|
"Beef. It's What's for Dinner." Hearing this catchy tagline immediately brings to mind visions of juicy burgers and thick steaks sizzling on the grill. But beef is a lot more than just what's for dinner. From flavoring a soup to the protein source in a pasta sauce or casserole, beef is a healthful, multipurpose ingredient that can be used in a wide variety of applications. Nature's multivitaminLean beef's chemical analysis reveals that it is approximately 72% water, 20% protein and 7% fat. Beef is an important dietary source of B-vitamins. These vitamins act as coenzymes that facilitate cell functions throughout the body, are involved in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, and help form DNA and new red blood cells. A 3-oz. serving of cooked beef contributes less than 10% of the calories in a 2,000-calorie diet. It is an excellent source of several nutrients providing approximately 50% of the Daily Value (DV) of protein, 39% of the DV of zinc, 37% of the DV of Vitamin B12, 24% of the DV of selenium and 20% of the DV of phosphorus. It also is a good source of iron, niacin, riboflavin and Vitamin B6 providing between 10% and 19% of the DV per serving. Naturally low in sodium, beef contains between 55 and 80 mg of cholesterol per 3-oz. cooked serving. Beef is a natural source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid found in foods from ruminant animals (cattle and sheep). CLA describes a mixture of positional and geometric isomers/forms of linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is an 18-carbon unsaturated fatty acid found in plant and animal products. CLA's potential benefits start with anticarcinogenic effects and have extended to reduced atherosclerosis, normalized or reduced blood glucose levels, enhanced immune response and positive effects on body-fat levels and the proportion of lean to fat. Fat gives flavorU.S. cattle eat a diet of grass and hay until 90 to 120 days before harvesting. They then are fed a high-energy diet of grains that promotes weight gain and increases fat deposits in the muscle, which contain many of beef's flavor components. Most South American and Australian cattle are kept on a grass diet until harvest and are typically leaner than grain-finished beef. Grass-finished beef has a noticeably different flavor profile than grain-finished beef. The taste is sometimes described as being like that of game meat. The beef carcass is cut into major sections called primals -- the rib, loin, chuck, round and thin cuts, including the shank, brisket, plate and flank. From these major primals smaller subprimals are cut and sealed in vacuum packaging. Steaks, roasts, strips, cubes and ground beef are then fabricated from these subprimals. The USDA inspects all beef for wholesomeness, but quality grading is voluntary. Quality grades indicate the palatability -- ultimately the tenderness, juiciness and flavor -- of the cooked beef. The eight quality grades, from highest to lowest, are: Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner. Most often, consumers will find the top-three quality grades (Prime, Choice and Select) in the retail meat case or on restaurant menus. If a product contains large pieces of beef, like beef tips and gravy or pot roast, processors typically use select or no-roll (not graded). Some manufacturers go as far as listing the grade used on their package in those types of products for marketing purposes. Lower grades (below select) are good for further processing, such as ground beef applications, like burgers, meatballs, pasta sauce and chili; processed meat products, such as Philly steak; and restructured applications where very small pieces are used for steak sandwiches, steak strips or chunks for burritos or fajitas. All of the lower grades also are good for stocks and flavoring use. Maturity, marbling, muscle firmness and color are several of the factors that determine quality grades. Meat from older animals is typically less tender, so examining bone ossification or hardening of cartilage in the rib area of the carcass determines maturity. Firmness, bright red color and smooth, finely textured muscle indicate younger animals. Feeding, quality grade and aging determine beef's palatability. Marbling is the intramuscular or visible flecks of fat that can be seen on the cut surface of raw beef. The fatty acids produce potent flavor compounds and release aromatic flavor components upon cooking. Prime beef has a very high degree of marbling, more fat and thus more flavor.
Comments
Similar ArticlesLatest ArticlesSubscribe toMobile Media SnapsText FOODPRODUCT to 41411 to receive this media snap on your smart phone Image GalleriesBuyer's Guidefeatured links |
SupplySide
Beef: Beyond the Burger
Posted in
Articles,
Meat Products,
Sauces / Gravies / Soup,
Gravies,
Beef
