Effect of cooking final temperature and cutting method on eating quality of pan-fried steak

Abstract: With the improvement of economy and people's living standard, ready-to-eat food gets the welcome of food industry and consumers. Pan-fried beef steak became more and more popular in China due to its high nutrition, good quality and convenient to cook. Beef steak in Chinese market had poor quality consistency, different sizes and shapes, and these were the reasons that beef steak cannot meet consumers' demand for high and consistent quality of beef steak products. Cooking final temperature, slice thickness and fiber direction are important factors to affect eating quality of beef steak. The aim of this paper is to study how cooking final temperature (45, 60, 72, 80, 90 and 100℃), slice thickness (2, 5, 10, 12.7 and 25.4 mm) and fiber direction (parallel and perpendicular) affect eating quality of pan-fried steak. Twelve Chinese Simmental bulls, of the same rearing condition, were selected from the same pasture. M. longissimus were excised from the left carcasses and used to study the effect of cooking final temperature, slice thickness and fiber direction on WBSF (Warner-Bratzler Shear Force), texture profile analysis (TPA) and sensory quality evaluation of steak. The results showed that cooking final temperature, slice thickness and fiber direction had significant effect on WBSF, cooking yield, TPA and sensory quality evaluation to some extent. As increasing cooking final temperature, WBSF, cooking loss, hardness and chewiness increased (P<0.05), but cooking loss value decreased (P<0.05). Initial tenderness, overall tenderness and juiciness were significantly decreased with cooking final temperature increased (P<0.05). Beef flavor and overall acceptability of cooking final temperature from 72 to 100℃ were significant higher than cooking final temperature from 45 to 60℃ (P<0.05). Slice thickness had significant effect on eating quality of pan-fried beef steak. The WBSF value increased with the increase of slice thickness (P<0.05). However, WBSF of per thickness (mm) decreased (P<0.05). Hardness and chewiness of 5 mm, 10 mm and 12.7 mm had no significant difference (P>0.05), but significant higher than that of 25.4 mm (P<0.05). Slice thickness had significant effect on overall tenderness (P<0.05), but had no effect on initial tenderness, juiciness, flavor and overall acceptability (P>0.05). Overall tenderness decreased with slice thickness increased. WBSF, WBSF of per thickness (mm), cooking loss, hardness and chewiness of parallel to fiber direction were significant lower than that of perpendicular to fiber direction (P<0.05). Fiber direction had significant effect on initial tenderness (P<0.05) and initial tenderness score of perpendicular to fiber direction was significant higher than that of parallel to fiber direction. However, slice thickness had no significant effect on juiciness, flavor and overall acceptability (P>0.05). Slice thickness and fiber direction had no significance effect on cooking loss and cooking yield (P>0.05). In conclusion, cooking final temperature, slice thickness and fiber direction had significant effect on eating quality of pan-fried steak. In order to satisfy the needs of consumers, beef industry and consumers should pay attention to cooking final temperature, slice thickness and fiber direction and the suggested technical parameters are 80℃ (cooking final temperature), 10 mm thickness (slice thickness) and perpendicular to fiber direction (fiber direction).