EFFECTS OF SERVING TEMPERATURE ON SENSORY EVALUATION OF BEEF STEAKS FROM DIFFERENT MUSCLES AND CARCASS MATURITIES

The effects of post-cooking beef sample temperatures of 22°C (room temp) and 50°C on sensory measures were determined. Steaks from psoas, longissimus, and semitendinosus muscles from carcasses of A−, A+, and C+ USDA maturity groups were used. Steaks were oven roasted to 70°C internal temperature and cores (1.88 cm) were removed and halved, with one-half being maintained at 22°C and the other half at 50°C. A calibrated double boiler system was used to accurately control sample temperature. Eight trained sensory panelists rated all samples on a 7-point rating scale for flavor, juiciness, initial tenderness, and overall tenderness, and on a 5-point rating scale for connective tissue residue. Significantly higher values for flavor (P > 0.01) and juiciness (P > 0.01) were found for 50°C samples, Tenderness measures were not affected by serving temperature. Correlation coefficients between juiciness and the various tenderness measures were higher for the 22°C samples but lower for flavor and the other sensory measures at 22°C.