Plum Good News Vol 1 - California Dried Plums

Plum Good News
California Dried Plum Ingredients
Research•Applications•Information
Volume 1 2009
California Dried Plums…The Sensational Superfruit
While there are over 130 varieties of plums grown in
California only about a half dozen have a high enough
sugar content to be dried without fermenting while still
containing the pits. In fact, prune-making plums
contain twice as much total sugar at harvest than other
varieties of plums. California dried plums are naturally
rich in fiber (7.5%) and high in sorbitol (15%--dried
plum powder contains as much as 25% sorbitol) to bind
and maintain moisture in red meat and poultry products
(the addition of as little as 1-3% dried plums to the raw
meat block can help to retain moisture). Dried plums'
acidic profile, particularly malic acid (1.5-2%) along
with a high antioxidant content (ORAC 8770) fend off
the corrupting effects of bacteria and oxygen.
Dried plums naturally raise the value of
underutilized proteins
Beef value-added cuts are a recently developed line taken from the underutilized chuck and round. The
line consists of steaks and roasts that help meat processors, retailers and foodservice operators improve
overall profitability while supplying more options to their customers. They allow consumers to enjoy
more great tasting steaks and roasts that are easy to prepare and often moderately priced.
The top blade steak is a smaller cut from the top blade roast. Other names for the top blade steak include
lifter steak. Though a lowly chuck steak, lifter steak is tender enough to grill, broil, or pan-fry, as long as
it is marinated first. This is an economical and flavorful steak that is also great for making fajitas,
London broil or substitute for flank steak or skirt steak.
Marinating is a critical step to tenderizing lifter steaks, particularly if the marinade includes plum juice
concentrate and the lifter meat is vacuum tumbled. Plum juice concentrate is a USDA approved natural
flavor that when combined with other flavor system ingredients also helps to tenderize as well as bind
moisture all the way through cooking. Also important is the ability to shorten and simplify meat labeling
with natural ingredients with known consumer identities. When processed using this method, lifter steak
matches or exceeds that of flank steak and London broil. This same marinating and tumbling process can
also be used to raise the eating quality and value of select-grade beef cuts to equal that of choice-grade
beef.
Dried plums naturally raise the value of underutilized proteins. Texture,
flavor and consumer ingredient acceptance results from dried plums’
unique composition.
Labeled as “natural flavors”, the noncharacterizing flavor of dried plums helps to improve the savory taste of
proteins while rounding out the flavors of herbs and spices. Important
for meat processors is the natural water-binding abilities of dried plum
ingredients that when used in a vacuum tumbling process can add 12%
or more weight much of which is retained throughout the final cooking
process. The ability to control purge is also improved. And dried
plums’ natural antioxidants help to extend shelf life in fresh and frozen
meat formats.
Texas A&M Research
The California Dried Plum Board has conducted research on the use of
dried and fresh plum ingredients in meat products for a decade. A recent
Texas A&M research study published in the December 2008 issue of the
Journal of Meat Science on the use of dried plums and fresh plum juice
concentrate to treat whole muscle beef concluded:
“These results indicate that 2.5% fresh plum juice concentrate or dried
plum juice could be incorporated into precooked beef roasts to reduce
lipid oxidation and potentially, warmed-over flavor”. A copy of this and
other technical research can be found in the industrial section of the
California Dried Plum Board website www.californiadriedplums.org
A Master Chef Muses On Adding Dried Plums To Sausage Formulas
Chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt has over 40 years in the culinary field as past
Culinary Dean at The Culinary Institute of America, NY. Chef
Sonnenschmidt is part of a select group of less than 100 Certified Master
Chefs in America. Recently in updating the next edition of his cookbook
on sausage making Charcuterie, Chef Sonnenschmidt began using dried
plum powder in many of his recipes. His reaction: “The Dried Plum
Powder is excellent for making sausages either emulsified or ground. It
keeps the moisture and increases the volume of the product by at least a
quarter percent”.
A Dried And Fresh Plum Ingredient For Every Meat Application
California dried plums are available for virtually every meat application. Dried plum powders, purees,
pastes, juice concentrates, bits and pieces and of course whole fruit can be incorporated into most meat
products. Fresh plum juice concentrate and prune fiber powder are two recent additions to the library of
ingredients for meat use.
Plum Good News is published by the California Dried Plum Board. Further information on the use of
dried and fresh plums can be found at www.californiadriedplums.org and 800-729-5992