New York City may seem like a world away from the quiet rural towns and remote ranches that dot the South Dakota prairie, but the cattle industry had a chance to showcase beef to a group of New York City women.

The South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC) recently teamed up with the New York Beef Industry Council to host the first "Grrls Beef Camp" event on Oct. 28 at the Astor Center in Manhattan, NY.

Utilizing beef checkoff dollars, Grrls Beef Camp offered the women in attendance a chance to have a hands-on educational experience dedicated to buying, cutting, preparing and eating beef. Attendees included representatives from the food industry including retail supermarkets, butcher shops, foodie bloggers, culinary students and restaurant operators.

"Grrls Beef Camp was a great opportunity to educate individuals who have a major influence on beef demand," said Briana Burgers, SDBIC nutrition assistant and director of online communications. "From culinary students to food bloggers, we are aware of the significant impact they make in the beef industry."

Kari Underly, master butcher, founder of Range, Inc., and author of the James Beard nominated book "The Art of Beef Cutting," led the Grrls Beef Camp, demonstrating how to cut beef top sirloin and ribeye subprimals into Beef Alternative Merchandising Cuts (BAM Cuts). 

A beef cooking challenge was held at the workshop led by Chef Melissa Doney Sheridan, CEC at ShopRite Supermarkets featuring recipes from www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com. 

"Helping consumers become more comfortable with beef, from purchasing to preparing, is one of our top priorities," added Burgers, who writes on her own blog, "The Beauty In The Beef," for SDBIC at briburgers.wordpress.com.

On her blog, Burgers shares her passion for food, health and well-being, while spreading the message of the benefits of lean beef in the diet in easy and delicious ways. Recent recipes on her blog include "Asian Beef & Veggies," "Welcome Home Pot Roast," and "Mama Mia Pizza Meatballs."

To learn more about your beef checkoff investment, visit www.sdbeef.org.

Source: South Dakota Beef Industry Council