Relationship of Warner-Bratzler shear force and trained sensory panel tenderness of strip loin steaks cooked to 131 and 158°F

Authors

J.W. Stephens
E. Obuz
J.P. Grobbel
Michael E. Dikeman

Keywords

Cattlemen's Day, 2004; Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station contribution; no. 04-242-S; Report of progress (Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service); 923; Beef; Warner-Bratzler shear force; Strip loin steaks; Sensory panel

Abstract

In a previous study, eighteen strip loins from USDA Select and premium Choice carcasses were cooked on a Magikitch'n® belt grill to determine tenderness at nine different endpoint temperatures. That study revealed that optimum Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) values occurred in strip loin steaks cooked to 131°F, but current WBSF protocol requires steaks to be cooked to 158°F. Therefore, trials employing trained sensory panels (TSP) were conducted to determine the relationship of WBSF with TSP tenderness from steaks cooked to 131 and 158°F on the belt grill. As expected, panelists found steaks cooked to 131°F more tender than those cooked to 158°F. The relationship of WBSF with TSP ratings for tenderness was not significant (P>0.05) when both steaks were cooked to 158°F. When both steaks were cooked to 131°F, however, there was a moderate relationship (r = -0.52) of WBSF with TSP tenderness. The relationship of WBSF from steaks cooked to 131°F with TSP ratings for tenderness from steaks cooked to 158°F was the strongest (r = -0.66). More research is needed to determine the feasibility of cooking steaks to 131°F, rather than 158°F, to improve WBSF determination.

Recommended Citation

Stephens, J.W.; Obuz, E.; Grobbel, J.P.; and Dikeman, Michael E. (2004) "Relationship of Warner-Bratzler shear force and trained sensory panel tenderness of strip loin steaks cooked to 131 and 158°F," Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports: Vol. 0: Iss. 1. https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.1641