Effects of Differences in Fat Content and Distribution on Stewing Characteristics and Flavor Quality of Beef Brisket

This study aimed to investigate the changes in processing characteristics and flavor quality during stewing of Brahman, Simmental, and Angus beef brisket, which exhibited differences in fat content and distribution. The findings were intended to provide a theoretical basis for selecting raw materials and optimizing the processing of high-quality brisket dishes.

Using the industrialized dish “Small Pot Brisket” as a model, briskets from Brahman, Simmental, and Angus cattle, representing distinct fat content and distribution profiles, were selected as research subjects. Their basic composition was determined. After stewing in clear water and in sauce, respectively, pH, cooking loss, color, shear force, microstructure, thiobarbituric acid value, fatty acid composition, and volatile flavor compounds were measured, combined with sensory evaluation to analyze their processing characteristics and flavor quality.

Significant differences (P<0.05) were found in the fat content and distribution among the three brisket types. Simmental had the highest total fat content (21.97%), followed by Brahman, with Angus being the lowest. Compared with Brahman and Simmental, Angus had 5.83% and 8.13% lower intermuscular fat content, respectively, but its intramuscular fat content was the highest (11.83%), with the most uniform overall fat distribution. After sauce stewing, the cooking loss of Angus decreased significantly from 35.50% (plain water stewing) to 32.92% (P<0.05), and its shear force was the lowest among the three (35.98 N). Microstructural analysis revealed a looser muscle fiber network, indicating the best tenderness. GC-IMS analysis showed that Angus produced a greater variety and higher content of aldehydes, ketones, furans, and nitrogen/sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds. In sensory evaluation, Angus also received a significantly higher overall acceptability score (8.18 points) than the other two groups. In contrast, Simmental and Brahman showed higher cooking loss and shear force under both stewing methods, resulting in poorer tenderness. Their fatty acid composition differed significantly from that of Angus, leading to weaker flavor intensity and complexity. Furthermore, sauce stewing improved product quality to some extent, with the degree of improvement varying depending on the raw material's fat distribution and post-stewing tissue structure.

Uniform fat distribution was a key factor contributing to the significant advantages of Angus in processing adaptability, texture, and flavor quality. Considering all indicators, Angus was the most suitable for industrial production of seasoned sauce stewing dishes (such as pre-packaged “Small Pot Brisket”), as it effectively ensured standardized, high-quality product yield, tenderness, and flavor.