Ground Round Introduces Gorgonzola Flat Iron Steak

The Beef Checkoff Program is boosting beef offerings at casual dining and quick-service restaurants by teaming with Ground Round Grill & Bar® to introduce a Stacked Gorgonzola Steak made with the new Flat Iron steak.  Through funding from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and state beef councils, NCBA has carved out a unique promotional effort with Ground Round restaurants that paves the way for restaurants to begin promoting New Value Cuts from the chuck and round.

Ground Round began introducing its Stacked Gorgonzola Steak at its 140 restaurants on Sept. 22.  In a special offer, consumers can order a juicy 8-ounce Flat Iron Steak topped with gorgonzola cheese, crispy onion strings and drizzled with raspberry balsamic vinaigrette.  The steak is stacked on bacon-parmesan potato pancakes and served with seasonal vegetables and garlic bread sticks.  The meal is being offered for $8.99 through Jan. 6.  The Beef Check logo will appear on all promotional materials featuring the Stacked Gorgonzola Steak.

“Ground Round is offering a great product at an even better value and we’re excited to offer our endorsement,” says Sid Sumner, beef producer from Bartow, Fla., and chairman of the beef industry’s Joint Foodservice Committee.  “One of the beef industry’s goals is to increase beef offerings at casual dining and quick-service restaurants.  Through this promotion, the beef industry’s checkoff investment is helping provide a new product to consumers that can offer incremental sales opportunities for beef.”

The Flat Iron steak was developed with beef producer checkoff dollars through its muscle profiling study.  Cut from the shoulder clod -- an underutilized cut from the beef carcass -- the Flat Iron is a tender and lean steak that can be offered at a lower price than most premium steak cuts.

“We have always offered an interesting selection of good food and drink that won’t break the bank and we’re proud to offer the Flat Iron steak on our menu,” says Ken Roffe, executive vice president of marketing for the Ground Round Grill & Bar.  “We think our joint promotion with the U.S. beef industry will help convince beef lovers everywhere that this is a quality steak they’ve got to try.”

Ground Round Grill & Bar operates more than 100 restaurants across the United States and Canada.  More information about locations can be found on the Web at www.groundround.com.