances (e.g. triclosan), this active ingredient works in a natural way. Precious metals provide safe protection and only work where desired; they are food-safe. This effective prophylaxis guarantees additional safety in the production chain and at the place of work.     

The antibacterial active ingredient in the handle material offers additional hygienic protection and prevents cross-contamination and re-infection via the hand. This inhibits bacteria or their breeding on the knife handle, thus leading to the bacterial cultures dying off. The permanent, durable protection is integrated in the knife handle during production.     

The Premier Plus Series    

Premier Plus 6 Inch Forged Chef's Knife

Premier Plus 6 Inch Forged Chef's Knife

The craftmanship, balance and the edge of the Premier Plus Line of professional chef’s knives is unsurpassed. Made in Germany, Premier Plus knives are hand-forged from high-carbon stainless steel and taper ground, resulting in a knife that holds its edge much longer than any other.     

Particularly worthy of note is the sophisticated design of the handle. A special manufacturing technique results in the blade and the handle being so tightly linked that not even the finest crack or gap is left. Unlike traditional knives with a handle housing, it is impossible for food residue or liquids to penetrate. As is standard with the Friedrich Dick company, each finished knife of the Premier Plus series is sharpened and honed by hand. Cutting becomes an experience – this is something you can expect from Friedr. Dick Corp.  

Premier Plus: The Sum Of Many Clever Details

1. You can tell the forged knife by its bolster, the thickening between the blade and the handle, and by its continuous tang. Premier Plus was developed for ideal balance, edge retention and ergonomic properties. 

2. The stable back of the blade is used for fine gristle, for example, but also for breaking seafood shells. 

3. Small vegetables can be cut and minced with the front section of the blade. 

4. The curved blade design is ideal for both rocking cuts and slicing. This blade section allows cutting of almost all food materials.

6. The back section of the blade is used for cutting tough and difficult materials, as it allows easy application of force.                       

7. The wide blade side is also used for flattening and shaping prepared food. It also provides sufficient space between the hand on the handle and the cutting board.

View our line of F. Dick knives at www.butchersupply.net     

jes..     

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Leggs Old Plantation Seasonings March 27th, 2009

jsummers
Leggs Old Plantation SeasoningsOne of our best selling product lines is Legg’s Old Plantation Seasonings. These seasonings are of excellent quality and are easy to use. They are perfect for the home processor or the small producer. Old Plantation seasonings are packaged to correctly season 25 pounds of product.
 
A. C. Legg, Inc. was founded in 1923 and has enjoyed success in the spice and food business. The success of the company has been built on Quality, Consistency and Service. These ideals have proved an integral part of the survival and continued growth of Old Plantation Seasonings. Old Plantation Seasoning Blends and Marinades are designed and packaged for processors who manufacture smaller amounts of product. “Sausage seasonings are our specialty, there’s none better!” From American classics like true “Southern-style” pork sausage to international flavors like smokled Polish sausage and mild or hot Italian sausage.
 
 

OLD PLANTATION SEASONING BLENDS

PORK SAUSAGE Blend #10
Our most popular sausage seasoning. A true “Southern Style” seasoning. It has relatively high level of sage, red pepper and black pepper. Some red pepper is crushed to be visible in the finished product.

PORK SAUSAGE Blend #6
Similiar to Blend #10, but contains slightly less black pepper and no crushed red pepper.

PORK SAUSAGE Blend #7
A mild pork sausage seasoning that contains red pepper, sage and black pepper

PORK SAUSAGE NO SAGE Blend #NS4
A  pork sausage seasoning that contains no sage

PORK SAUSAGE HOT Blend #109
A Hot Pork sausage seasoning.

MAPLE FLAVORED BREAKFAST SEASONING Blend #8
A favorite with all age groups.

 SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE Blend #101
Contains just the right proportions of black pepper, fennel and sugar to produce a slightly sweet flavor.

MILD ITALIAN SAUSAGE Blend #102
Contains the spices necessary to produce a mild yet “full-flavored” Italian sausage.

HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE Blend #103
Contains some crushed red pepper to give a little extra zing.

SMOKED POLISH KIELBASA Blend #106
Contains white pepper, coriander and garlic powder in a combination that will give an authentic Polish flavor.

FRESH POLISH KIELBASA Blend #108
Contains the same spice blend as our Smoked Polish Kielbasa seasoning.

CAJUN STYLE SAUSAGE Blend #110
Contains red pepper, black pepper, white pepper, onion powder and garlic powder for a spicy, cajun flavor.

CHORIZO SAUSAGE Blend #111
An ethnic sausage seasoning used to produce a chorizo with full flavor, but not too hot.

SUMMER SAUSAGE Blend #114
A new favorite with everyone! Our seasoning blend is sure to be a hit.

FAJITA RUB SEASONING Blend #123
Perfect for beef and chicken fajitas.

BOLOGNA/FRANKFURTER Blend #125
Everyone will love this blend, which produces “old-fashioned” bologna or frankfurters.

JERKY SEASONING Traditional Flavor Blend #131
Our best selling jerky seasoning. A blend of spices that enhances the natural flavor.

TERIYAKI JERKY SEASONING Blend #134
Increasingly popular sweet soy based blend for jerky.

MESQUITE MARINADE Blend #142
Southwestern flavor that is gaining popularity throughout the country.

BUFFALO WING MARINADE Blend #148
Outstanding for appetizers! This zesty marinade will season up to 50 lbs. of wings.

jes..
 
 

 

 

 

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Food Safety March 1st, 2009

jsummers

The importance of good sanitation in food handling and processing areas can not be over stated. The CDC estimates that 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur annually in the United States with about 5000 cases resulting in death.

Food can become contaminated very easily if we’re not careful. The three general categories of potential hazards are physical, chemical, and biological.

Physical contamination occurs when foreign objects such as dirt, hair, paint chips, rocks, bone, metal or glass come in contact and are mixed with food. Reduce the potential for physical contamination by keeping food contact surfaces clean, washing hands before and after handling foods, and keeping ingredients covered.

Chemical contamination occurs when chemicals like cleaning products, pesticides, naturally occurring toxins, toxic metals, or even additives to which some people are allergic are introduced into the food product. 

Utensils and equipment that contain toxic metals can cause toxic metal poisoning. Examples include the lead in pewter pitchers, the copper in a kettle, or the zinc in a galvanized bucket or tub.  Minimize the potential for chemical contamination by storing and preparing foods using only equipment and utensils made of food grade material.

Biological contamination includes contamination by bacteria, viruses, parasites, yeasts, and molds. The most common hazards that we associate with meat and poultry products are Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli bacteria, and the parasite that causes Trichinosis. 

Salmonella and Campylobacter are thought to be the two most common bacteria that cause illness in foods.  Salmonella is most commonly associated with poultry, eggs, and beef while Campylobacter is associated primarily with poultry and water contaminated with the bacteria.

caqmpylobacterjejuni

Campylobacter jejuni

 

salmonella

Salmonella

E. coli is a foodborne pathogen that can be found in red meat and red meat products. There are over 700 serotypes of E. coli identified. The E. coli serotypes that are responsible for foodborne illness in humans produce Shiga toxin. E. coli was first recognized in 1982 during an outbreak associated with the consumption of contaminated hamburgers. E. coli O157:H7 is responsible for the majority of human E. coli related illness but there are other Shiga toxin producing serotypes as well.

E. coli 0157:H7

E. coli 0157:H7

Trichinella spiralis is a parasitic intestinal nematode that infects humans through the consumption of undercooked meat causing trichinosis (or trichinellosis), a potentially life threatening illness. Trichinella spiralis is carried by carnivorous/ omnivorous animals such as rats, pigs, and bears. Trichinella spiralis is killed at 137° F.

Trichinella spiralis

Trichinella spiralis

Biological hazards are usually associated with the animal’s intestinal tract and contaminate the food during processing. Biological hazards can be controlled by:

  • Monitoring and maintaining proper temperatures in storage and processing environments. The Temperature Danger Zone as defined by the National Restaurant Association is between 41°F. and 135° F. FSIS defines the Danger Zone as between 40° F and 140° F so you can take your pick but foodborne microorganisms favor this temperature range with 80° F to 105° F being optimal. Fresh meats should be held in the cooler at temperatures below 40° F. I like cooler temperatures from 28° F. to 35° F. which will help control bleeding and purge. It is worth noting here that bacteria can double their numbers:
    • Every 20 hours at 32° F
    • Every 6 hours at 40° F
    • Every 2 hours at 60° F
    • Every hour at 70° F
    • Every 1/2 hour at 90° F
    • At human body temperature, 98.6° F, bacteria can double up to 3 times per hour.
  • Preventing cross contamination. Cross-contamination is the physical movement or transfer of harmful bacteria from one person, object or place to another. Prevent cross contamination by:
    • Keeping raw foods and processed foods seperated. In the cooler store processed product on upper shelves and raw product on lower shelves.
    • Clean and sanitize knives, utensils, and cutting surfaces between uses.
    • Never move boxes or containers that may have been stored on the floor onto food contact surfaces.
  • Always keeping equipment, floors, and food contact surfaces clean and sanitized.

We’ve touched on a few highlights regarding food safety and I hope to have some more in depth articles as we move along.

Constructive comments and questions are welcome!

Jes..

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