CUTTING YIELDS AND PALATABILITY TRAITS OF HAND‐CUT OR PRESSED‐CLEAVED, AND FRESH, CRUST‐FROZEN OR FROZEN‐TEMPERED BEEF SUBPRIMALS

Abstract

ABSTRACTBeef carcasses of similar grade characteristics provided 15 pairs each of strip loins, top sirloin butts and tenderloins. Subprimals were prepared according to Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS) for boneless cuts, vacuum packaged, stored for 13 days at ‐1°C and then trimmed to steak‐ready form. Trimmed subprimal cuts were assigned to one of three treatment groups: (I) fresh (not frozen), hand‐cut; (II) crust‐frozen (2.33 hr at ‐34°C, 0.75 hr at ‐1°C), pressed‐cleaved; and (III) frozen (8hr at ‐34°C), tempered (24 hr at ‐l°C), pressed‐cleaved. Percentage yield of salable cuts from pressed‐cleaved subprimals (Treatments II and III) was significantly higher than that for hand‐cut subprimals (Treatment I). Few differences in thawing‐cooking characteristics were observed among steaks from the three treatments. Treatment had no (P > 0.05) effect on sensory panel ratings for longissimus, biceps femoris or psoas major muscles but gluteus medius muscles from Treatment III were less tender (P < 0.05) than those from Treatment 11 and more tender (P < 0.05) than those from Treatment I. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in shear force values in 20 of 21 comparisons. Beef loin subprimals can be hand‐cut or pressed‐cleaved in fresh, crust‐frozen, or frozen‐tempered form with little or no differences in cooking or palatability traits among steaks.