Improving Upon Perfection

Improving Upon Perfection
W
hen you start with quality USDA choice native beef from a select
purveyor like Davis Creeks, use top secret specs, time-tested aging
techniques, and top it all off with melted garlic butter you’ve got
the perfect sirloin. Right? Not if you’re the Brann brothers of Brann’s
Steakhouse and Sports Grille. Tom, Mike, and Johnny Brann, as well as
partner Tom Doyle, never stop searching for better ways to serve their
customers. It’s in their genes.
It all started in 1960 when John Brann, Sr. opened the first John Brann’s
Steakhouse in Grand Rapids, MI. This is where the famous 8 oz. “Sizzling
Sirloin” made its name. And the concept of a family restaurant, serving great
tasting steaks at affordable prices, caught on. Soon John Brann, Sr. was serving
800 to 1,000 meals on a Saturday night. Expansion was imminent. Today the
restaurant chain has 10 different locations across Michigan. Their success is built upon
a drive to improve.
The Tumbler opens up the pores of the meat,
slightly tenderizing and infusing the flavorings.
A
dding more flavor to their already popular “Sizzling Sirloins” was a
challenge. Brann’s originally tried using a tumbler at their supplier
who then packaged the meat as an additional step. The taste was
off-flavor; the experiment a failure. Determined to succeed, Tom and
Mike Brann started testing a Hollymatic HVT 30 Vacuum Tumbler right on
premise in their kitchen. The Hollymatic machine takes up very little space
on the counter and is easy to operate. Using butter, special seasonings, and
water, Brann’s Steakhouse developed a recipe that worked exceptionally
well with the HVT 30. The Tumbler opens up the pores of the meat, slightly
tenderizing and infusing the flavorings. Because the process takes place right
at the restaurant, there is no need for special packaging. The steaks go straight
from Tumbler to grill for a fresher approach.
Mike worked closely on the front lines, monitoring testing for 2 months. “With
the Hollymatic Vacuum Tumbler, we found that the steaks hold juices better, cook better on
the grill, don’t shrink up as much so we get better yields… and our customers have taken notice,” says Mike. “We tumble for
15 minutes. That’s all it takes. All 10 of our restaurants are now equipped with Hollymatic Tumblers. This piece of equipment
guarantees consistent flavoring, too, for every single steak we serve.”
Brann’s Steakhouse and Sports Grille takes their “Sizzling Steaks” very seriously, as they should. The steak entrée
represents 43% of their overall sales. Anything they can do to enhance its popularity is considered. President Tom Brann says,
“The restaurant business, as everyone knows, is tough. To add another cost to our operations - well, we wouldn’t do it if we
didn’t see a value in it. Adding Hollymatic’s Vacuum Tumblers to our operations was well worth the investment. The steaks
are incredibly delicious.” He closes by saying, “Sometimes it’s not about saving money. It’s about putting a better product on
the table. And that’s what we believe in at Brann’s Steakhouse and Sports Grille.”
708-579-3700
www.hollymatic.com