Experimental cookery

From the experiments, results given in Table 26, Mitchell et al. find no relation between the ordinary market grading of beef carcasses and the connective-tissue content, the eye-muscle of ribs from the carcass of a canner cow having no more collagen than that from a choice steer. The results of their ^'investigation lend no support to the belief that the appear- ance, texture, and firmness of beef lean give reliable information concern- ing its tenderness." This suggests that other factors than the connective- tissue content alone affect the tenderness of meat, for most persons would prefer taking a chance on the eye-muscle of ribs from a choice steer being more tender than that from a canner cow. Pork contains little connective tissue. Mitchell et al. have found that all the different cuts of pork contained more nearly the same percentage of connective tissue than the different cuts of veal or beef. TABLE 26 The Collagen and Elastin Content of the "Ribeyes" of the 9th, 10th, AND 11th Ribs of Beeves of Different Grade {Mitchell, Hamiltony and Haines) Dry N Fat Colla- Elas- Colla- Elas- Esti- matter gen- tin- gen N tin N Carcass mated Sex con- con- con- con- con- in per in per grade age, tent, tent. tent, tent. tent. cent of cent of years per cent per cent per cent per cent per cent total N total N Choice 1 steer 25.82 3.59 2.50 1.08 0.004 5.4 0.02 Choice 2 steer 27.87 3.55 4.35 1.89 0.006 9.4 0.03 Good4- 4 steer 29.07 3.25 7.78 1.19 0.011 6.5 0.06 Good young cow 25.16 3.42 2.99 1.16 0.001 6.1 0.005 Good 4 steer 29.48 3.30 7.14 1.33 0.002 7.2 0.01 Good+ 2 steer 26.08 3.57 3.54 1.49 0.003 7.4 0.015 Medium+ 1 heifer 23.82 3.34 0.97 1.05 5.6 Medium+ cow 26.82 3.34 4.63 1.59 0.002 8.5 0.01 Medium-i- 3-4 steer 26.83 3.36 5.18 1.32 0.008 7.0 0.04 Medium 3-4 steer 26.12 3.40 3.62 1.15 0.032 6.1 0.16 Common+ old cow 25.22 3.46 2.92 1.74 0.004 9.0 0.02 Canner 14-15 cow 26.62 3.56 3.51 0.92 0.008 4.6 0.04 206 MEAT Connective tissue in fish. The connective tissue of fish is small in amount and probably contains mostly collagen with little or no elastin, for it is very easily disintegrated and easily dissolved by cooking, leaving the muscle fibers separated. The Muscle Fibers Each fiber is elongated, cylindrical, and multi-nucleated. Howell states its length does not exceed 36 mm. but the species is not stated. The average length varies in different muscles in the same animal and in the same muscles in different kinds of animals. Hammond says that the average length of goat fibers is said to be greater than those of beef, and those of beef greater than fibers in mutton. The average diameter also varies in different muscles, in different species, and in the same animal with age. Hammond found the average diameter of a particular muscle of Suffolk ram at birth, at 5 months, and at 4 years to be 12.8^, 40.3^, and 54.1/x, respectively. It is commonly accepted that the number of fibers does not increase after birth so that, in spite of increase in diameter with age, the size of the muscle is largely determined by the number and length of the fibers rather than their thickness.