About beef, beef meat and the beef prime cuts.
• Beef refers to meat that comes from bovines such as domestic cattle, water buffalo, Bison, Yak and
the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes.
• The main source of beef is however, from domestic cattle. (cows and bulls)
• The best beef is obtained from early maturing, special beef breeds.
• High-quality beef has firm, velvety, fine-grained lean, bright red in colour and well marbled. The fat is
smooth, creamy white, and well distributed.
• In young beef the bones are soft, porous, and red; the less desirable mature beef has hard white
bones.
• Beef tenderness and flavor are improved by aging; in one common aging method the carcass is
hung for about two weeks at approximately 2° C (36° F), encouraging physical changes in the muscle
tissue that enhance the quality of the meat.
• Grading standards are somewhat similar in various countries.
• There is a large international beef trade.
• Beef is being used in the cuisine all over the world.
• Eating beef meat is taboo by some sects of Hinduism it's forbidden and discouraged by some
Buddhist.
The biggest NET exporters of cattle and beef:
Brazil with 1.762.000 Tons - the major destinations are Middle east, Russia, South America.
Australia with 1.545.000 Tons the major destinations for meat are Japan, USA, South Korea and for live
cattle Indonesia and Middle east.
Canada with 940.000 Tons - the major destinations are USA and Russia.
India with 600.00 Tons - the major destinations are Middle east, Philippines, Africa.
New Zealand with 526.000 Tons- the major destinations are USA, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia.
Argentina with 440.000 Tons - the major destinations are Middle east, Russia, South America, EU.
Uruguay with 387.000 Tons the major destinations are Middle east, Russia, South America, EU, USA.
The biggest NET importers of cattle and beef:
USA with 1.746.000 Tons supplied mainly by Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Uruguay.
Russia with 1.324.000 Tons supplied mainly by Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and EU.
Middle East / North Africa with 806.000 Tons supplied mainly by Brazil, Australia for live cattle and for
meat mainly from Brazil, India and Argentina.
Japan with 707.000 Tons supplied mainly by Australia, New Zealand and North America.
Mexico with 380.000 Tons supplied mainly by Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Uruguay.
South Korea with 352.000 Tons supplied mainly by Australia, New Zealand and North America.
EU 27 with 334.000 Tons supplied mainly by Argentina, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay.
Malaysia with 203.000 Tons supplied mainly by Argentina, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay.
There are at least 50 breeds of beef cattle, but fewer than 10 make up most cattle produced.
Some major breeds are Angus, Hereford, Charolais, and Brahman.
below we highlight some:
Certified Angus Beef (CAB)
Is a specification-based, branded-beef program which was founded in 1978 by Angus cattle producers
to increase demand for their breed of cattle, by promoting the impression that Angus cattle have
consistent, high-quality beef with superior taste.
The brand is owned by the American Angus Association and its 35,000 rancher members.
The terms "Angus Beef" or "Black Angus Beef" are loosely and commonly misused and / or confused
with CAB.
This is especially common in the foodservice industry.
The brand or name Certified Angus Beef can't be legally used by an establishment that is not licensed
to do so.
However Black Simmental beef may also be included in the certified angus beef program.
Certified Hereford Beef
Is beef certified to have come from Hereford cattle.
Originally from Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom, more than five million pedigree Hereford cattle
now exist in over 50 countries.
The Hereford cattle export trade began from United Kingdom in 1817, starting in Kentucky, United
States, spreading across the United States and Canada through Mexico to the great beef-raising
countries of South America.
Today, Hereford cattle dominate the world scene from Australasia to the Russian steppes.
Grass fed or pasture-fed cattle
Beef, grass and other forage compose most all or at least the great majority of the grass fed diet.
The debate is whether cattle should be raised on diets primarily composed of pasture (grass) or a
concentrated diet of grain, soy and other supplements.
The issue is often complicated by the political interests and confusion between labels such as "free
range", "organic", or "natural".
Cattle raised on a primarily forage diet are termed grass-fed or pasture-raised; for example meat or milk
may be called grass-fed beef or pasture-raised dairy.
However, the term "pasture-raised" can lead to confusion with the term "free range", which does not
describe exactly what the animals eat.
Kobe beef : Cattle of the Wagyu breed
Refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high
percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat.
The meat from Wagyu cattle is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, increased
eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness, and thus a high
market value.
The Wagyu breed are raised and fattened in the hills above Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
During the fattening period, the cattle are hand-fed (using high-energy feed, including beer and beer
mash) and hand-massaged for tenderness and high fat content.
Halal beef
And other food has been certified to have been processed in a prescribed manner in accordance with
Muslim dietary laws.
Kosher beef
And other food has been certified to have been processed in a prescribed manner in accordance with
Jewish dietary laws.
Organic beef
Is produced without added hormones, pesticides, or other chemicals, though requirements for labeling
something "organic" vary widely.
Certified organic beef must come from a fully verifiable production system that collects information on
the history of every animal in the program, including its breed history, veterinary care, and feed.
Further, to be certified as organic, all cattle should meet the following criteria:
1 Born and raised on certified organic pasture
2 Never receive antibiotics
3 Never receive growth-promoting hormones
4 Are fed only certified organic grains and grasses
5 Must have unrestricted outdoor access
6 Must receive humane treatment
Beef usages:
Beef can be used for a wide variety of foods and can be cut into steaks, roasts or short ribs.
Some cuts are processed (corned beef or beef jerky), and trimmings, usually mixed with meat from
older, leaner cattle, are ground, minced or used in sausages.
To improve tenderness of beef, it often is "aged" - stored refrigerated - to allow endogenous
proteolyses enzymes to weaken structural and myofibril proteins.
Wet aging is accomplished using vacuum packaging to reduce spoilage and yield loss.
Dry aging involves hanging primals (usually ribs or loins) in humidity-controlled coolers.
Outer surfaces dry out and can support growth of molds (and spoilage bacteria, if too humid), resulting
in trim and evaporative losses.
Evaporation concentrates the remaining proteins and increases flavor intensity; the molds can
contribute a nut-like flavor.
The majority of the tenderizing effect occurs in the first 10 days, although two to three days allow
significant effects.
Boxed beef, stored and distributed in vacuum packaging, is, in effect, wet aged during distribution.
Premium steakhouses dry age for 21 to 28 days or wet age up to 45 days for maximum effect on flavor
and tenderness.
Meat from less tender cuts or older cattle can be mechanically tenderized by forcing small, sharp
blades through the cuts to disrupt the proteins.
Also, solutions of exogenous proteolyses enzymes (papain, bromelain or ficain) can be injected to
augment the endogenous enzymes.
Similarly, solutions of salt and sodium phosphates can be injected to soften and swell the myofibrillar
proteins.
This improves juiciness and tenderness.
Salt can improve the flavor, but phosphate can contribute a soapy flavor.
The blood is used in some varieties of blood sausage.
Other parts that are eaten include the: heart ,brain (although forbidden where there is a danger of
bovine spongiform encephalopathy, BSE), oxtail, tongue, tripe from the reticulum or rumen, the liver,
the kidneys, and the tender testicles of the bull and the glands (Sweetbreads are the glands of the
thymus (throat sweetbread) and the pancreas (heart or stomach sweetbread), sweetbreads are soaked
in salt water, then poached in milk after which an outer membrane is removed.
Once dry and chilled, they're often breaded and fried until crisp.
It is also popular to use them as a stuffing or in pates.
Some intestines are eaten as-is, but are used more often as natural sausage casings.
The lungs and the udder are used in meat products in some countries, but are considered as unfit for
consumption in the USA for example.
Beef bones are used for making beef stock.
The flavor of the stock comes from the cartilage and connective tissue in the bones.
Connective tissue has collagen in it, which gets converted into gelatin that thickens the liquid.
Stock made from bones needs to be simmered for longer than stock made from meat (often referred to
as broth).
Pressure cooking methods shorten the time necessary to extract the flavor from the bones.
Beef from steers and heifers are equivalent, except for steers having slightly less fat and more muscle,
all treatments being equal.
Depending on economics, the number of heifers kept for breeding varies.
Older animals are used for beef when they are past their reproductive prime.
The meat from older cows and bulls is usually tougher, so it is frequently used for mince (UK)/ground
beef (US).
Cattle raised for beef may be allowed to roam free on grasslands, or may be confined at some stage in
pens as part of a large feeding operation called a feedlot, where they are usually fed a ration of grain,
protein, roughage and a vitamin / mineral pre-blend.
“Natural”
All fresh meat qualifies as "natural."
Products labeled "natural" cannot contain any artificial flavor or flavoring, coloring ingredient, chemical
preservative, or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient; and the product and its ingredients are not
more than minimally processed (ground, for example).
All products claiming to be natural should be accompanied by a brief statement which explains what is
meant by the term "natural."
Some companies promote their beef as "natural" because they claim their cattle weren't exposed to
antibiotics or hormones and were totally raised on a range instead of being "finished" in a feedlot.
Aged Beef
Beef is aged to develop additional tenderness and flavor.
It is done commercially under controlled temperatures and humidity.
Since aging can take from 10 days to 6 weeks.
PRIMAL AND SUBPRIMAL CUTS OF BEEF
After the steer is slaughtered, it is cut into four pieces (called quarters) for easy handling.
This is done by first splitting the carcass down the backbone into two bilateral halves.
Each half is divided into the forequarter (the front portion) and hindquarter (the rear portion) by cutting
along the natural curvature between the 12th and 13th ribs.
The quartered carcass is then further reduced into the primal cuts and the sub primal and
fabricated cuts.
The primal cuts of beef are the chuck, brisket and shank, rib, short plate, short loin, sirloin, flank
and round.
It is important to know the location of bones when cutting or working with meats.
This makes meat fabrication and carving easier and aids in identifying cuts.
An entire beef carcass can range in weight from 225Kg to more than 360Kg (500-800 pounds).
Chuck
The primal chuck is the animal's shoulder; it accounts for approximately 28% of carcass weight.
It contains a portion of the backbone, five rib bones and portions of the blade and arm bones.
Because an animal constantly uses its shoulder muscles, chuck contains a high percentage of
connective tissue and is quite tough.
This tough cut of beef, however, is one of the most flavorful.
The primal chuck is used less frequently than other primal cuts in food service operations.
If cooked whole, the chuck is difficult to cut or carve because of the large number of bones and
relatively small muscle groups that travel in different directions.
Because the meat is tough, the fabricated cuts usually benefit from moist-heat cooking or combination
cooking methods such as stewing and braising.
Brisket and Shank
The brisket and shank are located beneath the primal chuck on the front half of the carcass.
Together, they form a single primal that accounts for approximately 8% of carcass weight.
This primal consists of the steer's breast (the brisket), which contains ribs and breastbone, and its arm
(the foreshank), which contains only the shank bone.
The ribs and breastbone are always removed from the brisket before cooking.
The boneless brisket is very tough and contains a substantial percentage of fat, both intermuscular
and subcutaneous.
It is well suited for moist-heat and combination cooking methods such as simmering or braising.
Beef fore shanks are very flavorful and high in collagen.
Because collagen converts to gelatin when cooked using moist heat, fore shanks are excellent for
making soups and stocks.
Ground shank meat is often used to help clarify and flavor consommés because of its rich flavor and
high collagen content.
Rib
The primal beef rib accounts for approximately 10% of carcass weight.
It consists of ribs 6 through 12 as well as a portion of the backbone.
This primal is best known for yielding roast prime rib of beef.
Prime rib is not named after the quality grade USDA Prime.
Rather, its name reflects the fact that it constitutes the majority of the primal cut.
The eye meat of the rib (the center muscle portion) is not a well-exercised muscle and therefore is quite
tender.
It also contains large amounts of marbling compared to the rest of the carcass and produces rich, full
flavored roasts and steaks.
Although roasting the eye muscle on the rib bones produces a moister roast, the eye meat can be
removed to produce a boneless rib eye roast or cut into rib eye steaks.
The rib bones that are separated from the rib eye meat are quite meaty and flavorful and can be served
as barbecued beef ribs.
The ends of the rib bones that are trimmed off the primal rib to produce the rib roast are known as beef
short ribs.
They are meaty and are often served as braised beef short ribs.
Short Plate
The short plate is located directly below the primal rib on a side of beef; it accounts for approximately
9% of the overall weight of the carcass.
The short plate contains rib bones and cartilage and produces the short ribs and skirt steak.
Short ribs are meaty, yet high in connective tissue, and are best when braised.
Skirt steak is often marinated and grilled as fajitas.
Other, less meaty portions of the short plate are trimmed and ground.
Hindquarter
Short loin The short loin is the anterior (front) portion of the beef loin.
It is located just behind the rib and becomes the first primal cut of the hindquarter when the side of beef
is divided into a forequarter and hindquarter.
It accounts for approximately 8% of carcass weight.
The short loin contains a single rib, the 13th, and a portion of the backbone.
With careful butchering, this small primal can yield several subprimal and fabricated cuts, all of which
are among the most tender, popular and expensive cuts of beef.
The loin eye muscle, a continuation of the rib eye muscle, runs along the top of the T-shaped bones
that form the backbone.
Beneath the loin eye muscle on the other side of the backbone is the tenderloin, the tenderest cut of
all.
When the short loin is cut in cross sections with the bone in, it produces- starting with the rib end of the
short loin-club steaks (which do not contain any tenderloin), T-bone steaks (which contain only a small
portion of tenderloin) and porterhouse steaks (which are cut from the sirloin end of the short loin
and contain a large portion of tenderloin).
The whole tenderloin can also be removed and cut into chateaubriand, filet mignon and tournedos. A
portion of the tenderloin is located in the sirloin portion of the loin.
When the entire beef loin is divided into the primal short loin and primal sirloin, the large end of the
tenderloin (the butt tenderloin) is separated from the remainder of the tenderloin and remains in the
sirloin, the smaller end of the tenderloin (the short tenderloin) remains in the short loin.
If the tenderloin is to be kept whole, it must be removed before the short loin and sirloin are separated.
The loin eye meat can he removed from the bones, producing a boneless strip loin, which is very tender
and can he roasted or cut into boneless strip steaks.
Sirloin
The sirloin is located in the hindquarter, between the short loin and the round.
It accounts for approximately 7% of carcass weight and contains part of the Backbone as well as a
portion of the hipbone.
The sirloin produces bone-in or boneless roasts and steaks that are flavorful and tender.
With the exception of the tenderloin portion, however, these subprimals and fabricated cuts are not as
tender as those from the strip loin.
Cuts from the sirloin are cooked using dry-heat methods such as broiling, grilling or roasting.
Flank
The flank is located directly beneath the loin, posterior to (behind) the short plate.
It accounts for approximately 6% of carcass weight.
The flank contains no bones. Although quite flavorful, it is tough meat with a good deal of fat and
connective tissue.
Flank meat is usually trimmed and ground, with the exception of the flank steak or London broil.
The flank also contains a small piece of meat known as the hanging tenderloin.
Although not actually part of the tenderloin, it is very tender and can be cooked using any method.
Round
The primal round is very large, weighing as much as 90 Kg (200 pounds) and accounting for
approximately 24% of carcass weight.
It is the hind leg of the animal and contains the round, aitch, shank and tailbones.
Meat from the round is flavorful and fairly tender.
The round yields a wide variety of sub primal and fabricated cuts:
The top round, outside round, eye round (the outside round and the eye round together are called the
bottom round), knuckle and shank.
Steaks cut from the round are tough, but because they have large muscles and limited intermuscular
fat, the top round and knuckle make good roasts.
The bottom round is best when braised.
The hindshank is prepared in the same fashion as the fore-shank.
Organ Meats
Several Organ meats are used in food service operations.
This group of product-is known as offal.
It includes the heart, kidney, tongue, tripe (stomach lining) and oxtail.
Offal benefit from moist-heat cooking and are often used in soup, stew or braised dishes.
Nutrition:
Beef has various nutrition values depending on the cut and how it is cooked.
Beef is found to be very rich in Zinc, Selenium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Magnesium.
Sodium and Copper are found in good quantities.
However, minute quantities of Calcium and Mangnese are also present.
Vitamin Content of Beef:
Beef is one of the best source for Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6 Niacin and Riboflavin.
However, it is also rich in Thiamin and Pantothenic Acid.
Small amounts of Vitamin E, Vitamin K and Folate are present.
Calorie Content of Beef:
The calorie count of Beef per 100 gm is 155.0, it is meat which is higher in protein and moderate in fat.
Health Benefits of Beef:
Beef is good for bones and teeth.
It enhances immunity against infections of ear etc., and prevents blood vessel walls from damaging.
Moderate consumption of lean beef is altogether good for cardiovascular health and to prevent cancer
risks.
One of the proteins in meat, myoglobin, holds the oxygen in the muscle.
The amount of myoglobin in animal muscles determines the color of meat.
Beef is called a "red" meat because it contains more myoglobin than chicken or fish.
Other "red" meats are veal, lamb, and pork.
Color of Beef
Beef muscle meat not exposed to oxygen (in vacuum packaging, for example) is a burgundy or purplish
color.
After exposure to the air for 15 minutes or so, the myoglobin receives oxygen and the meat turns bright,
cherry red.
After beef has been refrigerated about 5 days, it may turn brown due to chemical changes in the
myoglobin.
Beef that has turned brown during extended storage may be spoiled, have an off-odor, and be tacky to
the touch.