BLADE TENDERIZATION OF FOUR MUSCLES FROM THREE WEIGHT‐GRADE GROUPS OF BEEF

Abstract

ABSTRACT Thirty sides of beef (ten each of Heavy‐Choice, Heavy‐Good and Light‐Good) were. aged for 5–7 days at 2°C. Semimembranosus, biceps femoris, gluteus medius and longissimus muscles were removed from each carcass. Control (untreated, Ox) steaks were removed from each muscle, the muscles were blade tenderized and appropriate steaks were removed for physical and organoleptic analyses. Beef from Light‐Good carcasses was not inferior to that from Heavy‐Good or Heavy‐Choice carcasses, rather it was statistically equivalent or superior to heavy beef in retention of weight during cooking, tenderness, juiciness and overall palatability. When weight‐grade groups were combined, blade tenderization one time (1x) decreased (P < 0.05) shear force for three of four muscles and resulted in longissimus muscles which were (P < 0.05) less juicy, lower in perceivable connective tissue, more tender and more mealy than untreated (0x) muscles, yet did not increase (P > 0.05) drip or cooking losses for any of the four muscles. Blade tenderization a second time (2x) resulted in further decreases (P < 0.05) in shear force for two of three muscles (combined weight‐grade groups) without affecting (P > 0.05) drip or cooking losses. Blade tenderization can improve beef tenderness without detrimental effects on other organoleptic characteristics or weight losses.