MXPA97008454A - Incorporation of gr - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for preparing meat containing cuts of meat therein, which comprises fermenting cuts of meat with a starter culture, freezing the fermented cuts of meat and incorporating a frozen suspension of the cuts of meat in a pickle, marinated or pickled in cold meat, characterized in that fat is added to the carving cuts

Description

INCORPORATION OF GREASE DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a process for incorporating cuts of meat and fat in meat. The cuts of meat are obtained by the removal of meat during the standard preparation of whole cuts of meat in the meat industry. The cuts are usually but not always of low quality and usually contain some fat (approximately 10-12% by weight) and some muscle tissue. It is possible, using the technology introduced in the market in recent years, to incorporate elaborate slices of meat cut into whole cuts of similar meat to increase weight using a multi-needle injector. Controlling parameters such as the number of injected cuts, the meat / fat ratio and the quality of the meat, this technology allows the production of cooked ham or other marinated meat products without affecting the standard quality with respect to taste, life average and lack of visibility of the suspension, and in some cases improving it, for example, with respect to the link and performance. Such a process is described in US-A-4,960,599. The cost saved from injecting cuts is considerable when cuts are of low quality compared to whole cuts of meat.

In order to impart a specificity to taste and improve microbiological stability, it has been proposed to ferment raw marinated meat using a starter culture in the brine or marinated prior to cooking to produce bacteriocins. However, since raw marinated meat can under no circumstances be allowed to ferment at a temperature greater than about + 8 ° C before cooking, the biggest problem is finding a starter culture that can produce bacteriocins and a specific flavor at low temperature. Some commercially available crops have been tested but the effect on the final quality of the product with respect to taste and microbiological stability is minimal. In addition, the production time before the cooking stage must be prolonged considerably. It was found that by applying the fermentation step with a starter culture in the meat cuts before incorporation in the meat, it is possible to adapt the fermentation parameters such as temperature, time, humidity and ingredients, etc., to their optimum values. Accordingly, in the co-pending EP-A-95202882.7 there is provided a process for preparing meat containing cuts of meat therein which comprises incorporating a frozen suspension of cuts of meat in a brine, marinated or pickled within cold meats characterized in that before freezing, the cuts of meat are fermented with a starter culture.

Although, as stated in the above, the cuts of meat usually contain approximately 10-12% by weight of fat, it has been surprisingly found that, incorporating extra fat in the cuts of meat, the final intensity of the flavor of the meat can be significantly improved. According to the present invention there is provided a process for preparing meat containing cuts of meat therein which comprises fermenting cuts of meat with a starter culture, freezing the fermented cuts of meat and incorporating a frozen suspension of the cuts of meat in a brine, marinated or pickled in cold meats characterized in that the fat is added to the cuts of meat. The amount of fat added to the cuts of meat may depend on the requirements but usually to obtain an improvement in the flavor, at least 10% and preferably at least 20% by weight of fat are added based on the weight of the mixture of fat and cuts of meat. Typically for optimum flavor improvement, the amount of added fat is from 25 to 75%, preferably from 30 to 70% and especially from 40 to 60% by weight of the fat based on the weight of the meat mixture and cuts of meat are used. It should be understood that since the cuts of meat normally contain approximately 10-12% in fat, the total amount of fat in the mixture is approximately 10-12% more than the added fat.

The fat used to add to cuts of meat is preferably that removed from the thick layer of fat of the current piece of meat to be treated but it is also possible to use fat from a thick layer of fat of the same type of meat as meat which is going to be treated. It is possible to use fat from the thick layer of fat of the meat type different from the type of meat to be treated, although it is generally less preferred. The fat is preferably pork fat but other acceptable fats in foods such as animal fats or vegetable oils can be used, if desired. The fat is preferably added to the cuts of meat before or during fermentation. The meat used in the process can be obtained from all types of meat such as pork, beef, lamb, poultry and fish. For example, whole raw cuts of meat may be cooled, for example at a temperature of from -2 ° C to 12 ° C, preferably from 2 ° C to 10 ° C and especially from 3 ° C to 8 ° C, deboned and the cuts removed in the form usual. The cuts of meat used are preferably those removed from the current piece of meat that is going to be treated but it is also possible to use cuts of meat of the same type of meat as the meat that is going to be treated. It is also possible to use cuts of meat of a different type of meat than the type of meat to be treated, although this is generally less preferred. The mixture of fat and cuts of meat can be incorporated in whole cuts of meat cut as such or in smaller portions of meat formed by dividing the whole cuts of meat into pieces that have an average diameter of 0.5 to 10 cm, more conveniently than 1 to 5 cm. When the mixture of fat and cuts of meat is incorporated in the whole cuts of meat, this can be conventionally carried out by injection, using for example a multi-needle injector. When the mixture of fat and cuts of meat are incorporated into small portions of meat, this can be accomplished by mixing the fat mixture and cuts of meat with small portions of meat, for example, with stirring such as stirring or stirring stirring in drum. For example, a suspension of the mixture of fat and cuts of meat can be added directly to the stirring drum. Prior to fermentation, the meat mixture and the meat cuts are milled conveniently until most of the particles have a size of less than 30 mm in diameter and their average particle size is from 1 mm to 5 mm, preferably from 2 mm to 4 mm in diameter. Before, during or after the addition of the starter culture, the milled mixture of fat and cuts of meat is preferably mixed with a brine, marinated or pickled. As is well known, an escabeche is used to preserve meat and may contain brine, vinegar or other acidic salt or liquor while marinating is used to flavor the meat and may contain brine, vinegar or wine, oil, spices and herbs, etc. Black pepper can be added advantageously. For example, the mixture of fat and cuts of meat can be mixed with sugar and a nitrite salt such as sodium nitrite. The pH of the mixture is usually in the range of about 5.2 to 6.3, preferably from 5.5 to 6.0. Suitable starter cultures can be obtained from Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Pediococcus or Staphylococcus species and the preferred strains are lactobacillus sake (L. saki), Pediococcus aciditati (P. acid i la ti) and Staphylococcus carnosus. The starter culture can be mixed in water as is conventional before adding to the cuts of meat. The amount of starter culture can be used from 0.1 to 10 ml, preferably from 0.5 to 5 ml and especially from 0.75 to 2.5 ml per kg of fat and ground cuts of meat. The mixture of fat and ground cuts of meat and the starter culture in the brine, marinade or marinade is advantageously packaged in a container or a suitable tank for fermentation such as a plastic bag or a bag within which the process is allowed to proceed. fermentation. The cell concentration before fermentation is preferably 10 amp.; to 10? cells / g. The fermentation can take place at a temperature of 0 to 55 ° C, preferably of 8 ° to 45 ° C and more preferably of 15 ° to 40 ° C over a period of about 12 hours to about 7 days, preferably 18 days. hours to 5 days. During the initial stages of the fermentation, for example after a period of about 6 to 30 hours and more usually after a period of 12 to 24 hours, the pH decreases, for example at a pH of 5.2 or 5.3 or less. The cell concentration after fermentation is preferably 10 ** to 10 cells / g. After fermentation, the fermented mixture of fat and ground beef cuts are frozen, for example at a temperature of -5 ° to -30 ° C, preferably -15 ° to -25 ° C. After freezing, the fermented ground cuts of meat are advantageously flaked, for example to particles having a maximum volume of approximately 2cc, preferably a maximum volume of 1cc. After freezing, a frozen, pickled or marinated brine can be mixed with the fermented fat mixture and ground cuts of meat to form a suspension. The mixing can be carried out by emulsifying one or more times, for example up to four times. The ratio of brine, marinade or marinade to fat can be from 1: 1 to 20: 1, preferably from 1.5: 1 to 15: 1 and more preferably from 2: 1 to 9: 1. For example, a brine may consist of a mixture of nitrite salt, sugar, ascorbate and water. The nitrite and ascorbate salts are conveniently the sodium salts. The frozen suspension of the fat mixture and cuts of meat in a brine, marinated or pickled then is heated to a temperature not higher than +1 ° C, for example from approximately -2 ° C to -10 ° C, preferably from 4 ° C to -8 ° C and incorporated in the cold meat. Although it is possible to heat the suspension to a temperature up to 5 ° C if the suspension contains less than 25% in meat, especially less than 10% in meat, it is clearly not advantageous to do so. The temperature of the suspension should preferably not exceed +1 ° C since otherwise the proteins could be extracted which could cause the suspension to thicken rapidly and this can cause a subsequent obstruction of the needles when the mixture of fat and cuts of meat are injected into the meat with needles. The amount of mixture of fat and cuts of meat incorporated in the meat can vary, for example up to 15%, conveniently from 1 to 10% and preferably from 2 to 6% by weight based on the weight of the meat. During the incorporation of the suspension of the mixture of fat and cuts of meat into the meat, especially by injection, a portion of the suspension of the meat is squeezed and can be returned to the batch containing the mixture of fat and cuts of meat with brine, where it is cooled again. Any portion of the returned suspension is preferably emulsified at least once, most preferably at least two or three times, with the next batch because it may contain small particles of meat which are dismembered from the muscles during injection and which can cause the needles to clog. When the mixture of fat and cuts of meat is incorporated by injection, a part of the suspension of the mixture of fat and cuts of meat is preferably added separately in such a way that something can be absorbed during the action of stirring the drum since it is not usually possible to incorporate the exact desired percentage of the suspension by injection. After the injection, the meat can be processed conventionally. The product of the meat may be a cold product which is either cooked or uncooked, or may be frozen, preferably marinated, or dried. Examples of uncooked cold meat products are bacon, bacon, cold smoked ham, etc. An example of a product of cold and cooked meat is cooked ham. For a cold product, cooked such as cooked ham, the meat can undergo softening, tumbling, molding, cooking, chilling, storing, cutting and packing by conventional methods such as are well known in the art. Advantageously, for a product of the meat which is cooked, such as cooked ham, the meat can be fermented before the cooking process. The process of the present invention can provide protection against undesirable bacteria such as Listeria in cold products and improved flavor in frozen and dried products. The following additional Example illustrates the present invention. The parts and percentages are by weight.

Example 1 A whole ham is cooled to 5 ° C and cut by removing the fat, tendons, etc., before separating it into different whole cuts of meat, the cuts removed from the whole ham are mixed with an equal amount of pork fat obtained from the thick layer of fat from the same ham and ground in a Kilia mill at an average particle size of 3 mm, mixed in a Hobart mixer with 1% dextrose, 2% nitrite salt and 1.0% of a starter culture. L. sake that contains 10 ^ to 10? bacteria per gram of fat mixture and cuts. The mixture is packaged under light vacuum in plastic bags and fermented at 25 ° C for 36 hours. The pH decreases rapidly during the first day from an initial pH of 6 to pH 5 and the cell count increases to 108 to 109 cells / g. After fermentation, the fermented mixture is packaged in whole bags and frozen at -20 ° C, flakes are formed in a magurit flake former to particles having dimensions of 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 cm and heated to -15 ° C. A brine at -8 ° C composed of 10.08% sodium nitrite, 0.18% sodium ascorbate, 2.28% dextrose and 87.46% water (corresponding to an injection level of 40.5% and a level of 7% the mixture of fat and cuts in the final product) in a ratio of 3 parts of brine to 1 part of salami. The mixing is carried out by emulsifying three times to form a suspension. The suspension is then injected at -6 ° C into one of the whole cuts of ham through a multi-needle injector and the ham containing the mixture of fat and cuts is then subjected to softening, stirring by drum, molding, cooking, cooled, stored, cut and finally packaged by conventional methods. Cold cooked ham has a significantly improved ham flavor when compared to a similar product that contains cuts of meat that have been fermented in a similar way but in the absence of added fat.

Example 2 A process similar to that described in Example 1 is followed except that the injection level of the suspension is only 23% instead of 40.5% of the level used in Example 1 giving an addition of only 4% of the fat mixture and cuts in the final product instead of 7% in Example 1. Cold cooked ham has a significantly improved ham flavor when compared to a similar product that contains cuts of meat which have been fermented in a similar way but in absence of added fat.

Claims (18)

1. A process for preparing meat containing cuts of meat therein, which comprises fermenting cuts of meat with a starter culture, freezing the fermented cuts of meat and incorporating a frozen suspension of the cuts of meat in a brine, marinated or pickled in the cold meat, characterized because fat is added to the cuts of meat.

2. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of fat added to the cuts of meat is at least 10% by weight of fat based on the weight of the mixture of fat and cuts of meat added.

3. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the fat used to add to the cuts of meat is that removed from the thick layer of fat of the current piece of meat to be treated or the thick layer of fat thereof. type of meat like the meat that is going to be treated.

4. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the fat is added to the cuts of meat before or during fermentation.

5. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the cuts of meat used are those removed from the current piece of meat to be treated.

6. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the cuts of meat used are cuts of the same type of meat as the meat to be treated.

7. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the incorporation of the mixture of fat and cuts of meat into the whole cuts of meat, is carried out by injection using a multi-needle injector.

8. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that before the fermentation, the mixture of fat and cuts of meat is ground until the majority of its particles have an average particle size of less than 30 mm in diameter.

9. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that before, during or after the addition of the starter culture, the mixture of fat and ground cuts of meat are mixed with a brine, marinated or pickled.

10. The process according to claim 9, characterized in that the pH of the mixture is in the range of about 5.2 to 6.3.

11. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the starter culture of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Pediococcus or Staphylococcus species is obtained.

12. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the ratio of brine, marinade or marinade to the fermented mixture of fat and cuts of meat is from 1: 1 to 20: 1.

13. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the frozen suspension of fat and cuts of meat in a brine, pickled or marinated at a temperature not higher than +1 ° C is incorporated in the cold meat.

14. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of the mixture of fat and cuts of meat incorporated in the meat is up to 15% by weight based on the weight of the meat.

15. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that after the incorporation, the meat is cooled, frozen or dried.

16. The process according to claim 1, characterized in that the meat is cooked before being cooled.

7. The process according to claim 16, characterized in that before cooking, the meat is fermented.

18. A product of the meat at any time produced by a process as claimed in any of the preceding claims.