Research - Canadian Beef | Canada Beef

Culinary Research

Canada Beef is working with meat scientists at the Agriculture and Agri-food Lacombe research centre to conduct practical research around key factors related to preparation of beef products in the kitchen. All of this research will result in benefits for you, your cooking knowledge and ultimately your enjoyment of delicious quality Canadian beef.

See the list of culinary research projects below the main article.

Where’s the Fat?

We will research how cooking methods impact the amount of fat removed during cooking and what is the final impact on quality of taste and texture.

Fat contributes flavour, juiciness and also can make it easier to chew and swallow beef which contributes to the perception of tenderness.  Some consumers are interested in reducing the amount they consume and while the amount of fat present in the raw product is often considered the most important measurement is the amount that remains after cooking. A variety of methods, including newer appliances such as air fryers, will be evaluated with steaks and beef patties to determine the amount of fat removed during cooking.

Photo courtesy of AAFC

DONE TO PERFECTION

We’re often asked, “What is the secret to a perfect roast?”

When cooking ground beef and patties the only way to safely determine doneness is to use an accurate thermometer and ensure the beef has reached a minimum temperature of 71C. In steaks and roasts (that have not been tenderized) it is common for Canadians to use other methods including the colour of the meat or its juices.

Building on a recent survey commissioned by Canada Beef of consumers current understanding of methods to determine doneness, a trained sensory panel will evaluate the various approaches utilized by Canadians to determine how well they relate to juiciness, tenderness and flavour in beef steaks.

FULL
CONTACT

How do I stop a steak from curling while grilling? Good question. Why does this happen?

When steak is exposed to a hot grill surface it develops flavours as well as crusted textures which contribute to an enjoyable eating experience. In some instances the beef will curl during the cooking process causing a portion of the surface to lift off the grill. This commonly occurs with cuts that have fat along the edge which contracts when heated.  The effect of notching the fat without removal was compared to removal of the fat to minimize curling without loss of flavour.

Learn more about this research and it’s findings in our NEW CDN BEEF TV episode created by the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence culinary team. Watch it here

BETTER
WITH REST

Quite often this is the one step that is skipped.

It is commonly recommended to rest roasts before carving to maximize their eating quality. Based on feedback from Canadians obtained through a national survey, the commonly used methods for resting roasts will be evaluated using a trained sensory panel and laboratory measurements related to juiciness, tenderness and flavour.