Effect of muscle type and cooking temperature on liver‐like off‐flavour of five beef chuck muscles

Steaks (1.9 cm thick) from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Select grade beef chuck muscles (Infraspinatus, Longissimus dorsi, Serratus ventralis, Supraspinatus and Terres major) were cooked to two temperatures commonly applied in US restaurants (71 °C and 82 °C) and evaluated for liver‐like off‐flavour by trained panel. Pigment content of raw muscles were determined to establish its effect on liver‐like off‐flavour. Mean myoglobin content of Serratus (9.26 mg g^?1) was significantly lower than other beef chuck muscles analysed in this study. Infraspinatus had highest (P < 0.05) mean liver flavour of 2.08 where other muscles had <2. Rancid flavour was slightly but significantly increased from 1.34 to 1.58 as internal cook temperature increased from 71 °C to 82 °C; however mean thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values were not affected by cooking temperature. Infraspinatus had small but significant incidence of liver‐like off‐flavour. Cooking temperature had a clear impact on rancidity as evaluated by trained panel but no direct impact on liver‐like off flavour was observed.