Preparing and making meat tender is something that has been done for a long time. Tendering means that the meat’s own enzymes break down proteins in connective tissue and cells, and the water in the meat evaporates. The most common method is vacuum tendering, but even lubricated meat is common.
About tender meat
The most important factors for the tenderness of the meat are based on the amount of connective tissue and the basic structure of the muscles, as well as on measures taken after slaughter. The amount of connective tissue and structure is determined by factors such as animal species, age, and sex. The marbling of the meat is also important, but only explains a maximum of ten percent of the meat’s tenderness.
Good hang and Vaccum
Hanging tendering means hanging the whole animal or individual parts in the cold while the meat is being dried. During the roasting process, the meat loses liquid which evaporates, which gives the meat a dark red tone. You can see it at butchers and nowadays often in fine restaurants. Generally, well-marbled gives more flavor when hang tendering. If the meat is not tender, it must hang for a while to get the same strength on the taste.
Vacuum lubrication means packing cut pieces oxygen-free in dense packages. This means that the meat is kept fresh during the roasting process. This is by far the most common method of tendering today as it is significantly more cost-effective and gives the meat better shelf life. The meat loses liquid in the same way as with hanging lubrication but the liquid remains in the package and the meat, therefore, gets a lighter tone. The color is thus not directly related to tenderness but depends on whether the meat has been in contact with air or not. Good to keep track of.
Many tests have been done. And it has shown that there is no difference in “eating quality” hang tendering and vacuum tendering. In principle, however, the finest animals are always selected for hanging tendering as it is a more expensive and more elaborate method. Simply more difficult. This, in combination with the fact that hanging meat is often allowed to be longer, makes hanging generally higher quality.
The moulting process that takes place in the meat after slaughter is that the meat’s own enzymes break down proteins and connective tissue. It is the same process that happens whether the meat is lubricated or vacuum lubricated.
Different procedures
Besides traditionally hung meat and vacuum lubrication, there are of course several other ways and do it. As many people have begun to care about meat quality and more moulting in recent years, this type of approach has gained momentum.
Pelvic hanging is a slightly different technique, but nothing new. It has been around for many years. The fact that it is rare today is partly due to the fact that the animal has to be hung over and that demands lots of space in the refrigerator after slaughter. But as interest in really good meat has increased in recent years, the method has come to life again. During pelvic hanging, the animal is hung in the pelvic bone instead of in the hock, which causes the hind leg to fall down and the muscles in the hindquarters to be stretched. A stretched muscle becomes softer than a contracted one.
The effect of pelvic hanging is greatest in the thighs, steak and roast steak as these muscles are stretched the most. We pelvic hang the meat for about 1-3 days at low temperature (2-4 degrees).
Impulse tendering
Impulse tendering means that the animal is subjected to electrical stimulation after slaughter. This causes lactic acid to form and the pH to drop, which in turn prevents so-called cold contraction when the meat is cooled. Refrigeration contraction makes the meat in principle inedible. In addition, electrical stimulation makes the smearing process start earlier. A relatively technical method of tendering, but the result is far from impulsive.