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> Home > Beef Flavor > Commercial Tenderizing
Beef Flavor Factor #6: Commercial MarinatingInjectors, vacuum tumblers, vacuum massagers—sounds like an odd assortment of home appliances. But these are actually types of equipment that promote uniform distribution of marinade in beef. Unevenly distributed marinade can cause such effects as discoloration, rubbery texture, strong flavor and uneven cooking.
Marination technology involves four basic elements: 1) beef; 2) marinade; 3) a treatment process and 4) packaging. The food industry defines a marinade as “...a mixture in which a food is either soaked, massaged, tumbled or injected to improve taste, tenderness or other sensory attributes, such as color or juiciness.” All branded products sold at retail must disclose on the label the amount of marinade and the ingredients. This is a regulation that may not be applicable to product prepared on-site.
The key differences between various marination processes are the degree of penetration and dispersion of the marinade, the amount of marinade absorbed and the extent of tenderizing.
The ingredients in commercial marinating solutions perform specific functions. Primary ingredients—water, salt, starch and phosphates—affect texture and water-holding capacity. Secondary ingredients—seasonings, acids and sweeteners—add flavor. A marinade can be as simple as water, salt and phosphates with a typical formula being 92% water, 7% salt and 1% phosphate.
Primary marinade ingredients increase the meat’s water-holding capacity. Meat proteins, which make up about 20% of beef’s composition usually hold about four times their weight of water. Salts, such as sodium chloride and sodium phosphates, enable meat to retain water or marinade. This results in less moisture loss during cooking thus increasing the juiciness and tenderness of the beef while minimizing the consequences of overcooking.
Secondary ingredients (i.e. seasonings, sodium lactate, potassium lactate, sodium citrate, sodium di-acetate and seasonings that contain certain antioxidant activity such as extractives of rosemary) impart specific flavors, visual appeal and can extend shelf life.
Trendy ethnic cuisines, such as Asian, Caribbean and Nuevo Latino, often influence marinade flavors. Today’s standby marinades such as lemon pepper and teriyaki, are being joined by chili peppers, cilantro and other herbs.
The Balancing ActSuccessful marinating lies in the perfectly balanced formula. The challenge is to avoid certain pitfalls. For example, maximizing water-holding capacity may result in a product with rubbery texture and/or high sodium content. Rubbery texture can be avoided by using less of certain ingredients (phosphate, salt) and reducing the time and action in tumbling/mixing. This in turn lowers the water-holding capacity and may result in excess purge. Therefore, the amount of water may also need adjusting. The best approach clearly defines the marination purpose and tests each specific formula and process.
Citrus flavors, while popular, are tricky due to their acidity. The water-holding capacity of beef proteins is best at a neutral pH. If the pH of a marinade is too low, proteins are broken down rapidly and the beef texture becomes soft and mushy.
Achieving consistent marination is challenging due to the number of variables. Water purity, mixing procedures, temperature, treatment process, packaging and batch size affect marination success. Even the age, moisture content and specific cut of the beef affects consistency.
In the final analysis, perfect marination depends on the desired final product. Ingredients and processes that optimize the quality of some products may reduce the performance of others.
Benefits Of Commercially Marinated Beef
- Enhances juiciness and minimizes consequences of overcooking
- Enhances flavor and tenderness
- Improves consistency
- Provides a vehicle for incorporation of flavors and seasonings
- Can be used to incorporate ingredients that increase shelf life
Tenderizing Beef
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