We at SteakPerfection have been asked to list the most important factors which affect steak quality. After substantial analysis, we prepared the following list of the 101 major factors that affect the quality of a steak.
The following factors are not the only data that is necessary for the cattle database. Instead, these are the factors that should be available to every consumer. For example, the following does not include price, yield or safety data, which are necessary for suppliers. The following lists the factors that affect a steak's taste, texture and juiciness. Note that some of these factors are not applicable in every case. For example, grass-finished cattle is not transported to or fed in a feedlot.7 FACTORS ABOUT COW-CALF RANCH OR FARM-OF-ORIGIN
1. Name - including address, website, number of ranchers, etc.
2. Cattle density - i.e. number of cattle per area, which relates to herd and cattle stress
3. Soil - type of soil will affect cattle directly and, more importantly, indirectly, since it changes the taste of the cattle feed
4. Climate - temperature, wind, snow and rain -- the terroir includes the terrain and the soil, water and weather which affects the taste of the steak because they affect the taste of the fodder that the cattle eat and the way that they grow, and it also includes how the cattle is treated by the farmer
5. Terrain - hills, trees, meadows, streams, altitude, air quality and other terrain factors that affect how much or little the cattle use and develop their muscles, quality of life, etc.
6. Care - details of stress mitigation and other care
7. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
4 FACTORS ABOUT TRANSPORT FROM FARM-OF-ORIGIN
8. Method - how are calves moved to the stocker/backgrounder (e.g. cattle drive, truck, etc.)
9. Name of transport company - including address, website, type of equipment, etc
10. Care - details of stress mitigation and other care during transport
11. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
7 FACTORS ABOUT SALE-BARN/STOCKER/BACKGROUNDER/OTHER RANCH
12. Name - including address, website, number of ranchers, etc.
13. Cattle density - i.e. number of cattle per area, which relates to herd and cattle stress
14. Soil - type of soil will affect cattle directly and, more importantly, indirectly, since it changes the taste of the cattle feed
15. Climate - temperature, wind, snow and rain -- the terroir includes the terrain and the soil, water and climate which affects the taste of the steak because they affect the taste of the fodder that the cattle eat and the way that they grow, and it also includes how the cattle is treated by the farmer
16. Terrain - hills, trees, meadows, streams, altitude, air quality and other terrain factors that affect how much or little the cattle use and develop their muscles, quality of life, etc.
17. Care - details of stress mitigation and other care
18. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
4 FACTORS ABOUT TRANSPORT FROM RANCH
19. Method - how are calves moved to the feedlot (e.g. cattle drive, truck, etc.)
20. Name of transport company - including address, website, type of equipment, etc
21. Care - details of stress mitigation and other care during transport
22. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
7 FACTORS ABOUT FEEDLOT
23. Name - including address, website, number of ranchers, etc.
24. Cattle density - i.e. number of cattle per area, which relates to herd and cattle stress
25. Soil - type of soil will affect cattle directly and, more importantly, indirectly, since it changes the taste of the cattle feed
26. Climate - temperature, wind, snow and rain -- the terroir includes the terrain and the soil, water and climate which affects the taste of the steak because they affect the taste of the fodder that the cattle eat and the way that they grow, and it also includes how the cattle is treated by the farmer
27. Terrain - hills, trees, meadows, streams, altitude, air quality and other terrain factors that affect how much or little the cattle use and develop their muscles, quality of life, etc.
28. Care - details of stress mitigation and other care
29. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
18 FACTORS ABOUT EACH HEAD OF BEEF CATTLE
30. ID number - the RFID or other unique ID that stays with the animal from birth to slaughter and then to the retail consumer’s steak
31. Sire ID - with which the consumer can trace the sire’s sire, dam, date of birth, etc.
32. Dam ID - with which the consumer can trace the sire’s sire, dam, date of birth, etc.
33. Date of birth
34. Place of birth
35. Breed
36. Sex - male or female at birth
37. Weaning age
38. Weaning method (important as measure of stress)
39. Castration age - (note: castration at birth results in more marbling but lower yield)
40. Castration method - (important as measure of stress)
41. Diet as pre-weaned calf - including details and proportion of cow-fed milk, bottle fed milk, free choice alfalfa, water, etc.
42. Diet as weaned calf - including details and proportions of feed, including grasses, forage, mixes, water, etc.
43. Diet on pasture - including details and proportions of feed, including grasses, forage, mixes, water, etc.
44. Diet in feedlot - including details and proportions of grains, mixes, supplements, water, etc. (note: the amount and quality of water is as important as the quality of feed)
45. Medications and supplements - including dates and details of each vaccine, antibiotic, vitamin and mineral supplements, growth promotant (e.g. hormones), etc
46. Brand - i.e. details about any brand, PVP or similar program in which the animal is enrolled (e.g. CAB, grass-finished, etc.)
47. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
11 FACTORS ABOUT ABATTOIR
48. Name - including address, website, number of cattle processed per day, etc.
49. Slaughter date - from which the exact age can be determined by reference to the date of birth
50. Slaughter method - important as measure of stress
51. Hot carcass treatment - i.e. spray with chilled water, shrouded, etc.
52. Days in cooler
53. Date of USDA Inspection
54. Marbling quality - texture, color etc
55. Marbling amount - IMF%
56. Date of USDA Grading
57. USDA Grade - includes more info than just marbling
58. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
9 FACTORS ABOUT AGING
59. Name of facility(s) - including address, website, etc.
60. Cut - the name and IMPS/NAMP number
61. Temperature - note that this and the other aging room factors must be reported for each cut and not simply at the facility’s website, since these factors are very important for steak quality and since they can vary from day-to-day and week-to-week
62. Humidity
63. Air-flow
64. Bacterial control
65. Method - dry, wet, hybrid
66. Time - note: all beef is aged at least 2 days in the hot carcass cooler, and almost all beef is wet aged at least during shipment to retailer
67. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
5 FACTORS ABOUT BUTCHERY OF CARCASS
68. Name - including address, website, etc.
69. Date of butchering - from carcass to primal
70. Cut - the name and IMPS/NAMP number
71. Method of packaging - e.g. cryovac
72. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
5 FACTORS ABOUT BUTCHERY OF PRIMAL CUT
73. Name - including address, website, etc.
74. Date of butchering - from primal to subprimal
75. Cut - the name and IMPS/NAMP number
76. Method of packaging - e.g. cryovac
77. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
6 FACTORS ABOUT BUTCHERY OF SUBPRIMAL CUT
78. Name - including address, website, etc.
79. Date of butchering - from subprimal to individual steak
80. Cut - the name and IMPS/NAMP number
81. Thickness of steak
82. Method of packaging - e.g. cryovac if portion-cut to be shipped to steakhouse or retailer
83. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
5 FACTORS ABOUT PREPARATION BEFORE COOKING
84. Trim - i.e. removal of fat
85. Temperature - of steak before cooking
86. Drying - details about drying the steak
87. Pre-seasoning - salt, pepper, marinating, applying a rub or oil, etc.
88. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
6 FACTORS ABOUT COOKING
89. Appliance - grill, pan, oven, etc., including utensils (e.g. tongs) for flipping
90. Fuel - (e.g. natural gas grill, propane gas grill, gas broiler (e.g. Montague), infrared broiler, hickory lump charcoal, etc.)
91. Temperature - cooking temperature at meat level
92. Environment - ambient temperature, humidity, airflow, altitude etc.
93. Time - for cooking, including number of flips
94. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
6 FACTORS ABOUT SERVING
95. Resting - time and details (e.g. covered and rested 5 minutes on a rack in a 200F oven)
96. Seasoning - details of seasonings, butter, etc.
97. Slicing - details about the direction and thickness of slices, type of knife (e.g. ceramic), etc.
98. Plating - e.g. served on a pre-warmed but not hot plate to retain the steak heat
99. Serving - i.e. garnishes, side dishes, etc. (e.g. serve with separate bowls of coarse sea salts)
100. Special notes - any other factors that may affect the steak quality
(and perhaps the single most important factor) TASTING
101. The steak lover should learn how to taste a great steak (e.g. small bites, chew slowly, detect and appreciate the complex layers of taste, texture and juiciness, etc.).
CONCLUSION
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