Victor Forge
Steak is a primal cut of beef, and at its simplest, it is muscle from a cow. Muscles are made of bundles of cells called fibres, and these fibres are made up of proteins. The role of muscle is to expand and contract, requiring a lot of energy, which comes from oxygen via blood circulation in the arteries. When an animal is slaughtered, the arteries and veins are drained of blood, which is why there is liquid and protein on your plate, not blood. The position of the muscle and the way it is used largely dictate the preparation options for the meat cut. For example, the mid-section of the animal does the least amount of work, so it produces the most tender cuts, which are best grilled quickly to no more than medium-rare. On the other hand, the round muscles are best for slow roasting, stewing, or grinding.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Steak is a primal cut of beef, which is muscle from a cow. |
| Composition | Skeletal muscle consists of muscle fibres and connective and adipose tissues. |
| Toughness | Beef has a higher basic toughness than pork or poultry. Toughness is determined by the proportion, distribution, and nature of the intramuscular connective tissue. |
| Tenderness | Tenderness is influenced by the animal's muscle structure, sex, age, breed, and slaughter stress. |
| Preparation | The preparation options depend on the position and use of the muscle. Tougher cuts with strong muscles are best for slow roasting, stewing, or grinding. Tender cuts from the mid-section are best grilled or pan-fried quickly to rare or medium-rare. |
| Temperature | Applying heat to a steak causes denaturation, which begins at 105°F and results in browning, texture change, and moisture loss. |
| Colour | The colour of beef is influenced by the muscle structure, sex, age, breed, and slaughter stress. |
| Healthiness | Beef healthiness is influenced by the presence of chemical residues such as herbicides or pesticides and other environmental pollutants. |
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What You'll Learn
Steak is muscle
When an animal is slaughtered, the arteries and veins in the carcass are drained of blood. This is why you will not find blood on your plate, but rather liquid and proteins. The part of the animal that does the most work has the strongest muscles, which tend to be tougher than muscles that do less work. The mid-section of the animal does the least amount of work, so it produces the most tender cuts.
The way heat is applied to a steak, or muscle, can vary, but the order of the changes that occur never does. This process, called denaturation, begins precisely at 105°F. At this temperature, there are no visible physical changes, but the structure of the fibres and water content is affected. Calcium proteins begin to lose integrity until 122°F, and enzyme activity is high within this temperature range. At 122°F, meat reaches a rare level of doneness. There is some browning, texture change, and moisture loss on the outside, but the inside is still red and barely warm.
The transition from rare to well done can happen very quickly as moisture-eliminating heat works exponentially inside the muscle. Most chefs recommend medium-rare as the ideal level of doneness for a steak. This allows for a good balance of a cooked exterior and warmth and flavour changes on the interior. Some muscles, such as the round, skirt, and flank, are tougher and have strong fibres running through them. They should be marinated to tenderize and are best grilled or pan-fried to rare or medium-rare. The sirloin is another example of a tougher muscle, composed of three distinct muscles, each with different properties. The top sirloin is the most tender of the sirloin cuts and is a popular grilling steak.
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Tougher cuts have more flavour
Steak is essentially a muscle from a cow. The muscle fibres are made up of proteins, and when an animal is slaughtered, the arteries and veins in the carcass are drained of blood.
The tougher cuts of steak generally have more flavour. The part of the animal that does the most work has the strongest muscles, which tend to be tougher than muscles that don't work as hard. The harder a muscle works, the stronger and tougher it is. These tougher cuts often have the most flavour and, when prepared properly, can be the most delicious.
The round muscles, for example, are best for slow roasting, stewing, or grinding. If cut into steaks, they should be marinated to tenderise. Skirt and flank muscles are thin cuts with tough fibres running through them. They are very flavourful and are best grilled or pan-fried to rare or medium-rare and sliced thinly. Short ribs are ideal for braising as the moist, low heat will dissolve the cartilage.
The mid-section of the animal does the least amount of work, so it produces the most tender cuts. The tenderloin is very lean, so it is important not to overcook it. The sirloin is found between the loin and the hind leg, so it is a little tougher than the loin cuts. The top sirloin is the most tender of the sirloin cuts and is a popular grilling steak. The sirloin tip is a very lean muscle best cooked quickly to medium-rare. Tri-tip steaks come from a small muscle in the bottom sirloin. It can be tough if not cooked properly, but it is an excellent marinated and grilled or pan-seared steak.
While tougher cuts generally have more flavour, it is important to note that flavour and tenderness are not necessarily inversely proportional. A tender cut can still have a lot of flavour, such as a good rib-eye steak.
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Muscle structure and composition influence meat quality
Steak is fundamentally muscle. More specifically, it is a primal cut of beef, or muscle from a cow. Muscles are made of bundles of cells, or fibres, and these fibres are made up of proteins. The job of a muscle is to expand and contract, which requires a lot of energy, sourced from oxygenated blood circulated through arteries.
The structure and composition of muscles influences meat quality in several ways. The position of the muscle and the way it is used dictates the preparation options for meat cut from that muscle. For example, the harder a muscle works, the stronger and tougher it is. These cuts often have the most flavour and can be the most delicious when prepared properly. The mid-section of an animal does the least amount of work, so it produces the most tender cuts.
The three main components of muscle are muscle fibres, connective tissue, and adipose tissue. These constituents are involved in determining various meat quality dimensions, such as meat appearance, colour, tenderness, juiciness, and flavour. The size and number of muscle fibres, the content, composition, and distribution of connective tissue, and the content and lipid composition of intramuscular fat all play a role in determining these qualities.
The water-holding capacity of meat is strongly influenced by the rate and extent of decrease in postmortem pH. A high rate, combined with a high muscle temperature, causes denaturation of muscle proteins, reducing water-holding capacity and increasing cooking loss.
In pigs, a negative relationship between average fast glycolytic fibre CSA and tenderness has been demonstrated. In chickens, an increase in fibre CSA in the Pectoralis muscle is associated with improved tenderness.
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Cooking methods depend on the cut
Steak is a primal cut of beef, and at its simplest, it is a muscle from a cow. The cooking method depends on the cut of the steak. The harder a muscle works, the stronger it is, and the tougher the cut. These cuts, from the more well-worked muscles like the shoulders, legs, and abdomen, often have the most flavour and can be the most delicious when prepared properly.
The mid-section of the animal does the least amount of work, so it produces the most tender cuts. These steaks are best grilled quickly to no more than medium-rare. The tenderloin is very lean, so it is important not to overcook it. The sirloin is found between the loin and the hind leg, so it is slightly tougher. It is still good for grilling and pan-frying, but the top sirloin is the most tender cut of sirloin. The sirloin tip is lean and best cooked quickly to medium-rare. Tri-tip steaks can be tough if not cooked properly, so they are best marinated and grilled or pan-seared to medium-rare.
The round is a well-worked muscle, so it is tougher and best slow-roasted, stewed, or ground. If cut into steaks, they should be marinated to tenderize. The eye of round and bottom round are the toughest parts of the round and are best slow-cooked or cut into thin strips. The top round is the most tender and flavourful part of the round and is still best slow-cooked or cut into strips.
Skirt and flank steaks are thin cuts with tough fibres running through them. They are best marinated and grilled or pan-fried to rare or medium-rare, and thinly sliced.
Most chefs agree that medium-rare is the sweet spot for most steaks, with a cooked crust on the exterior balancing the warmth and flavour changes on the interior.
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Tenderness is influenced by aging duration
Steak is essentially a muscle from a cow. The muscles are made up of bundles of cells or fibres, and these fibres are made up of proteins. The position of the muscle and the way it is used largely dictate the preparation options for the meat cut from that muscle. Muscles that work harder are stronger and tend to be tougher. These tougher cuts often have the most flavour and can be the most delicious when prepared properly. For example, the round muscles are best for slow roasting, stewing, or grinding, and if cut into steaks, they should be marinated to tenderise.
Tenderness is one of the biggest factors influencing consumer approval of beef. One of the best methods to improve the tenderness of beef is by ageing it. The ageing process involves storing meat under controlled refrigerated conditions, which affects traits such as tenderness and flavour. Different cuts require different ageing durations to fully optimise tenderness improvements. According to ageing standards, muscles should be aged for a minimum of 14 days for the optimal effect. However, the average ageing times at foodservice and retail are 31.5 and 25.9 days, respectively.
The relationship between the juiciness of aged meat and its tenderness has not been clearly established. While ageing improves tenderness, it can also negatively impact flavour beyond 28 days. Research shows that beef wet-aged for more than 35 days starts to develop off-flavours like metallic, sour, oxidized, musty/earthy, and liver-like.
The effects of ageing on tenderness are muscle-specific, with different muscles from the same carcass exhibiting variations. For instance, the Tri-tip shows noticeable tenderness improvement after 14 days of ageing compared to a Bottom Round Steak. However, the Bottom Round Steak would require more than 21 days of ageing for an optimal response.
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Frequently asked questions
Steak is a primal cut of beef, and is essentially muscle from a cow. The position of the muscle and the way it is used largely dictates the preparation options for the meat.
As heat is applied to a muscle steak, the process of denaturation begins at precisely 105°F. While you cannot see physical changes, the structure of the fibres and water content is affected.
The doneness of a steak is usually specified by the diner, and can range from rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, to well done.
The mid-section of the animal produces the most tender cuts. The most tender muscles are traditionally thought to come from the rib and loin primals, such as the Tenderloin or the Ribeye Steak. However, research has found that many tender cuts come from areas not historically thought of as tender, such as the Chuck and Round.
The Sirloin, found between the loin and hind leg, is a little tougher than the loin cuts. It is good for grilling and pan-frying. The top sirloin is the most tender of the sirloin cuts and is a favourite grilling steak. The round muscles are tougher and are best slow-roasted, stewed, or ground.
