Logan Steele
Beef muscle, or steak, is muscle from a cow. It is made up of bundles of cells, or fibres, which are composed of proteins. When an animal is slaughtered, the arteries and veins in the carcass are drained of blood, which is why there is liquid and protein on your plate, rather than blood. The quality of beef muscle can be impacted by the speed at which the carcass is frozen, which affects the lactic acid in the fibres, making the muscle either mushy and watery, or tough and dry. The cooking process also impacts beef muscle, with the application of heat causing the muscle to expand and contract, changing its structure and water content.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Composition | Made of bundles of cells, or fibres, which are made up of proteins |
| Energy source | Oxygen, supplied by blood circulation in arteries throughout the muscle |
| Cooking | Cooking methods depend on the cut of meat and its connective tissue; some cuts are better suited for high heat like a steak, while others are better for slow cooking to break down connective tissue |
| Temperature | Denaturation, or the process of cooking the meat, begins at 105°F, which affects the structure of the fibres and water content |
| Taste | Individual taste preferences vary, with some people preferring their steak rare or medium-rare, and others preferring it well done |
| Retail | The majority of cuts found at retail counters are boneless, and muscles are separated based on characteristics to better market them |
| Nutritional value | A 3oz serving of beef supplies 50% of the Daily Value for protein |
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What You'll Learn
Beef carcasses are made up of over 100 muscles
Beef is a type of meat that is consumed throughout the world, and almost every part of a cow is utilised in some way. The beef carcass is made up of over 100 different muscles, each with distinct properties that impact processing and consumer preferences.
The Infraspinatus muscle, for instance, is the second most tender muscle in the beef carcass and is found in Flat Iron Steak. The tenderness of a muscle is an important factor in determining its market value and consumer preference. Tenderness is influenced by the cooking process, as the application of heat causes changes in the muscle's structure and water content. This process, known as denaturation, begins at 105°F, leading to a loss of integrity in calcium proteins and enzyme activity.
The way a carcass is frozen can also impact the muscle's quality, affecting the lactic acid in the fibres and resulting in a mushy and watery, or tough and dry texture. Individual preferences vary, with some people preferring their steak rare, while others opt for a medium-rare or well-done cook.
To cater to these preferences and maximise the utilisation of the carcass, it is essential to have knowledge of the musculature of the animal. Recent research has focused on profiling the physical and chemical characteristics of each muscle to optimise product development and preparation. This includes studying the name, origin, insertion, action, innervation, and blood supply of each muscle to enhance our understanding of the muscular and skeletal anatomy of the cow.
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The Infraspinatus muscle is the second most tender muscle
A beef carcass is made up of over a hundred different muscles, each with distinct properties that affect their processing and consumer acceptability. One such muscle is the Infraspinatus muscle, which is the second most tender muscle in the beef carcass. This muscle is part of the Flat Iron Steak.
The Infraspinatus muscle is a thick triangular muscle that occupies the majority of the dorsal surface of the scapula. It arises from the infraspinous fossa of the scapula, with its tendinous fibres arising from the ridges of the fossa. The Infraspinatus is one of the four rotator cuff muscles, along with the subscapularis, teres minor, and supraspinatus muscles. As a rotator cuff muscle, its main function is the external rotation of the humerus and the stabilization of the glenohumeral or shoulder joint.
The Infraspinatus muscle works together with the teres minor muscle to provide shoulder joint stability and externally rotate the arm at the shoulder. It is innervated by the suprascapular nerve and receives arterial blood supply from the suprascapular and circumflex scapular arteries. The Infraspinatus muscle fibres course towards the shoulder joint almost parallel to the teres minor and major muscles, separated by a thick fascia.
The Infraspinatus muscle plays a crucial role in the force balance of the rotator cuff. It provides the posterior force, while the subscapular muscle provides the anterior force. This balance helps to stabilize the humeral head during shoulder abduction and prevents its partial elevation out of the glenoid fossa, thereby maintaining the efficiency of the deltoid muscles' abduction action.
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Muscles are bundles of fibres made of proteins
Skeletal muscles, which are the most common type of muscle in the body, are bundles of fibres made of proteins. These muscles serve many purposes, including producing movement, sustaining body posture and position, maintaining body temperature, storing nutrients, and stabilising joints. They are also under voluntary control, meaning that we can consciously control how and when they work.
Skeletal muscle fibres are long and cylindrical, and are commonly referred to as muscle fibres or myofibers. Each muscle fibre is composed of many myofibrils, which are made up of actin (thin filaments), myosin (thick filaments), and support proteins. The arrangement of actin and myosin gives skeletal muscle its microscopic striated appearance and creates functional units called sarcomeres. The sarcomere is the smallest functional unit of a skeletal muscle fibre and is a highly organised arrangement of contractile, regulatory, and structural proteins.
Within a muscle fibre, proteins are organised into organelles called myofibrils that run the length of the cell and contain sarcomeres connected in series. Because myofibrils are only approximately 1.2 μm in diameter, hundreds to thousands can be found inside a single muscle fibre. The shortening of these individual sarcomeres leads to the contraction of individual skeletal muscle fibres and ultimately the whole muscle.
Support proteins within the sarcomere include titin, desmin, myomesin, C protein, nebulin, and plectin. Plectin tethers the Z discs of adjacent myofibrils, while desmin helps maintain myofibril alignment and distributes contractile force. Myomesin and C protein are myosin-binding proteins that function to tether and stabilise myosin at the M line. Titin is the largest known protein and helps align the thick filament, adding an elastic element to the sarcomere.
Beef carcasses are made up of over a hundred different muscles, each with different properties that affect their processing characteristics and consumer acceptability. For example, the Infraspinatus muscle of the Flat Iron Steak is the second most tender muscle in the beef carcass. Research has been conducted to profile the physical and chemical characteristics of beef muscles to better understand their value and aid in the development of new products.
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Freezing carcasses affects the lactic acid in the fibres
A beef carcass is made up of over a hundred different muscles, each with distinct physical and chemical characteristics. One of the critical aspects of muscle composition is the presence of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). These bacteria play a vital role in the fermentation process, influencing the taste, texture, and overall quality of the meat. Therefore, understanding how freezing carcasses affect the lactic acid in the fibres is essential for maintaining the desired characteristics of the final product.
Freezing temperatures have a significant impact on the viability and resistance of lactic acid bacteria. Studies have shown that the survival rates of LAB strains are highest at extremely low temperatures, such as −196 °C, while their storage stability and fermentation performance are optimised at temperatures below −80 °C. At these ultra-low temperatures, the integrity and functionality of bacterial cell membranes are better preserved, resulting in improved product quality.
The process of freezing and the conditions during frozen storage also influence acidification activity. Factors such as the freezing rate, storage temperature, and duration of cryoprotection can affect the resistance of specific LAB strains, including Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. For instance, a higher freezing rate and lower storage temperature enhance resistance to freezing and improve preservation.
Additionally, the fatty acid composition of lactic acid bacteria is sensitive to freezing temperatures. Specific alterations in cellular fatty acids can occur during freezing, impacting the viability of the bacteria. For example, the viability of Streptococcus lactis and Lactobacillus sp. A-12 is better preserved when grown in a medium supplemented with oleic acid or Tween 80 before freezing. The presence of Tween 80 also results in a pronounced change in the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids in these bacteria.
In conclusion, freezing carcasses directly affect the lactic acid bacteria within the muscle fibres. The viability and activity of these bacteria are influenced by freezing temperatures and storage conditions. By understanding and controlling these factors, the meat industry can optimise the preservation and quality of beef products, ensuring consumer satisfaction and safety.
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Cooking steak changes the structure of the muscle fibres
A raw steak is not an appealing prospect for most people. Cooking a steak causes chemical changes that make it easier to chew and more flavoursome.
Muscle meat is made up of bundles of protein fibres called fascicles. Each muscle fibre is a multinucleated cell made up of bundles of myofibrils. Myofibrils are composed of thousands of sarcomeres (contractile units) that are made up of myofilaments. It is inside the sarcomeres where all the activity of contraction takes place in muscles.
When meat is cooked, the myosin denatures, fats render, and actin begins to denature. Denatured actin is irreversible and causes the meat to become dry and tough, as the actin proteins squeeze out liquid in the muscle fibres. However, denatured myosin is desirable as it makes the meat firmer.
The amount of connective tissue in meat and its solubility directly influence the tenderness of meat muscle. As an animal ages, it accumulates more connective tissue, which becomes highly insoluble. This is why older animals tend to be tougher. Tougher cuts of meat with more collagen connective tissue, such as the beef shank, require moist heat or combination cooking methods to break down the collagen into gelatin.
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Frequently asked questions
Simply put, beef muscle is steak. It is made up of bundles of cells called fibres, which are made up of proteins.
When a cow is slaughtered, the arteries and veins in the carcass are drained of blood. This is why you have liquid and proteins on your plate, not blood.
Cooking methods for beef muscle vary depending on the cut. For example, the round cut is better suited for stew meat or a roast, whereas a steak is usually cooked with high heat.
Humans tend to enjoy primal cuts of beef, or steak. In 2013, more than 130 million pounds of Flat Iron and Petite Tender were sold in retail and food service combined.
As heat is applied to beef muscle, many things can happen. A process called denaturation begins at precisely 105°F, which affects the structure of the fibres and water content.
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