Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
Ya know, I've heard it said so many times that the fat is where the flavor comes from in meat. I postulate that the statement is just plain false, especially when it comes to beef. Here's the thinking behind my postulation.
Fat, especially inter-muscular fat is comprised of a cell wall, with less substance than other bodily cell walls, and is filled with fatty acids in solid form. These fatty acids are bland in flavor and make up over 90 percent of the fat cell. To test my idea, I cut the fat tissue from the outside of a New York Strip steak an pan fried it until it was dark brown. No seasoning was applied to the cooking fat. I then let it cool a bit and tasted it. The cooked fat had very little flavor. I've done similar things with chicken and pork fat. Both of these fats, especially the chicken fat had significantly more flavor than did the beef fat. So, where does beef flavor come from?
The muscle tissue in any animal is a mixture of protiens that form the cell walls, and a broth that contains enzymes, sugars, and various other substances, each carrying its own flavor. In addition, meat tissue has countless cappilaries that carry blood to the cells. The blood is comprised of plasma, which has sugar, salt, white blood cells, and other compounds, and red blood cells that contain iron. The liquid in the muscle cells, with the blood give meat its characteristic flavor.
Try this test. If you have water available with a high iron content (like from a pump well at a campground), mix a little salt with it and then take a taste. you will find that it tastes an awful lot like blood. At least, that's my experience.
Ever wonder why a sirloin has more flavor than does a tenderloin? The sirloin is a more exercised muscle, and therefore has a richer supply of blood going to it. In addition, the individual cells have more of the things inside the cell walls that make the muscle work.
Typically, well, in every case, the more a muscle is worked, the more blood vessels there are to feed it, and the more flavor it has. The more exercised muscle tissue is also leaner and more tough.
You say, but then how come a well marbled steak over charcoal tastes better than a leaner steak cooked over charcoal?
As the radiant heat from the charcoal hits the meat, it melts the fat, causing it to drip out of the meat and onto the burning embers, where the fat burns and releases a flavorful smoke that deposits on the meat. That's where that fire grilled flavor comes from, and where the fat comes into play.
The reason we enjoy our ground beef with more fat is that it creates a juicier mouth feel from the melted fat, and serves to bind the individual muscle pieces together to form a patty that doesn't fall apart when handled. It also helps hold the salt to the meat, which fires up the old taste buds to better taste the meat. In a well-marbled steak, again, it helps lubricate the mouth, and serves to break up the strings of muscle tissue, making the steak more tender. It helps hold and distribute the meat flavor, and seasoings across the taste buds, again allowing us to better taste the meat flavor.
Fat is important to make a beef taste better, but does little to add actual flavor to the beef. The exception might be subcutaneous fat, which is rich in blood vessels that feed the skin. but as we don't eat rawhide, I really have no experience with that fat.
Comments and arguments are welcomed. My ideas are educated guesses based on personal experience and limited trial. I don't at this time believe that fat adds flavor to beef. I do believe that it helps distribute the muscle, blood, and seasoning flavors more evenly across the tongue, allowing us to better taste the flavors inherent in the beef.
I may be only partially correct, or even entirely wrong. I just want facts, not wive's tales to guide my cooking.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Fat, especially inter-muscular fat is comprised of a cell wall, with less substance than other bodily cell walls, and is filled with fatty acids in solid form. These fatty acids are bland in flavor and make up over 90 percent of the fat cell. To test my idea, I cut the fat tissue from the outside of a New York Strip steak an pan fried it until it was dark brown. No seasoning was applied to the cooking fat. I then let it cool a bit and tasted it. The cooked fat had very little flavor. I've done similar things with chicken and pork fat. Both of these fats, especially the chicken fat had significantly more flavor than did the beef fat. So, where does beef flavor come from?
The muscle tissue in any animal is a mixture of protiens that form the cell walls, and a broth that contains enzymes, sugars, and various other substances, each carrying its own flavor. In addition, meat tissue has countless cappilaries that carry blood to the cells. The blood is comprised of plasma, which has sugar, salt, white blood cells, and other compounds, and red blood cells that contain iron. The liquid in the muscle cells, with the blood give meat its characteristic flavor.
Try this test. If you have water available with a high iron content (like from a pump well at a campground), mix a little salt with it and then take a taste. you will find that it tastes an awful lot like blood. At least, that's my experience.
Ever wonder why a sirloin has more flavor than does a tenderloin? The sirloin is a more exercised muscle, and therefore has a richer supply of blood going to it. In addition, the individual cells have more of the things inside the cell walls that make the muscle work.
Typically, well, in every case, the more a muscle is worked, the more blood vessels there are to feed it, and the more flavor it has. The more exercised muscle tissue is also leaner and more tough.
You say, but then how come a well marbled steak over charcoal tastes better than a leaner steak cooked over charcoal?
As the radiant heat from the charcoal hits the meat, it melts the fat, causing it to drip out of the meat and onto the burning embers, where the fat burns and releases a flavorful smoke that deposits on the meat. That's where that fire grilled flavor comes from, and where the fat comes into play.
The reason we enjoy our ground beef with more fat is that it creates a juicier mouth feel from the melted fat, and serves to bind the individual muscle pieces together to form a patty that doesn't fall apart when handled. It also helps hold the salt to the meat, which fires up the old taste buds to better taste the meat. In a well-marbled steak, again, it helps lubricate the mouth, and serves to break up the strings of muscle tissue, making the steak more tender. It helps hold and distribute the meat flavor, and seasoings across the taste buds, again allowing us to better taste the meat flavor.
Fat is important to make a beef taste better, but does little to add actual flavor to the beef. The exception might be subcutaneous fat, which is rich in blood vessels that feed the skin. but as we don't eat rawhide, I really have no experience with that fat.
Comments and arguments are welcomed. My ideas are educated guesses based on personal experience and limited trial. I don't at this time believe that fat adds flavor to beef. I do believe that it helps distribute the muscle, blood, and seasoning flavors more evenly across the tongue, allowing us to better taste the flavors inherent in the beef.
I may be only partially correct, or even entirely wrong. I just want facts, not wive's tales to guide my cooking.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
