Meat: Beef and Pork

Question 1

Beef is Classified By

Answer 1

Age + Gender

Question 2

Male Cattle (beef)

Answer 2

Calves, Bulls, Steers

• Calves are 3-8 months
• Bulls are older/not as tender and not castrated b/c they are breeders…Bulls have balls; are NOT sold to consumers except in PET FOOD and PROCESSED MEATS
• Steers are older than 12 months, castrated while young and will gain weight quickly, sold to consumers

Question 3

Female Cattle (beef)

Answer 3

Calves, Cows, and Heifers

• Calves are 3-8 months
• Cows have had calves, don’t have desirable meat, ARE USED FOR MILK
• Heifers are older than 12 months and has not borne a cald…….USED FOR MEAT

Question 4

Beef: Veal

Answer 4

Veal: Young male/female calves from 3 weeks-3 months
Diet: Formula or milk diet
MOVEMENT RESTRICTED: tender texture, milky flavor, pale color (less myoglobin, less excercise)
ISSUE- consumer objection to inhumane treatment as animal is strictly confined

Question 5

Free Range Veal

Answer 5

Not as tender

Question 6

Sheeps

Answer 6

1. Lamb
2. Mutton
   Strong flavor due to specific FA of sheeps

Question 7

Lamb

Answer 7

Type of sheep under 14 months

Question 8

Mutton

Answer 8

Type of sheep over 14 months

• darker color of meat
• meat not as tender
• strong flavor due to specific fatty acids

Question 9

Pork or Swine

Answer 9

Pork/Swine are both female and male, slaughtered btwn 5-7 months
Pigs- less than 4 months
Hogs- More than 4 months

Question 10

Meat Composition

Answer 10

75% water
20% protein
3% fat

Question 11

Protein

Answer 11

20% of meat comp..may vary
includes muscle and connective tissue
Muscle: fibers & fibrils, 2 proteins actin & myosin
Connective tissue: elastin & collagen

Question 12

Fat in Meat Comp. Varies with

Answer 12

• Age
• Diet
• Exercise
• Genetics

Question 13

Muscle Composition of Meat

Answer 13

Muscle contains bundles of fibers
Each fiber has 2,000 fibrils
PART OF PROTEIN COMP

Question 14

Fibrils contain

Answer 14

-2 proteins: actin (thin) & myosin (thick)
These proteins align with fibrils, sliding past each other, contracting muscles
-do contractions and relaxation
PART OF PROTEIN COMP

Question 15

Contraction due to fibrils

Answer 15

Occurs when 2 proteins in fibrils…actin and myosin slide past each other
-REQUIRES ENERGY FROM ATP by food
PART OF PROTEIN COMP

Question 16

Connective Tissue

Answer 16

• holds bundles of fibers together in the muscle
• exists around bundles of muscle fibers
• Ligaments and tendons have connective tissue

Question 17

Proteins in connective tissue

Answer 17

1) Collagen

2) Elastin

Question 18

Collagen

Answer 18

Primary protein in connective tissue

• Increases with age of animal
• Tough and fibrous but SOFTENS WITH COOKING
• Converts to gel like substance with cooking

Question 19

Elastin

Answer 19

Secondary protein in connective tissue

• “silver skin”, must remove with kinfe
• NOT EFFECTED BY COOKING, REMAINS TOUGH

Question 20

Connective Tissue on Cooking

Answer 20

• Collagen: large amounts= tough meat, slow moist cooking recommended to soften
• Elastin must be removed..does not soften with cooking

Question 21

Fat

Answer 21

Aka adipose tissue

-under skin, outside of muscle, covering fat

Question 22

Marbling

Answer 22

Part of fat

• within muscle that is covered with adipose tissue
• Varies with AGE DIET EXCERCISE
• Provides flavor and juiciness

Question 23

Bone Marrow

Answer 23

Part of Fat

• Yellow in long bones, red in other bones
• Soft fatty material used for flavor

Question 24

Meat color and texture of fat affected by

Answer 24

• Diet (rich diet, more fat)
• Age (older have yellow fat, younger white fat)
• Species
• Excercise of animal

Question 25

Excerise of Animal impacts

Answer 25

Heavily excercised muscle means more myoglobin=more red

Question 26

Beef older than 12 months used for meat

Answer 26

Male: Steers, castrated while young & gains weight quickly Female: Heifers, not had calfs