Effects of Sous-vide Cooking on the Initial Yield, Peak Force, and Elastic Modulus of Cooked Beef Semitendinosus

The objective of this study was to compare the traditional cooking method with sous-vide cooking at various cooking temperatures and times on the initial yield, peak force, and elastic modulus of semitendinosus (ST) beef. This study also examined the colour properties, cooking loss, and water retention of ST beef. Sous-vide samples were cooked inside vacuumized pouches at temperatures 60, 70, and 80 ℃ for 3 and 6 h. Meanwhile, the traditional cooking method was treated at 90℃ for 30 min. Reduced the initial yield, peak force, and elastic modulus of ST beef could be attained in 6 h at 60 ℃. Higher temperature and prolonged cooking time seem to cause meat to be tougher, likely due to the longitudinal myofibrils shrank. In terms of water retention and cooking loss, sous-vide cooked at 60 °C (regardless of cooking time) significantly exhibited better water retention and lower cook loss. This mild cooking temperature also best preserved the colour properties of lightness (L*) and redness (a*) than the other treatments.