When you’ve ran a foodservice kitchen, even for just a day, you understand that ingredient versatility is essential to success. And it’s not just a second form of use. A truly valuable product should be able to be used in three or four (or more!) different ways across your menu.

That’s the key to efficiency when stocking a kitchen and building a menu. All it takes is revealing that versatility.

How? Look at Proteins from a New Angle

By thinking beyond the product description and traditional applications, you can unlock the full menu potential of your seemingly single-use proteins.

Here are some ways to do just that with four of our most popular—and most adaptable—globally inspired proteins: Beef Barbacoa, Chicken Carnitas, Chicken Tinga and Pork Carnitas.

1. Focus on the Core Format

Strip away their names and think about what your proteins really are. In doing this, you can start to see where they fit into other applications and even other day parts.

2. Play Off of the Main Flavor Profiles

As someone whose profession is in food, you know how to best play with flavor notes. And at the center of each of these proteins are prominent tastes that are ready to be focused on.

Beef Barbacoa: Garlic, Chili, Citrus

Beef barbacoa is traditionally a Mexican ingredient, but with core flavors of garlic, chili and citrus, this protein suddenly becomes applicable to cuisines like those of South America or West Africa.

Chicken Carnitas: Garlic, Citrus

While chicken carnitas are most familiar in tacos, the garlic and citrus flavors that anchor this protein allow it to be used in a multitude of other dishes, like Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches or Thai-style breakfast wraps.

Chicken Tinga: Tomato, Garlic, Chipotle Pepper, Onion

Chicken tinga shares similar flavors to some cuisines found around the Mediterranean, in southeast Asia and across the U.S.

Pork Carnitas: Citrus, Garlic

Similarly to chicken carnitas, the two-flavor lead of pork carnitas allow it to be used far beyond tacos and into applications like pastas, sandwiches and breakfast scrambles.

3. Think of Them with a New Name

Sometimes, renaming a product allows it to take on an entirely different, and versatile, personality.

Beef Barbacoa	⏵	“Southwest Pulled Beef” “Garlic Chili Pulled Beef” “Mexican Pulled Beef”
Chicken Carnitas	⏵	“Garlic-Citrus Pulled Chicken Thigh” “Southwest Shredded Chicken” “Citrusy Chicken Thigh”
Chicken Tinga	⏵	“Savory Pulled Chicken” “Tomato-Braised Shredded Chicken” “Savory Shredded Chicken”
Pork Carnitas	⏵	“Pulled Pork” “Citrus Pulled Pork” “Slow Cooked Pulled Pork”

4. Work With Their Complementary Flavors

One of the best parts of working in a kitchen is being able to pair this-with-that, test it, and introduce it to your guests. When expanding the use of these proteins, consider all of the flavors that they balance and enhance. Then go ahead and get creative!

Kickstart Your Inspiration with Some Menu Ideas