Beef tenderness: within longissimus thoracis et lumborum steak variation as affected by cooking method

The effects of cooking method on beef longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) tenderness and tenderness variation were investigated. Steaks from three tenderness categories (tender: shear force <68.7 N; moderate: 68.7 N < shear force <103 N; tough: shear force >103 N; 8 loins per category) from commercial loins were cooked to an internal temperature of 72 degrees C using a single-sided grill, a double-sided grill, or a water bath. Shear force was not affected by cooking method or core location. Regressing within-animal shear force SD versus within-animal shear force gave a significant positive correlation (R = 0.76; P < 0.001), indicating that shear force variation increases as toughness increases. Results indicate that more shear force measurements need to be taken for tough versus tender steaks if an equal repeatability of shear prediction is to be made, regardless of cooking method.