External Fat Cover Influence on Raw and Cooked Beef 2. Cooking Time, Losses, Press Fluid and Shear Force Values

Abstract

SUMMARY: The semitendinosus muscle was used in a study of the influence of the external fat cover and the oven temperature on the characteristics of cooked beef. Roasts were cooked either with or without the external fat cover to an internal temperature of 58°C (rare). Two oven temperatures, 163° or 218°C, were used. The roasts cooked at 218°C required a shorter time in the oven than did the roasts cooked at 163°C but the presence or absence of the external fat cover had very little effect on the min per lb. Roasting at an oven temperature of 218°C caused significantly greater total cooking losses than roasting at 163°C. The cooking losses were increased significantly by cooking the roasts with the fat cover on, as compared with removing the external fat The increase was mainly due to an increase in the drip losses. The presence or absence of the external fat cover had a significant influence on the quantity of press fluid obtained from the samples. A greater amount of fluid was pressed from the roasts without the fat cover. The posterior ends of the muscle were more tender (as indicated by Warner Bratzler shear force values) than the anteriomr ends. The lower oven temperature also caused significantly more tender roasts.