Meat&Poultry - July 2011 - 30

Ingredients

Savory influences
Many beef-flavor attributes are “grown in”
BY JOEL CREWS
jcrews@sosland.com

s any wine connoisseur will attest, the factors influencing the taste and drinking enjoyment of a soughtafter cabernet or chardonnay are many, including the type of grapes to the region the grapes are grown to the age of the wine. Similarly, the flavor of beef is the culmination of many factors. Top chefs, food scientists and processing equipment engineers are all able to wield considerable influence in manipulating the flavor of beef, each in their respective stages of food

“The relationship between tenderness, marbling and how these factors impact beef flavor is the subject of considerable debate.”
production and preparation. In many cases, however, all of the technology, classical training and ingredient innovations cannot begin to trump the flavor attributes that are established in beef long before it reaches the plate or retail shelf. The impact of breed, grading designation and feeding practices can easily overshadow steps taken during processing, butchering, seasoning

and cooking methods. Some of the in- claims, including feeding/finishing herent characteristics of beef catapult practices (grass-finished vs. grain-fineaters past a mere taste-based experi- ished or even corn vs. barley finished) as ence to the more refi ned realm of sa- well as breed distinctions. Aging pracvory flavors, thanks to its color, aro- tices can also play a significant role. ma, texture, juiciness and mouthfeel. According to the Beef Checkoff, the Breeding benefits umami (pronounced “oo-MOM-ee) Perhaps Angus and Wagyu (Ameritaste, or fifth taste, in the palates of car- can-style Kobe) beef are the best known nivores is the bull’s-eye when it comes breeds, thanks to effective marketing to beef flavor. Taste researchers have by meat companies and branded beef identified taste buds on the tongue that associations such as Certified Angus respond to umami, which is actually Beef. Angus is roughly defined in many the taste of salts of amino circles as cattle with mostacids. Consumers describe ly black hides, and among the umami as meaty or sabranded beef programs, it vory. Product developers reis the leading specification gard it as the Holy Grail of used to denote the breed. meat appeal. While links between AnDale Woerner, assistant gus-bred beef and flavor are professor at the Center for somewhat sketchy, one conMeat Safety and Quality clusion that can be drawn is Woerner at Colorado State Univ.’s that it tends to grade USDA Department of Animal Science, affi rms that “beef flavor has become a huge hot button. So we are looking at a lot of things that can influence the flavor of beef.” Factors influencing the eating experience often start with production Choice or higher, “because of its tendency for marbling,” Woerner says. Angus meets the standards of many of today’s branded beef programs, which require not only low-Choice graded products, but even meet the requirements for premium Angus programs that rely on the

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