Pork making progress

PORK HAS often been considered the runt of the litter compared to lamb and beef when it comes to creating high quality pub food dishes. But it's clear that it offers a huge opportunity to add more variety to the menu as well as increasing profits.

A new report from the British Pig Executive (BPEX) makes encouraging reading on a general level for the pub sector, but also provides some food for thought for licensees.

Based on research across the trade, the report, Pork in Foodservice, says "When it comes to introducing new dishes on the menu, the pub sector appears to be the most innovative, with almost half of all new menu items accounted for in this sector."

But, despite pork's versatility it's still failing to capture its 'fair' share of the menu. Gammon is a mainstay in many pubs, but "not regarded as special enough for the big eating out occasion". Beyond this, resistance is probably partly due to perceptions of pork as less special than other meats, and partly due to a shortfall in product development by industry suppliers.

So how can pubs transcend the unglamorous image of the standard pork chop and make pork more attractive to customers? According to BPEX, menu descriptions are pivotal to raising consumer perception of pork, which needs to be presented more often as an "indulgent choice" on the menu.

The Fountain Inn in Clent, Worcestershire, is an example of a food-led pub that has taken this on board, and has made big strides in raising the profile of pork on its menu.

"It needs to be innovative. We constantly change our menu, and try to do something different," says Jacqui Macey, who runs the Publican and Pub Food Awards-winning pub with her husband Richard.

Jacqui explains the importance of keeping it fresh in terms of the variety of dish served, and says that pubs can enhance their pork profile by thinking outside the box.

"We look at the market and try and serve seasonal stuff. We have quite a few returning customers, and we like to offer them something different each time they come back," she says.

"You can do the same with pork as you can with lamb and beef. For example, we do Pork Wellington rather than beef, and we serve pork medallions layered with black pudding, leek sauce or white wine.

"Even with a traditional roast, it's not just about the stuffing; we serve it with white wine and onion sauce."

Although fizzy drinks topped the list of accompaniments to pork dishes and were equally as popular as wine and beer with pork cuts, beer and cider were the favoured partner for almost a quarter of consumers.

This indicates the opportunity that pubs have to offer drink and food promotions if they switch to pork from other meats. The Fountain Inn has taken this idea one step further by incorporating both beer and cider into its pork dishes.

"We serve pork with baked apple, and in a cider sauce," explains Jacqui. "People have access to lots of lovely beers, and we also serve pork in a traditional bitter sauce. We try to give customers something to get their taste buds around, a bit of excitement."

Pork in pubs ​

• 64.7 per cent of pork cuts are accompanied by potatoes, and 41.7 per cent with other fresh root vegetables
• Beer and cider accompany 24.1 per cent of pork cuts eaten out of home, with wine accompanying 23 per cent
• Pork cuts are most likely to be eaten at weekends, a trend accounted for by the growing popularity of pork in carveries and Sunday lunch offers. Sunday accounts for a quarter of pork cuts eaten out of home
• The average cost of a meal in a pub is £12.10, up 1.8 per cent on 2006

Source: BPEX Pork in Foodservice Report​