GYG’s newest filling beefs up the menu

Most of us assume professional butchers cooking at home reach for the priciest cut in the cooler. And why wouldn’t they? They’re the kings of cut, the masters of meat. But if you ask them, most will say their meat of choice isn’t the one with the most dollar signs but with the most character. It’s that philosophy that led Guzman y Gomez (GYG) to launch its first new filling in five years: BBQ Beef Rib.

GYG director of culinary, Nate Appleman, was instrumental in developing the restaurant’s new filling. The James Beard Award-winning chef trained as a butcher in Italy, which informed his choice of cut.

“As a butcher, you learn that the hard-working cuts have the most flavour,” Appleman says. “Short rib is the cut a butcher takes home, and you’d normally find it on a restaurant menu. But while most ribs are on the fatty side, our cut has just enough marbling to keep it juicy and tender.”

Filling high expectations

The journey began two years ago when Appleman set out to find a new cut of beef to add to the GYG menu. For a brand that waited five years to add a filling, the bar was set high, and Appleman knew he had to meet the rigorous standards of GYG founder and co-CEO Steven Marks.

“We haven’t added a filling in five years because it had to be just right,” says Marks. “We started GYG 20 years ago to reinvent fast food, and this is the next chapter.”

Appleman agrees. “We don’t change the menu lightly. Anything new has to clear a very high bar on taste, craveability and whether it works on our line – beef rib had to prove all three.”

The payoff, he says, is a rich, slow-cooked beef with a charred crust and crisp edges, something entirely new for GYG guests. “One bite, and we knew it was the one,” he adds. “Deep, rich and juicy beef like this belongs in everything on our menu.”

Appleman’s choice was neither random nor hasty. It happens to carry a personal sentiment for him. “Beef rib is deeply Mexican to me,” he says. “Tacos de costilla are one of my favourite things to eat when I’m in Mexico. Since moving to Australia, I’ve learned that beef is king here, so it felt like the right filling at the right time.”

Salt first, then fire

The 100 per cent Australian beef is seasons in simplicity, allowing its authentic flavour to speak for itself. “We start with nothing but salt, because the beef is good enough to stand on its own,” says Appleman. “Then we build it up for five hours low and slow until it’s tender and then put into a hot pan in our restaurants for a golden, crisp-edged crust with Chipotle BBQ Sauce on top for a rich, smoky finish.”

BBQ Beef Rib is a filling, not a one-off dish, so it goes in everything on the lunch and dinner menu. “It’s rich and juicy enough to hold its own against guac, salsa and cheese, so it works in a burrito, a bowl, a taco, a quesadilla or a Caesar,” says Appleman. He says Chipotle BBQ Sauce comes standard on the rib, but it’s your call. With the sauce or straight up, the rib holds up both ways. “That’s the great thing about GYG’s menu, it’s customisable so you can have your favourites exactly how you want them.”

The chef’s own pick is the Cali Burrito, where tender BBQ Beef Rib and Chipotle BBQ Sauce intermingle with GYG’s chipotle seasoned fries, fresh guacamole and pico. “Since moving to Australia, I’ve become a BBQ Sauce convert,” he jokes. “I put it on my bacon and egg roll most mornings, so pairing it with the rib was a natural choice.”

Appleman says launching the new filling at such scale says a lot about GYG’s bold and ambitious trajectory: more innovation, more flavour and still fresh, clean food made to order. “Stay tuned, you’re going to love what’s coming!”

BBQ Beef Rib is on the menu now across all GYG restaurants nationally, on the GYG App and through Uber Eats. Visit gyg.com.au for more information