Author
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Berry, Bradford |
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George, Marnie |
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Submitted to: Journal of Foodservice Systems
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/11/1994 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Consumer concerns regarding dietary consumption of fat have led to increased marketing of lower Quality Grade (less fat) beef. Generally, lower Quality Grade beef is less tender, juicy and flavorful than beef with more fat. Restaurants like to employ fast cooking procedures to enhance eating quality and rapidly provide dinners to consumers. Our previous studies showed rapid cooking of low-fat steaks produced improvements in tenderness, but more variation in degree of doneness than slower research methods of cooking. This present study was designed to determine the effects of various high temperature cooking procedures on eating and cooking properties of low-fat beef loin steaks. High temperature grilling improved tenderness and juiciness with less cooking loss than high temperature combination broiling and grilling. Combination broiler- grilling, because of its much higher temperature (375 deg F) one-half inch above the grill surface, permitted steaks to be cooked in approximately 16 minutes compared to 29 minutes for steaks cooked by grilling. In spite of the shorter cooking, broiler grilled steaks appeared more well-done along with being less palatable. While rapid high temperature cooking can improve eating quality of low-fat steaks, if cooking temperature become too high, reduced tenderness and juiciness can result. Optimum temperature conditions to produce maximum eating quality in low-fat steaks must still be determined. Technical Abstract: Beef loins from 12 carcasses of Small minus marbling and 12 carcasses of Slight minus marbling were used in the study. Steaks were cooked to 67 deg C by either simultaneous broiler-grilling or by grilling alone. Temperature settings during cooking of 204 or 232 deg C were used in each cooking system. Broiler-grilled steaks took less time to reach 67 deg C, but also had more cooking loss and a more well-done appearance. These results were undoubtedly influenced by the higher cooking temperature around steaks subjected to broiler-grilling compared to grilling, regardless of temperature setting. Steaks cooked by grilling were more tender by both sensory and shear force measurements compared to steaks cooked by broiler-grilling. Grilling produced higher juiciness scores than broiler-grilling, but only at the 232 deg C setting. Higher sensory ratings for tenderness were found for Small minus steaks compared to Slight tminus steaks. Temperature control settings did not influence cooked steak properties. While both systems of cooking appear suitable for producing acceptable eating quality in steaks of low marbling, the grilling approach seems preferable. Grilling, probably because of its slower cooking time, provides advantages in tenderness, juiciness and cooking yield with perhaps a more uniform and consistent cooking rate. |
