LOW-TEMPERATURE, LONG-TIME HEATING OF BOVINE MUSCLE 1. Changes in Tenderness, Water-Binding Capacity, pH and Amount of Water-Soluble Components

TL;DR: In this paper, the relationship between the tenderness of very slowly cooked meat and its waterholding capacity, pH and the amount of water-soluble components were studied, and the significance of the shrinkage of collagen in long-time, low-temperature cooking is considered.

Abstract: SUMMARY: Relationships between the tenderness of very slowly cooked meat and its waterholding capacity, pH and the amount of water-soluble components were studied. Beef muscle portions from the longissimus, semitendinosus and rectus femoris muscles were heated under fixed temperature programs with samples from each analyzed at 1-hr intervals between the 3rd and the 10th hr of heating. Weight losses after holding at the final temperature to the 24th hr were determined. During the first 4 hr of heating there were only minor changes in tenderness. The major decrease in shear values occurred between the 4th and 6th hr, when the meat was warming from 50-60°C. The weight losses increased rather linearly to the 7th hr and remained constant for the longissimus and the semitendinosus muscle. The pH values gradually increased during heating. During the first 3 hr of heating, up to 45°C, there was only a slight decrease in the amount of the water-soluble fraction. During the following 3 hr. from 45 to 58°C, the water-soluble fraction decreased more rapidly and the decrease was only slight during a following 4-hr holding period. After 6 hr of heating to 60°C there were still uncoagulated water-soluble proteins. These studies indicate that the final temperature of meat has great influence on tenderness and weight loss. The significance of the shrinkage of collagen in long-time, low-temperature cooking is considered.