Composition of Marbled Beef
Visually, marbling is soft intramuscular
(between the muscle fiber) fat made up of
polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and
saturated fats. At chiller temperatures,
marbled fat appears white and will
become less obvious as the meat comes
up to room temperature with unsaturated
fats beginning to melt.
|
Grading of Marbled Beef
In Australia marbled beef is graded by
AUS-MEAT on a scale of 0 (no marbling)
to 9 (extensive marbling). The animal
breed such as Angus or Wagyu, age of
slaughter and diet (grain vs grass fed)
all influence the level of marbling in
the animal. Different cuts of meat will
also exhibit different levels of marbling,
generally more at the neck and less
towards the hindquarter. |
Marbling and Eating Quality
Extensive research has shown that the
unique flavour and aroma compounds of
beef are held in the fat, while lean meat
has a relatively consistent flavour across
all species. Upon cooking, the fat melts
and these compounds are released giving
a rich beef flavour and satisfying aroma.
These melting marble fats also contribute
to the tender texture of cooked marbled
beef, with the fats slowly basting the
meat from the inside as they warm up
during cooking. This process aids even
cooking without excessive heat and
improves the retention of water,
enhancing a great juicy texture.
|
