| |
|
|
from the issue of December 1, 2005
|
| |
|
|
| |
Meat store offers cuts, educational opportunities
BY ASHLEY PRITCHARD, FOR THE SCARLET
Upon entering the building, the aroma of spices fills the air. The Meat Store is a simple room inside the Loeffel Meat Lab with a row of freezers and help from students employees.
The University Meat Store provides fresh meat products for customers. Every product in the store is prepared and processed by Calvin Schrock, store manager, and 12 student workers.
The Meat Store, established in the early 1970s, is a vital part of the Animal Science program. It provides a learning opportunity for students. There are three refrigerator classrooms where carcasses are brought in as a learning tool.
"The classes held in the Animal Science department first look at live animals and determine their characteristics," said Ace VanDeWalle, Animal Science student and Meat Store employee. "The Meat Store then harvests the animals and cuts up the carcasses for display in the classroom. This way the students can see the actual products made and the grade of meat. It's a great learning aspect for classes that is really hands-on."
"The animals come to us alive," Schrock said, "We then harvest them by USDA humane standards and break the carcasses down."
This is only the beginning of getting that corned beef or t-bone table ready.
"We fabricate, or cut, the animal into primal cuts such as the loin and chuck," VanDeWalle said. "We then cut these pieces down to retail cuts, the cuts people buy from the store. After wrapping the pieces of meat in the traditional white freezer paper, they are stocked into the freezers."
Fresh meat is not the only item produced at the Meat Store. They also make summer sausage, Canadian bacon and ham. For these products, the trimmings from the primal cuts are ground together and mixed with seasonings.
They use traditional seasoning recipes that have been passed down through the years. Then the ground meat goes through the stuffer and is put into casings. The smoked products are prepared and put into one of their two smokehouses, which are also housed in the Loeffel Meat Lab. They even have the capability of smoking an entire pig, from snout to tail.
"The Meat Store produces and sells high quality products at a cost saving," said Schrock. "In order to stay competitive with other markets in Lincoln, we offer the highest quality meat, at a less-expensive price. Our equipment allows us to produce meat of a higher quality so we can pass the savings on to our customers."
The money earned at the Meat Store is put toward the cost of buying and boarding new animals. This saves tax dollars because the university does not need to allocate as much money for buying new teaching animals each year and the products produced don't go to waste.
The students who work there typically are interested in the product side of the Animal Science program and love to help customers. They can help choose the best cut of meat, or simply explain what part of the animal it came from. The Meat Store carries various cuts of beef, pork, and lamb year round as well as summer sausage, pastrami, bacon, ham and eggs. It is open to university employees and the public from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"When you buy a product from the Meat Store, you are getting a quality cut of meat at a reduced price while helping out the university at the same time," Schrock said.
Ashley Pritchard is a junior Advertising and Spanish major who is interested in public relations.
This is the third of six stories written by UNL students enrolled in Advertising 451 - Advertising and Public Relations Techniques, taught by Phyllis Larsen.
GO TO: ISSUE OF DECEMBER 1
NEWS HEADLINES FOR DECEMBER 1
Ntune
Campus shops offer gift variety
Journalism project to premiere at the Ross
Podcasting at UNL
Alumni help fund new calving shed for NCTA
Engineering college name change nears final approval
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Meat store offers cuts, educational opportunities
732281S35231X
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|