High-quality meat, unusual cuts and creative preparation ideas: Barbecue expert Christian Böhle from REWE Centre Esser on the trends for the grill.
Christian Böhle is Service Manager at the REWE Centre Esser in Rheinbach near Bonn and has been a member of REWE West's Meat Master Club from the very beginning.
Böhle has an estimated 90 per cent regular customers, with whom he also enjoys chatting in a WhatsApp group.
one: Mr Böhle, what fascinates you about meat?
Christian Böhle: The fascinating thing about meat is the edible result after it has passed through the various stages. So from breeding and fattening to slaughter, then through the various possible stages of maturation, such as dry age, via the cutting techniques to the optimum result on the plate.
one: You are passionate about barbecuing. Why is that?
Christian Böhle: When grilling, I can let my imagination run wild and utilise so many possibilities. You can grill with gas, charcoal, a fire barrel or over an open fire. Or you can put the meat or other food directly into the open embers and cook it on the coals "caveman style". Or cook the steak "sous-vide" at low temperatures under vacuum and then finish on the gas grill ... As you can see, the possibilities are almost endless.
one: The barbecue food is certainly just as varied. What is the trend?
Christian Böhle : The current trend is "nose to tail". This means that the entire animal is used, from nose to tail. Special cuts, i.e. unusual cuts of beef or pork, are also in demand.
one: Can you give us an example of such a special cut?
Christian Böhle: The teres major is part of the thick front cut, the rear part of the shoulder of beef. Some people also call it butcher's meat. It is very tender and mild in flavour.
one: That sounds like high-quality meat is in high demand at the moment.
Christian Böhle: Yes, absolutely! The trend is towards sustainability. Cheap was yesterday, for about three years now, less is more. Since then, we've been selling a lot more high-quality meat, with customers focussing on good rearing. No one wants rearing levels 1 or 2 any more. Everyone asks for at least 3 or 4.
one: Surely special meat needs special preparation ideas?
Christian Böhle: Absolutely. My ideas come from shopping, reading specialised literature or talking to colleagues. Together with my team, I then organise a daily tasting of one of these grill ideas with cheese, fish or meat that I have devised and prepared at home.
one: Which of your ideas did you find particularly successful?
Christian Böhle: A Duroc pork steak, first caramelised, then caramelised with cherry jam and garnished with a dollop of unsweetened cream and fermented pepper.
