Sensory Differentiation of Beef Tenderness and Juiciness Components Over Short Intervals of Cooking Time

SUMMARY: The ability of judges to distinguish differences in juiciness and six components of tenderness of top round steaks cooked at 350°F for 20, 23, 26, and 29 min was studied by use of a paired comparison design. Concurrently, the effects of cooking time on cooking losses, percents moisture, nitrogen, and fat, shear values, “loose water” and “immobilized water” were evaluated. Judges detected differences for all factors between steaks cooked 20 and 26 min, but were unable to detect differences between steaks cooked 26 and 29 min. Differences between steaks cooked 20 and 29 min were found for all factors except fragmentation and adhesion.