Grand Champion Meats Maintain Champion Status

We are proud to share the news; for the second consecutive year, Grand Champion Meats
been announced as the recipients of the Grand Champion award! The award was given out at
the 75th Annual Minnesota Meat Processors Convention put on by the Minnesota Association of
Meat Processors (MAMP) that was held in St. Cloud March 13-14th. The MAMP is a network of
Minnesota companies with an interest in the meat industry. The MAMP network is “designed to
aid in new technology development, further education, and maintain viability of the meat industry as a whole."

Grand Champion Meats has won the Reserve Grand Champion 2015 award for Uncooked
Fresh Pork Sausage Item and for Cooked Summer Sausage. The 2015 Grand Champion award
was for our Wieners and Cooked Non-Fermented Summer Sausage.

Another proud award recipient is our very own Teri Jo Parker! Teri has captured the gold for the
second year in a row by placing 1st for the Innovative Pork award. This award is judged upon its
appearance, edibility/flavor, and creativity/marketability. Teri did excellent in all three areas and
we are delighted and take great pride in our employees like Teri.

Additionally, our Crosslake location is now open for the season and is ready to serve you! Stop
by for the same award winning flavors. While you’re at it, grab yourself some free samples!
Crosslake is currently open Thursday through Sunday, however, beginning May 11, 2015 the
store will be open seven days a week! So be ready to fire up the grills and let the smell of fresh
cooked beef fill the air!

For more information, visit our website at http://grandchampionmeats.com/.

Meat Safety

Ah, summer. Cookouts, picnics, coolers loaded with food...and food poisoning.

Alright, so that last one doesn’t exactly belong on a list when it comes to summertime nostalgia...but it can inadvertently become part of your adventures without proper caution.

According to some recent US Government statistics, about one out of every six people will experience some type of food-borne illness this year - and many of these people will suffer food poisoning as a result of spoiled meat products.

It’s easy to see why; your steaks, chicken breasts and seafood are highly sensitive to the elements, making them premier hosts for harmful organisms like e. coli, salmonella, and the parasite listeria.

So, when you arrive home with your future dinner menu ingredients, there are some things to keep in mind.

STAY CLEAN. Even fresh raw meat is teeming with organisms, which of course will disappear once properly cooked. In the meantime, as you prepare your meal, wash your hands and food prep zones with hot water and antibacterial soap frequently.

STAY ORGANIZED. Food prep can be chaotic, especially when you’re cooking for lots of people, but make sure throughout the process that you keep items separate from one another.  Without paying attention to this, it can be all too easy for your raw meats to come into contact with surfaces near veggies and other ingredients. Make sure those not-yet-cooked items don’t encounter your fresh vegetables.

STAY COOL. This one is tough during these warm months, but it’s critical if you want to avoid poisoning yourself. Food parasites multiply at breakneck speed during warm weather, and they’ll be a lot harder to kill after that. If you’re still getting the grill fired up, or haven’t decided how to marinate your steaks, store them away in the refrigerator.

HEAT PROPERLY. Never pull your meat items off the grill or out of the oven until they’ve reached their proper bacteria-killing temperatures. Check out this helpful guide with proper temps for heating, thawing and more.

BUY QUALITY. Many people like to buy their meat products in frozen form if they’re not sure when they’ll be cooking them. This is completely acceptable, but refer back to that handy guide when it comes to thawing methods. When it comes to your fresh meat products, place your trust in a quality market; you can rest assured your dinner has been freshly prepared and, if you follow the above guidelines, not liable to make you sick!

From all of us here at Grand Champion Meats, have a fun and safe summer grilling season!

Grilling Time - Tips for Buying a Grill

Tis the season for swimming pools, yard games...and a really awesome grilled burger. 

If you’re looking forward to cooking outside this summer, count yourself in the majority. A 2013 study conducted by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) found 80% of all U.S. households own some type of grill. 97% of those grill owners actually used their grill in the past year, and about 14 million new grills were shipped in 2013 alone.

For some, a simple charcoal grill is the ticket. Others prefer the ease and convenience of gas or electric.

Whatever your preference, if you’re in the market for a grill, there are certain things to always keep in mind; after all, a grill, like any other larger purchase, is an investment - and you don’t want to have to replace it mid-summer!

So, if you’re planning a grill shopping outing, here are a few things we suggest keeping in mind as you go on that quest. 

GET THE RIGHT KIND. 

This one seems like a no-brainer, but really - think about what you’re going to be using your grill to accomplish. Are you thinking small, immediate family cookouts once in a while? Or are you inviting the whole neighborhood over for a BBQ blowout? Are you a devotee of charcoal, or are you open to gas or electric? Lowe’s actually has this nifty, quick guide to selecting the right kind of grill - scope it out and get a feel for what’s on the market right now.

WHAT ARE YOU GRILLING?

Once you’ve honed in on what fuel source and size you’re interested in, think about what you’ll be grilling. This will also affect your decision. Different grills heat to different temperatures - and thrive at those temperatures - so take inventory of what you’ll be grilling most and buy accordingly. 

WIGGLE TEST

So the grill looks nice, and it’s the right size. So now it’s time for the wiggle test. 
While in the store, gently move it around and rock it back and forth to gauge how study it is. A structurally compromised grill will almost definitely wiggle. If it’s this unsound in the store, it probably won’t hold up on your patio or in your backyard. 

CHECK OUT CONSUMER REPORTS

Not all grilling apparati are created equal, so product reviews are a great place to start. Consumer Reports offers this glance at gas grills, which are perennially popular - and usually cost a pretty penny. Research is key!

Are you grill shopping? Any idea what kind you’re getting? Leave us a comment and tell us about your favorite cookout device!

Grand Champion Meats Wins Big at State Competition

Grand Champion Meats is proud to share the news; they earned a handful of high honors at this year’s Minnesota Association of Meat Processors (MAMP) convention, held in St. Cloud. 

Back Row: Nic Fairbanks, Liz Stang, Bernie Latterell, Jone Jonas, Alyssa Stewart, Jerry Gall
Front Row: Lori Julson, Kelly Gall, Valerie Kloss, Kayla Hoffman, Deb Heirigs, Teri Parker
Not Pictured: Linda Gall, Tony Washa, Tom Kampa, Dave McKenzie, Lance Jeppesen, Sherry Erickson, James Evans, Cody Talberg, Jeff Kollar, Katie Jacobson, Aaron Stauffenecker, David Orton

Surrounded by hundreds of other meat processors and industry experts, Grand Champion’s Kelly Gall Washa (the president of MAMP) and Tony Washa, along with Jerry and Linda Gall, took in three days of discussions and seminars covering new equipment, trends and topics, and brainstormed on issues within the meat industry. 

Grand Champion Meats also joined in this year’s MAMP Product show - and came away with some awards. Winners included summer sausage, Grand Champion wieners, buffalo blue cheese chicken brats, and braunschweiger. 

In honor of the winning products, Grand Champion Meats will be offering specials through the remainder of April. They also invite you to stop by their Foley store to try free samples of each. 

Teri Jo Parker

Also honored at the conference: Teri Jo Parker & James Evans of Grand Champion Meats. Their combined efforts won First Place for the Innovative Pork Contest with their “Capone Pork Roll.” This champion concoction is a pork shoulder, stuffed with hot italian pork sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, black olives and mushrooms. This category, judged by the Minnesota Pork Board, rated creations based on appearance and workmanship, desirable flavor and texture, as well as creativity and marketability.

Kelly says she’s grateful to the entire team at Grand Champion Meats for their contributions and efforts in helping to produce this year’s award winning products, as well as all of the other processors who participated.

On deck - a trip for Kelly & Tony to the 75th Annual American Convention of Meat Processors and Suppliers Exhibition in Milwaukee in June.  Grand Champion Meats will be entering products into the American Cured Meat Championships (ACMC) to be judged against other products from across the country; they’re hoping to return with the coveted American Cured Meat Championship Plaque.

And finally, the team at Grand Champion Meats reminds you that their Crosslake store will be opening April 28th. This new Brainerd Lakes presence will provide the very same beef and pork, sausages, smoked products, chicken and seafood that are beloved in Foley.  Come see us!