Ethnocuisineology- Caribbean Pork Fabrication Mohammed Riyadh1, Browne Dwight1, Singh Michele D., Avril Dean, Maharaj Rohanie1 and Mohammed Aphzal1 1 Department of Food Technology, University of Trinidad and Tobago, Caroni North Bank Road, Centeno. 2Department of Food Production, Faculty of Food and Agriculture, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine To observe the different types of cuts which are used in fabricating a boar carcass. To show that carcass fabrication has an impact on profitability and acceptability of the final product. Abstract Objectives Discussion Prices SOURCE: Sugarcane Feed Center Price list 2013 (other cuts are not available for sale) Example 1: Entire pig= Slaughter in Trinidad @ 120lbs Dressing percentage= 65% Meat weight= .65 X 120= 78lbs Feet would be sold @ TT$6.00 with a weight of 8lbs Caribbean Fabrication - 8lbs*TT$14.00= TT$112.00 European Fabrication - TT$48.00. Here fabrication allows the marketer to earn an additional TT$64.00. Fabrication is a process where a part of or a whole carcass is trimmed of excess fat and silver skin and cut into portions based on size, anatomical location and more significantly the specifications of the intended consumers. Pork is one of the most consumed meats in Trinidad and Tobago and this likeness expands to the other Caribbean islands as well. American and European methods of carcass fabrication produce cuts which fetch a higher price. In the Caribbean however, market demands differ slightly. In Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean, cultural preferences lead to a demand for more stew cuts than high quality cuts. This has led to the need to alter the fabricating process to allow maximum profits of producers and total consumer satisfaction for Caribbean markets. Pigs are normally slaughtered at 50kgs in Trinidad and Tobago. The average dressing percentage of a pig is 65-70%. The price per kg of fresh pork ranges from TT $7.50 to $TT 13.50 depending on its cut. The value of the pig carcass can be increased by an average of TT$300.00 depending on its size by its fabrication technique. Fabrication is a necessary process of value addition, however the market/consumers ultimately decide what method of fabrication should be employed if maximum profits are to be made. Pork Cuts Prices /lb Prices /kg SHOULDER TT$18.00 TT$39.60 RIBS TT$16.00 TT$35.20 MINCE TT$15.00 TT$33.00 STEW CUTS TT$14.00 TT$30.80 FEET TT$6.00 TT$13.20 Methodology A frozen carcass was used in the fabrication process The carcass was separated into the shoulder, the loin, the belly and the leg which were the 4 wholesale cuts. The shoulder was derived from separating between the 2nd and 3rd rib at a right angle to the back. Two fingers just below the H bone and four fingers on the tail bone were used to separate the leg. The loin was removed from the belly by cutting under the triangle at the shoulder end and run across the ribs. The shoulder was then separated into the picnic or arm and the butt, the back fat, arm roasts and the butt chops. The belly was divided but the ribs were removed in one cut. The loin was cut into pork chops such as blade portion, rib portion, center portion and tender loin area. The leg/ham was divided into 3 parts, the butt, the center and the shank and all the parts were cut into roasts. PIECES FROM THE SHOULDER, MOST OF THE RIBS, HOCKS AND TROTTERS WERE GATHERED ALL GATHERED PARTS WERE THEN CUT INTO 1''-1.5'' PIECES AND LABELLED AS STEW CUTS Introduction Curried Pork cubes This fresh pork market sells pork at an average of $18.00 per lb which is bought and converted into ethnic dishes, unique to the Caribbean. Curries and Stews require meat cut into small cubes, and this cut, despite its origin on the carcass, is sold at a standard price. Roughly 10,000 lbs of pork are imported annually (UNCOMTRADE, 2010) however, these USDA and English cuts of pork feed into the restaurant businesses. Hence the tourist dollar often leaves the country via food importation. Pork stew is the most preferred cut of pork, and all other prime cuts are broken down into stew for the local market. This presents a unique opportunity for low priced cuts like hock and shank to fetch the attractive price of stew. Stewed Pork cubes Traditional Stew pork, beans and rice Fabrication also allows the mince pork to be sold if fabricated into stew cut pieces because the demand for these pieces is the highest demand in the fresh market. Processed foods are not a major preference by the Caribbean people. The fabrication of the rib pieces would allow the ribs to be accepted faster when cut into 1” pieces than left alone which gives it a scanty look. The rib and stew cut pieces hold almost the same price and would fit in very well in the stew cut pieces. Conclusion Fabrication plays an important role in determining the profitability and satisfaction of the final product to customers. This process allows the pork to be marketed in the most economically viable and acceptable form to consumers. There are many methods of fabrication but it is the preference of the consumers that determines the acceptability of the cuts. It can be clearly seen that the demand for stew cut pieces are highly preferred by the Caribbean customers. Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge the advice, guidance and commitment of our mentors Mrs. Michelle Singh and Mr. Dean Avril for helping develop this poster. A special thanks to Ms. Kavita Sant and the Sugarcane Feed Center team for being so cooperative in carrying us through the fabrication process. Thanks also to the close friends who aided in the completion of this poster.