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> Home > Beef Flavor > Beef Flavor Preferences Study
Consumers Tell All: Beef & Flavor Preferences at HomeWhy do nine out of ten American households love serving beef?
Because it’s versatile, easy to prepare and provides pure, unparalleled eating pleasure. Beef’s flavor, aroma and appearance trigger a sense of well-being like no other meat.
The Praxi Group conducted a second wave of consumer research relative to the benchmark study conducted in 2002 by Shugoll Research. Both checkoff funded studies were telephone surveys with 1,000 U.S. adult beef eaters. The results of these studies will help you develop beef products, recipes and menus that match consumers’ preferences. Results were examined overall, as well as by demographics defined by race, gender, age and region.
Following are some of the study’s key findings:
Who's in the Kitchen?
- Women (79%) are more often the primary food preparer than men (38%).
- Hispanics and African Americans seem to enjoy cooking for family and friends more than other groups.
- Asian and Hispanics seem to have the most adventurous palates and enjoy trying new foods. However, Asians are more likely to experience them at restaurants rather than at home.
- African Americans love to try new foods and recipes more so than Whites.
- Women enjoy cooking for family and friends, watch cooking shows, and read magazines, newspapers or cookbooks for cooking tips more so than men.
Beef CravingsWhat Are We Eating? (Percent of consumers who ate this in the past week)
| Ground Beef |
79% |
| Steak |
64% |
| Beef Deli Products |
62% |
| Roasts |
29% |
| Sliced or Cubed Beef |
33% | Consumers say they are eating fewer roasts and sliced or cubed beef in 2005 versus the 2002 study. However, consumption of beef deli-style products have increased and ground beef and steak consumption is steady.
What’s Cooking?Preferred Methods for Preparing Steaks (Percent of all consumers)
| Grilled Outdoors |
79% (Higher for Whites, Hispanics and Consumers 18-34) |
| Oven Broiled |
30% (Higher for African Americans and Consumers 55 plus) |
| Skillet |
22% (Higher for Hispanics and Asians) |
| Indoor Grill (stovetop) |
8% |
| Tabletop Grill |
7% |
Preferred methods for Preparing Roasts (Percent of all consumers)
| Oven Roasted |
67% (Higher for consumers 34 plus) |
| Pot Roast |
46% (Higher for women and Whites) |
| Grilled |
7% |
Preferred Methods of Preparing Ground Beef (Percent of all consumers)*
| Burgers (outdoor grill) |
48% (Higher for consumers 35-54, Whites and men) |
| Burgers (skillet prepared) |
28% (Higher for consumers 18-34 and 55 plus) |
| Browned for Spaghetti Sauce |
18% (Higher for women) |
| Meatloaf |
16% (Higher for African Americans & consumers 55 plus) |
Browned for Pasta/Vegetables
(on the stovetop or in a casserole) |
17% (Higher for women) |
| Chili |
6% |
| Meatballs |
7% |
Browned with Seasonings
(including taco filling) |
9% |
| Burgers (tabletop grill) |
7% |
| Burgers (indoor grill/stovetop) |
7% |
| Soup |
4% |
Preferred Methods of Preparing Sliced or Cubed Beef (Percent of all consumers)
| Braised in Stew |
27% (Higher for consumers 55 plus) |
Cooked with Vegetables
for Fajitas/Stir-fries |
14% |
| Grilled Kabobs |
21% (Higher for Whites, Hispanics and consumers 18-34) |
| Soup/Chili |
11% |
Cooked in Gravy/Sauce
for Stroganoff/Tips & Gravy |
7% |
| Oven Casseroles |
7% |
Is it Done Yet?
- Consumers (52%) prefer burgers cooked well done.
- Consumers (49%) prefer their steaks medium rare to medium; 45% prefer their steaks medium well to well done.
- Roasts cooked to medium well or well done are preferred by 63% of all consumers.
- Consumers in the North Central and South prefer their beef more well done.
- African Americans and Hispanics opt for well done beef more than other groups.
- Women prefer their burgers cooked to a higher degree of doneness than men.
Spicing it UpWhile it’s no shock that onion and garlic rank as the top two flavors consumers prefer with beef, other flavors on these lists may surprise you. According to the USDA and the American Spice Trade Association, overall spice consumption in the U.S. has doubled in the last twenty years reflecting a greater desire for diverse and intense flavors. The percentages below reflect the number of consumers that “strongly like” these flavors with beef.
Some like it Hot
| Hot Pepper Sauce |
18% |
| Hot Chile Peppers |
18% |
Asian Appeal
| Teriyaki Sauce |
18% |
| Soy Sauce |
18% |
| Fresh Ginger |
8% |
| Wasabi |
4% |
From the Spice Rack
| Herbs (basil, thyme, cilantro, parsley) |
33% |
| Spices (curry, cumin, coriander) |
15% |
The Classics
| Onion |
58% |
| Garlic |
52% |
| Worcestershire Sauce |
26% |
| Lemon/Citrus Juices |
19% |
| Yellow Mustard |
14% |
| Balsamic & Other Vinegars |
12% |
| Dijon Mustard |
11% |
| Beer |
10% |
- Hispanics and Asians seem to have the most sophisticated palates, though they lean toward flavors from their native countries.
- Consumers from the South and West prefer the widest range of flavor enhancers.
More Flavor BoostersSauces and other ingredients have broader consumer appeal than the previously listed spices and flavorings. Here are some of the most popular. The percentages below reflect the number of consumers that “strongly like” these flavors with beef.
Cheese Please
| Sliced Cheeses (American, Cheddar, Swiss) |
48% |
| Grated Cheeses (Parmesan, Romano) |
39% |
| Crumbled Cheeses (blue, feta, goat) |
16% |
Sauce It
| Barbecue Sauce |
45% |
| Smoky/Hickory (31%) |
|
| Sweet (32%)* |
|
| Hot/Spicy (22%)** |
|
| Tangy/Vinegary (13%)*** |
|
| Mushroom Sauce |
43% |
| Tomato Sauce |
42% |
| Brown Gravy**** |
35% |
| Stir-Fry Sauce |
23% |
| Sour Cream Sauce (stroganoff)**** |
22% |
| Cream Gravy**** |
22% |
| Wine Sauce |
17% |
| Horseradish Sauce |
16% |
| Bourbon or Whiskey Sauce |
11% |
| Asian Peanut Sauce |
6% |
| * |
Preferred by Whites, women and those in the North Central and South |
| ** |
Preferred by consumers 18-34, Asians, Hispanics, African Americans and men |
| *** |
Preferred by Whites and consumers 55 plus |
| **** |
“Strongly Liked” by significantly fewer consumers in 2005 versus 2002 |
Pantry Raid
| Mushrooms |
43% |
| Bell Peppers |
32% |
| Mexican Salsa |
30% |
Global Food FavoritesThe trickle-down theory holds true when it comes to ethnic foods and flavors. Those with the broadest at-home appeal tend to be popularized first by restaurants. The top three are the predictable Italian, Mexican and Chinese. But offshoots of these favorite flavor families are gaining in popularity at a surprising rate. The percentages below reflect the number of consumers that “strongly like” these flavors.
| North American |
|
Central/South American |
|
| Local U.S. |
73% |
Mexican |
54% |
| Soul Food |
23% |
Other Central or South American |
19% |
| Mediterranean |
|
Other European |
|
| Italian |
61% |
German/Austrian |
17% |
| French |
18% |
Eastern European such as Polish/Hungarian |
13% |
| Greek |
18% |
|
|
| Middle Eastern |
10% |
|
|
| African (including Moroccan) |
8% |
|
|
| Asian |
|
| Chinese |
50% |
| Japanese |
26% |
| Thai |
19% |
| Indian |
11% |
| Vietnamese |
11% |
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