Meat Tenderness - Meat Science (2024)

FAQs

Meat Tenderness - Meat Science? ›

Meat tenderness is a complex attribute influenced by many structural and metabolic factors, mainly connective tissue concentration, final pH, muscle contraction during rigor mortis, and probably the most important, activity of proteolytic enzymes, calpains and cathepsins (Kusec et al., 2016).

These amino acids can be broken down in a few different ways. The most common way to break those bonds is to apply physical force, either through a meat mallet or an electric meat tenderizer. The physical force will break down these bonds between the amino acids, resulting in the meat becoming softer over time.

Meat tenderness basically depends on three main components: (1) the degree of contraction of the sarcomere or “sarcomere length”, (2) the extent of integrity/degradation of the structural myofibrillar proteins (proteolysis), and (3) the connective tissue content/composition (Koohmaraie et al., 2002).

Many factors influence meat tenderness. The most important factors are genetics, age of the animal, location of the cut on the carcass, processing, method of cooking, and degree of <loneness.

Collagen, a connective tissue, helps hold the muscle fibers in meat together. When cooked in the presence of moisture, collagen dissolves into gelatin, which allows the meat fibers to separate more easily. This is the essence of tenderizing tough cuts of meat.

Meat tenderness depends on three main factors: (1) the degree of contraction of muscle sarcomeres, (2) the integrity/degradation of the myofibrillar structure and (3) the connective tissue content (“background toughness”) (Koohmaraie et al., 2002; Sentandreu et al., 2002).

A meat tenderizer is designed to break down the bonds between the collagen proteins, which causes the meat to soften.

Bromelain is used for meat tenderization, and freeze-dried bromelain powder was reported to improve the tenderness and nutritive value of tough beef by decreasing shear force and increasing amino acid content in the treated meat [65]. Bromelain enzymatic activity and performance are affected by pH and temperature.

It's All About What The Muscles Do

The most tender cut of beef is the aptly named tenderloin, which comes from the cow's back, where the muscles move very little. On the other hand, beef cheeks are quite tough because cows spend so much time chewing cud.

Cut It Across the Grain

Cutting meat "across the grain" simply means cutting crosswise through the long muscle fibers in the meat. Breaking them up makes the meat more tender. So when you're carving a steak for serving, take note of which way the muscle fibers are running and cut across them.

What component makes meat more tender? ›

The fewer muscles that develop in the area and the less collagen that can built up in the muscles, the more tender the meat will be. That's why meat that comes from cuts such as the short loin is much more desirable.

Tenderness is mainly affected by amount and solubility of connective tissue, composition and contractile state of muscle fibers, and proteolysis extent of rigor muscle (Joo et al., 2013). Intramuscular fat (IMF) content can also indirectly affect meat tenderness.

Collagen is one of those muscle fibers and as animals age these fibers become stronger, more stable, and break down less as meat is cooked. Therefore, meat from older animals is less tender meat than younger animals. Collagen fibers also react to differences in animal growth rates, nutrition and genetics.

Meat tenderisers act by breaking apart the amino acids. Marinades designed to tenderise meat usually contain acids or enzymes. An individual skeletal muscle may be made up of hundreds or even thousands of muscle fibres bundled together and wrapped in a connective tissue covering.

Add an Acidic Marinate

Everyone loves a great marinade to add flavor to chicken, steak, or fish, but did you know it can also help tenderize the meat? Use an acid-based food, like lemon or lime juice, over meat. Only keep this marinade on for two hours because too much time can make the meat too mushy.

Baking Soda is an Easy Meat Tenderizer

Just as it can be in so many other areas of your life, baking soda is a vital tool that can help bring each meal to life. Use baking soda if you want your friends to give their compliments to the chef.

Meanwhile tenderization is a continuous process from the birth of the animal and running through the consumption stage. The related primary mechanisms are protein degradation and protein oxidation. In fact, the protein constituents in muscle fiber are the target components of protease enzymes.

From a scientific point of view, the marination process breaks down the collagen and elastin found in meat and turns it into gelatin, tenderizing the meat and adding flavor. There are two types of marination: acidic and enzymatic.