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