All steaks cooked well done are not created equal.
They aren't equally tender, either.
NU animal scientists recently cooked beef way past medium-well done to see if aging meat after slaughter affects its tenderness after cooking.
The study also looked at how over-cooking affects USDA Select and Choice quality grades.
The meat industry has long known that aging beef before cooking increases tenderness.
"Refrigerated storage of meat allows the natural aging process to occur," IANR meat scientist Chris Calkins said. "Natural events include a breakdown in muscle structure, which enhances tenderness."
Calkins' team selected seven Choice and seven Select beef loins and stored sections of the loins four to 25 days after slaughter. Steaks were cooked to temperatures producing medium-rare to well-done beef. The loins were analyzed for shear force, an indication of the cooked meat's tenderness.
Aging imparts tenderness to beef, the study showed, regardless of degree of doneness. Researchers also concluded that well-done meat is less tender than its medium-cooked counterparts, and that Choice beef is usually slightly more tender when well done than Select.
Calkins said aging beef properly is another factor for the meat industry and retailers to consider, and that rushing meat to the consumer may produce lower-quality products.
"This tells industry that the recommendations for controlling aging time for beef are appropriate," Calkins said. "The benefits of aging are still there, even if you overcook the meat."
The Purdue-Nebraska Meat Science Consortium, which includes the Nebraska Beef Council, helped fund this research.
--Dan Holder