More than half of survey respondents found culinary concept appealing.

February 14, 2018

3 Min Read
Group Shot Beefshi
Meat Institute

A new culinary concept called Beefshi that "beefs up" traditional sushi was unveiled this week by the North American Meat Institute (NAMI), a contractor to the beef checkoff, and polling suggests that Americans are eager to try it.

Developed by a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef, Beefshi integrates prepared beef favorites like pastrami, corned beef, jerky, beef hot dogs and beef bologna into traditional, sushi-style rolls. Eight engaging videos, shot in a traditional sushi restaurant, depict how to prepare each recipe and may be viewed on the new website, Beefshi.com, according to NAMI.

Among the recipes are: 

  • Texas Asade Sushi -- Roast beef rubbed with lime zest, ground cumin and garlic, rolled with cilantro, slivered jalapenos and onions and crumbled cotija cheese, and served with salsa.

  • Inside Out Wisconsin Maki -- Sushi rice wrapped around the outside of a stick of summer sausage, a sliver of Colby cheese and shaved dill pickles, and served with spicy brown mustard.

  • New York Deli Roll -- Corned beef takes the place of nori on the outside, with slivers of fresh horseradish and Swiss cheese in the middle, and then rolled in a few caraway seeds.

  • The Reuben Roll -- Warm pastrami, sauerkraut and thinly sliced Swiss cheese rolled into sushi rice and served with Russian dressing.

  • The Hiker’s Roll -- A traditionally styled roll with nori wrapping around sushi rice, filled with slivers of beef jerky, slices of egg omelet and pea shoots or watercress, with the leaves poking out the top of the roll, served with sriracha for dipping.

  • Carolina Sushi – Shredded fried beef bologna and carrot slivers rolled in rice with a vinegared cabbage leaf in place of Nori.   

In a recent online survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of NAMI, American adults who eat meat and fish were asked to rate how appealing they found a photograph of a sushi platter and a photograph of a Beefshi platter. The survey was conducted Jan. 16-18, 2018, among 2,033 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, 1,566 of whom eat meat and fish. More than half (59%) found the concept of Beefshi appealing -- nearly equal to the 58% who found sushi appealing. Millennials ages 18-34 (66%) and those ages 35-44 (69%) showed a particularly strong interest in trying Beefshi.

“Beef has always been popular among Americans, and Millennials and those age 35-44, in particular, seem to see the appeal of beef prepared in new and interesting ways,” NAMI senior vice president of public affairs Janet Riley said. “When a new and not-yet-tasted recipe scores this well against a familiar food like sushi, it’s clear that Beefshi is positioned to be a hot culinary trend in 2018 and beyond.”

Beefshi recipes are versatile and make an excellent first course or full meal, according to NAMI. Two-piece servings of Beefshi range from 100 to 180 calories, depending on the recipe.

“Beefshi can serve as an excellent and innovative addition to sushi restaurant menus or any restaurant looking to innovate with a creative new food concept,” Riley said. “Beefshi recipes also use fully cooked and prepared beef products, making them safe and delicious options for beef fans of all ages.”

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