Effect of Comminution Method and Pressure on Restructured Beef Steaks

Restructured steaks were made using six methods of meat comminution: (a) sliced parallel, (b) sliced perpendicular to muscle fibers (2-mm thick slice), (c) flaked at -5 C, (d) flaked at -2.2 C, (e) flaked at 2.2 C and (f) ground through a 3.2-mm plate. Meat used was from cow inside rounds. After comminution, meat was stuffed into casings and pressed under pressure (200, 600 or 1,000 psi). The "logs" were then frozen, cut into steaks and evaluated for cooking characteristics and sensory attributes. Intact round steaks were used for controls. The amount of pressure used to form the restructured steaks had no effect (P>.05) on any of the cooking characteristics or sensory properties. Particle production method had no effect (P>.05) on cooking characteristics; however, tenderness, texture description and flavor desirability ratings were higher (P>.05) for flaked steaks as compared to the sliced or intact steaks.