Abstract:
The juiciness and flavour characteristics of 15 aged primal beef cuts of electrically stimulated carcasses,
from three different age groups, were assessed (n = 61). Cooking losses were determined and proximate
analyses (moisture, fat, nitrogen and ash) were performed. Tender cuts were cooked by a dry heat method,
and less tender cuts were cooked by moist heat methods. A trained panel (n=10) evaluated sensory quality
characteristics including initial and sustained juiciness, aroma and flavour. Flavour intensity was the
biggest discriminant between the three age groups and declined with an increase in age. Initial impression
of juiciness decreased with increased age of the animal and cooking losses increased nonlinear with age,
irrespective of the muscle. In contrast sustained juiciness increased with increased age. Cuts cooked
according to a dry heat cooking method were reported juicier (both initial and sustained) than those
cooked according to moist heat methods.
