Elsevier

Meat Science

Volume 65, Issue 3, November 2003, Pages 985-992
Meat Science

Assessment of the chemical and cooking properties of the major beef muscles and muscle groups

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0309-1740(02)00308-XGet rights and content

Abstract

Thirty-three muscles or muscle groups were separated from 25 Canada AA beef carcasses. Each of these muscles and muscle groups was subsampled, and the contents of moisture, fat, soluble hydroxyproline, insoluble hydroxyproline, and total hydroxyproline were determined. In addition, a 1-kg roast from each muscle or muscle group was used to determine thaw-drip losses, cooking times, and total cooking losses. Cooking times ranged from 51.0 to 111.3 min/kg (S.E.=2.90). Thaw-drip losses ranged from 1.26 to 10.05% (S.E.=0.40). Total cooking losses ranged from 21.51 to 33.26% (S.E.=0.70). Moisture content ranged from 666.4 to 761.8 mg/g (S.E.=0.23). Fat content ranged from less than 30 to 118.7 mg/g (S.E.=0.25). The amount of total hydroxyproline on a dry, defatted basis ranged from 17.8 to 117.4 μMol/g (S.E.=2.24). Insoluble hydroxyproline ranged from 15.2 to 101.9 μMol/g, (S.E.=1.70), and soluble hydroxyproline ranged from 2.1 to 30.9 μMol/g (S.E.=0.78). Percent soluble hydroxyproline ranged from less than 10 to more than 30% (S.E.=0.79). Such wide variation in cooking and chemical properties undoubtedly has a considerable impact on the palatability attributes and consumer acceptance of beef. However, greater understanding of the chemical composition of muscle will provide a basis for the development of technologies to enhance the palatability of individual muscles and muscles groups.

Introduction

Both the chemical composition and the cooking properties of muscles exert important influences on beef palatability and consumer acceptance (Jeremiah, 1978). Previous reports have demonstrated muscles in the beef forequarter to be extremely variable (Johnson, Chen, Muller, Costello, Romans, & Jones, 1988), and beef muscles to differ considerably in weight (Ramsbottom & Strandine, 1948, Strandine et al.,1949), pH (Briskey et al., 1960, Hunt & Hendrick, 1977, Ramsbottom & Strandine, 1948, Strandine et al.,1949), moisture retention (Briskey et al., 1960, Hunt & Hendrick, 1977, Swift & Bauman, 1959), expressible juice (Briskey et al., 1960), and cooking losses (Cecchi et al., 1988, Crouse et al., 1985, Kinsman, 1961, Paul & Bratzler, 1955, Paul & McLean, 1946). Other reports have indicated muscles differ in protein (Strandine et al.,1949, Swift & Bauman, 1959), fat (Hunt & Hendrick, 1977, McKeith et al., 1985, Ramsbottom & Strandine, 1948, Strandine et al.,1949, Swift & Bauman, 1959), moisture (Briskey et al., 1960, Hunt & Hendrick, 1977, Ramsbottom & Strandine, 1948, Strandine et al.,1949, Swift & Bauman, 1959), connective tissue (Joseph & Connoly, 1979, Prost et al., 1975, Ritchey & Hostetler, 1964); collagen (Burson & Hunt, 1986, Cecchi et al., 1988, Cover et al., 1962, McKeith et al., 1985, Mitchell et al., 1929, Ritchey & Hostetler, 1964, Ritchey et al., 1963, Wheeler et al., 2000), and elastin (Bendall, 1967, Hiner et al., 1955) content. Muscles have also been shown to differ in fasiculi size and arrangement (Strandine et al., 1949), collagen and elastin fiber size and arrangement (Paul et al., 1970, Strandine et al.,1949) and collagen solubility (Herring, Cassens, & Briskey, 1967).

The present study was designed to evaluate the cooking and chemical attributes of the major beef muscles and muscle groups and to examine the interrelationships between these properties.

Section snippets

Cooking properties

Twenty-five Canada AA (yield grade 2) beef carcasses were obtained from a local abattoir and separated into 33 different muscles or muscle groups (Table 1). Muscles and muscle groups from both sides of each carcass were obtained. Roasts (approximately 1 kg) were removed from each muscle or muscle group, from alternate carcass sides, except where muscles from both sides were required to provide a roast weighing approximately 1 kg. Roasts or portions of roasts were removed either from the

Cooking properties

Cooking times ranged from 51.0 to 111.3 min/kg (Fig. 1). The blade eye, neck, and sirloin tip eye required the shortest cooking times (51.0, 52.9, and 55.3 min/kg, respectively), and the eye of round, cross rib cap, chuck tender, and exterior cap (vastus lateralis) required the longest cooking times (104.4, 110.6, 110.8, and 111.3 min/kg, respectively).

Thaw-drip losses ranged from 1.26 to 10.05% (Fig. 2). The rib fingers, shank meat, flank steak, and rib-eye cap sustained the lowest thaw-drip

Discussion

Variation in cooking and palatability attributes among muscles, often within the same cut, has contributed to the inability of the beef industry to supply consumers with consistent product quality. As a result several previous reports have indicated beef muscles should be merchandised as individual muscles (Johnson et al., 1988, McKeith et al., 1985, Ramsbottom & Strandine, 1948). However, to date the cooking and chemical attributes of the major muscles and muscle groups of the modern beef

Conclusion

Present results clearly demonstrate relationships between chemical composition and cooking properties, and indicate beef muscles and muscle groups vary considerably in their cooking, chemical, and connective tissue properties. This variation undoubtedly influences both their palatability attributes and consumer acceptance. The extent of this influence will be the topic of subsequent manuscripts.

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Beef Information Centre and Beef Industry Development Fund for their financial support, the meat cutting staff of the Lacombe Meat Research Centre for their skillful separation of muscles and muscle groups, to Dave Best, Fran Costello, Ivy Larsen, Rhona Thacker, and Debbie Olsen for their technical assistance, to Loreen Roberts for administering project funds, and to Loree Verquin and Roberta Galenzoski for typing the manuscript.

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