Fluid Content and Tenderness of Three Muscles of Beef Cooked to Three Internal Temperatures

Abstract

SUMMARYThe semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and the longissimus dorsi muscles were excised from a Good‐grade, and the longissimus dorsi from a Choicegrade, beef carcass, both of known history. Each muscle provided four roasts and samples adjacent to each roast for determination of total moisture in the raw meat and for tube‐cooking. The meat was oven‐cooked and tube‐cooked to internal temperatures of 140, 158, and 176°F (rare, medium, and well‐done).When the data were analyzed statistically, no difference in the distribution of fluid in longissimus dorsi was shown between Choice grade and Good grade, nor was there a demonstrable difference between left and right sides in the muscles tested.Total moisture content averaged 69.7, 64.7, and 60.3%, respectively, for 140, 158, and 176°F internal meat temperature, and mean press fluid as determined by the one‐minute method, was respectively 54.0, 45.2, and 36.4%.Bound water (not released by pressing but removed by vacuum oven drying) varied little when. related to dry matter in the meat at each stage of cooking: 21–22 g for each 30 g of dry matter at 140, 158, and 176°F. Total fluid content (press fluid plus hound water) was respectively 76.0, 70.5, and 64.1%.