ABSTRACTStrip loins and eye of rounds from 16 beef carcasses were used to study the effects of electrical stimulation (ES), no stimulation (NS), hot‐boning (HB), and cold‐boning (CB) on bacteriological and shelf‐life evaluations. Following 7 days of vacuum‐packaged storage, coliform counts were higher in the drip fluid from strip loins and lean surfaces of eye of rounds from ES compared to NS carcasses. A major advantage for HB in this study was the additional time required in retail display before the occurrence of lean surface discoloration. A previously identified benefit of lighter lean color with ES beef in carcass and primal cut form was also found in this study during display of retail cuts.