Discovering consumer preferences for steak thickness and common food service cookery methods for beef strip loin steaks
Date
2016
Authors
Shubert, Danielle Marie, author
Woerner, Dale R., advisor
Belk, Keith E., committee member
Tatum, J. Daryl, committee member
Delmore, Robert J., committee member
Hess, Ann, committee member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
The objective of this study was to quantify consumer preferences for steak thickness and cookery method. Paired strip loins from 38 carcasses with Small marbling scores were obtained from a commercial packing facility. Each strip loin was cut into 2 sections (4 sections per carcass) and each section was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 cookery methods (COOK): 1) grill (GRILL); 2) grill mark then finish in a steam oven (MARK+FINISH); 3) par cook in a steam oven then mark on a grill (PAR+MARK); 4) broil (BROIL). Each section was vacuum-sealed and aged at 2oC for 21 days before being frozen. After freezing, three sets of paired steaks were cut from each section representing three steak thickness treatments (THICK): 1) 1.9-cm; 2) 2.5-cm; 3) 3.8-cm. For each cookery method and steak thickness combination pair, a single steak was designated for evaluation by a consumer panel while the other steak was assigned to objective testing for measures of tenderness, cook loss, and visual appearance. Known beef consumers (N = 307) evaluated each of the 12 treatment combinations of thickness and cookery method for tenderness, juiciness, flavor desirability and overall desirability using a 15-cm unstructured line scale. A significant COOK x THICK interaction (P < 0.05) affected consumer panel ratings for tenderness, juiciness, and overall desirability. As a main effect, COOK influenced (P = 0.0005) consumer ratings for flavor desirability; however, inconsistencies between the present and previous studies suggest that consumer-rated flavor desirability may have been affected more heavily by tenderness, and juiciness in what is termed a “halo effect” than by actual differences in flavor due to cookery method. The BROIL, 1.9-cm thick steaks were more desirable than 2.5 and 3.8-cm BROIL steaks as rated by consumers for overall desirability, tenderness, and juiciness, and were more tender as evaluated using WBSF and SSF (P < 0.5). The GRILL method was among the most highly rated for consumer overall desirability, and no significant difference was found existed between THICK treatments. Consumer overall desirability ratings, consumer tenderness ratings and SSF values for the PAR+MARK cookery method had, more desirable values for 3.8-cm thick steaks compared to 1.9 and 2.5-cm thick steaks. The MARK+COOK method was rated the highest for consumer overall desirability, tenderness, juiciness, and had the lowest SSF and WBSF values (P < 0.5). The MARK+COOK method was the most likely to offer consumers a desirable eating experience at steak thicknesses of 2.5 and 3.8-cm thick. The PAR+MARK method was more likely to result in a more positive eating experience as steaks were cut thicker (3.8-cm) as demonstrated by consumer ratings for overall desirability. The GRILL method had the least amount of variation in consumer ratings for overall desirability between steak thicknesses for positive eating experience. Cookery method and steak thickness should be chosen in the correct combination in order to deliver consumers with a positive eating experience in food service industry.
Description
Rights Access
Subject
palatability
tenderness
steak thickness
cookery method