It would seem that it is not difficult to cope with such a type of work as cutting some kind of meat. It is only necessary to cut out the necessary parts. However, in reality, everything is somewhat more complicated. There is a manual that indicates how to conduct boning, trimming, butchering of carcasses of beef and not only.
General information on meat and processing procedures
As for, for example, deboning, meat on bones, which is in a chilled, thawed, steamed and cooled state , is subjected to this procedure. It is quite important to observe a certain temperature regime in the thickness of the muscles before cutting carcasses of beef or other meat. A carcass is considered chilled and thawed, the temperature of which is from 1 to 4 degrees Celsius. A paired product must have a temperature of at least 35 degrees. Are considered cooled areas with a temperature of not more than 12 degrees Celsius.
In addition, it must be added that the beef carcass deboning, trimming or butchering can only be done after the veterinarian has passed the examination. If he gives permission, then the object can be transferred for further processing. It is also worth adding here that before moving on to the procedure itself, the meat is weighed in order to categorize it. In addition, each type of product has its own individual characteristic.
As for beef, it is characterized by color. This type of product is distinguished by a marbled shade of meat, there are layers of adipose tissue in areas of transverse cut muscles. In itself, this meat is quite dense, which creates some inconvenience when cutting carcasses of beef, since it takes a lot of effort to do this.
Storage temperature before processing
The processing process should be carried out in a strict manner, in compliance with the time of all operations. In addition, the products are very different in their temperature state.
For example, if after cutting the carcasses of beef or not later than 1.5 hours after the slaughter of cattle, the temperature of the hip part to a depth of 6 cm is 36-38 degrees, then this part refers to the steam room. This type of product is best used for making boiled sausages, sausages, sausages, etc. In addition, beef is divided into several categories, which also greatly affects the processing and further use of the carcass.
As for the temperature regime, there are several more types. If, after cutting the beef carcasses, the meat that was obtained was subjected to cooling at a temperature of at least 12 degrees Celsius, and a dried crust appeared on the surface, this refers to the group of the cooled variety.
After cutting the beef, its parts can be cooled at a temperature of 0 to 4 degrees Celsius. In this case, the muscles remain elastic, moisture from the surface disappears, and the dried crust also remains. After passing this procedure, the products are considered chilled. After cutting the beef carcasses, the meat can have a temperature of from -3 to -5 on the surface and from 0 to 2 degrees in the thickness. This type is called frostbitten, and the total temperature of the entire carcass should be about -3 to -2 degrees. Frozen is an object whose muscle temperature does not exceed -8 degrees Celsius. Thawed products are considered to be those whose temperature in the muscles reaches 1 degree, when creating artificial conditions.
Preparation for processing
The technological process of cutting carcasses of beef requires that the meat to be sent for processing undergo some preparatory stages.
- Before transferring the carcass or half carcass to butchering, it is necessary that it be examined by a veterinarian. The purpose of this inspection is to determine the presentation of the raw material, as well as the possibility of its further use.
- If carcasses that were previously chilled or thawed come in, then they are cleaned of any impurities, remove the stigma, remove blood clots, if any. In some cases, there is a need when after dry cleaning you need to wash the carcass. To do this, you need to use water, the temperature of which is from 30 to 50 degrees Celsius.
- Frozen meat cannot be used for cutting, and therefore it must first be thawed. It can be added that frozen products must comply with the rules that are prescribed in regulatory documents so that they can be used.
After completing the preparatory phase, you can begin to cut the beef carcasses. The technological process of this operation is quite different, depending on what part needs to be processed. It is also very important to understand that cutting is a common name that includes several operations, namely cutting the carcass into several parts, deboning parts, that is, separating the pulp from the bones, and also the venation (removal of tendons, cartilage, films and etc.).
Bone cutting
In order to proceed to the deboning process, it is necessary to cut into several parts a half-carcass of beef. This processing step is performed in six consecutive steps. It is worth adding that as equipment for cutting carcasses of beef at this stage, a hanging path or a special cutting table with a slope for lowering individual parts is used.
- The first step is to cut off the scapula located between the muscles, which connects the scapular bone and the thoracic part.
- The second step is the cutting of the cervical part located between the last cervical and the first spinal vertebra; for this, you can also use a billhook.
- The third step is cutting the chest part along with the costal cartilage, in the place where the ribs just connect to these cartilage, and if we are talking about an old animal, then part of the beef, that is, the breast, you just need to cut off the chopper.
- The fourth stage is the cutting of the dorsal-rib part from the lumbar part, as in the case of the neck and spine, the incision is made after the last rib and before the first lumbar vertebra.
- After this, it is necessary to cut off the lumbar region from the hip.
- The last step of cutting is cutting off the hip part from the sacral with the help of a bill hook.
It is worth noting that initially the product comes in the form of carcass, half carcass or quarter. In any case, carcass meat must be cut in the manner described above. It can also be added that the fore and hind quarters coming into processing are also separately divided into bran and go into the deboning stage. Forequarter is everything from the cervical region to the chest, including the dorsal-rib and scapular region. The rest belongs to the back quarter.
Boning process
As mentioned earlier, the process of cutting carcasses of beef, the photo of which will be presented, is divided into several large stages, and does not end with the fact that the carcass is simply chopped. Following it is necessary to conduct a deboning.
The process of processing the blades is slightly different, but because it should be considered in more detail and start on the left side. The left shoulder blade is laid on the outer side of the table so that the forearm is turned towards the person. After this, it is necessary to begin to separate the meat part from the bone with the movements of the knife from itself. The movement should cover the area from the elbow to the shoulder joint and remove meat from the humerus. The knife should go flat. After that, in the same way cut off all the meat from the left humerus and scapula. Next, you need to hold the product by the radius, and by moving the knife away from yourself from the right side of the humerus. After that, you can cut muscle tissue on the right side of the radius and the left side of the ulna. Here it is necessary to lead the knife on yourself, not on your own.
When the meat from this protrusion is cut, it is necessary to hold a knife from left to right to cut the tendons of the elbow joint, and also to separate the elbow and radial parts from the shoulder. Two separated fragments are completely cleaned. It is necessary not to touch only the interosseous space. The next step in cutting meat is performed in this way. The shoulder blade is rotated 180 degrees so that the bone is now turned in the direction of the person. After that, you can begin to clean the head of the bone. To achieve the result, it is necessary to make a small incision in the muscle tissue so that you can take it with your hand. With the fingers of the left hand, the meat stretches towards itself, and with a knife it is necessary to lead along the surface of the bone towards itself. With this simultaneous effort, it will be possible to peel the meat from the inside of the scapula. Next, remove the tendons of the shoulder joint. It is also necessary not to forget to clean the outer and inner parts of the scapular bone from the film. It can also be noted that a slight presence of muscle tissue is allowed on the head of this bone.
Dorsal-rib section
In the photo of cutting carcasses of beef, if you look closely, you will notice that this section includes everything that is adjacent to the dorsal and costal vertebrae. With the correct cut, there should be 13 bones from each half. The vertebrae are interconnected by cartilage, as well as ligaments. Ribs are presented in the form of long arcuate bones. There are two main methods for boning the dorsal-rib part.
First you need to cut off all the available meat on the outside of the ribs, as well as the spinous processes of the dorsal vertebrae. Then muscle tissue is cut out and the dorsal vertebrae are cleaned. Cutting beef carcasses into cuts from these parts can also be carried out on a conveyor table. In this case, the processing methods will be different. In the event that the processing procedure is carried out by one worker, then the right and left parts are fed to the table. When processing each of the halves, the meat is removed with the first method, that is, in the form of two large pieces. The right half is laid so that the outer part lies on the table, and the ends of the ribs look towards the deboner. Moving a saw for cutting beef carcasses or a knife from right to left, it is necessary to remove the remains of the diaphragm. The next step is to cut the meat. In the direction from the 1st to the 13th rib, meat is cut from the dorsal vertebrae.
After this, it is necessary to turn the dorsal-rib part so that the spinous processes look towards the person. In this position, moving the knife away from you, cut off the core. Cleaning of the spinous processes themselves is carried out in the opposite direction, that is, from the 13th to the 1st rib. The process of movement starts from the spine and goes towards the process.
Cutting carcasses for retail
In order to successfully sell products on the retail market, you must first divide the carcass into half carcasses, and they should already be divided into two quarters. Cuts from the shoulder blade, lumbar, dorsal and hip sections are considered the most valuable, in addition, they occupy almost 50% of the total mass. These departments are intended to be implemented in kind.
When cooking carcasses of beef, some of the individual parts have their own names. In other words, the flesh that is located along the vertebrae is called an entrecote, the front dorsal part is thick and the back part is thin edge. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that when cutting carcasses for retail, it is divided into several varieties, depending on the amount of meat obtained. Cutting beef carcass by grades is divided into 3 types:
- to the first grade include cuts, the mass of which reaches 88% of the total mass of a half-carcass;
- second grade only 7%;
- third grade is 5%.
It is worth considering that cuts of the 3rd grade are the least valuable, since most often they are almost entirely composed of bones, connective tissue.
Cutting for processing
As described earlier, the beef carcass is divided into 7 parts if it is necessary to produce sausages and canned foods in the future. The shoulder blade was separated at the place where the muscles connecting the shoulder blade and the thoracic part were located, the cervical cut was held at the place where the last cervical vertebra ends and the first dorsal begins, etc. However, if beef is cut, which belongs to the first or second category, then the tenderloin is first separated from the carcass, which is sent for processing in order to obtain semi-finished products.
It is worth noting that the conditional division into 7 parts and the subsequent deboning differ only in that the processing of each of the departments differs in its complexity and complexity. The quality of meat in any section will be the same as in any other. The separation by qualitative characteristics occurs only at the last stage of cutting of beef carcasses, that is, in the process of trimming. At this stage, the separation of meat into grades is carried out, depending on what percentage of adipose and connective tissue is present in each individual piece.
Currently, many different cutting technologies are used. Initially, only trade cut schemes were used. However, in the future, combined schemes were developed for industrial objects for cutting carcasses. According to the same standards, parts that have increased culinary significance should be sent to create semi-finished products, and everything else goes to sausage-canning production.
Veining of meat products
This procedure is also carried out according to a certain plan.
- Firstly, the venation is carried out only after the deboning is completely completed. The essence of this operation is that all coarse tissue is removed from the meat, which is connective. The fatty layer, large blood vessels and so on are also removed. This process is the last step in cutting carcasses of beef or any other meat.
- Secondly, the procedure itself is carried out manually using a special sharp knife.
During this procedure, you must follow some important rules:
- The meat is cut into individual muscles or their groups.
- The muscles are cut in the longitudinal direction. Pieces should be no more than 1 kg.
- If the meat will be used to make raw smoked sausages, then the mass of the piece should not exceed 400 grams.
- The piece of meat that is being processed is laid with connective tissue down. Using a trimming knife, the meat is separated from the connective tissue by the movement of the knife from itself.
- It is quite important not to collect a large amount of boneless and grounded meat on the desktop in order to avoid deterioration of its quality.
It is also worth paying attention to the fact that in order to achieve the best quality of meat, it is necessary to carefully venerate the meat. For this, it is necessary that there be workers at the factory who are responsible for processing individual parts of the carcass. The meat in this case will be obtained as high quality. In the production of semi-finished meat products, the quality of meat plays a crucial role. The presence of fat, films, veins and other things will impair quality.
Beef Trimming Rules
Since meat cutting can take place in different ways, depending on this, the products are divided into several varieties after trimming:
- can be divided into three grades: the highest, first and second;
- into two varieties: beef can be single-sorted and natural semi-finished beef;
- in two grades, if there is a natural semi-finished product and a veined sausage meat;
- there may be premium class beef and salami sausage;
- the last type is ordinary veined single-grade beef.
In addition, it is also possible to produce large-sized semi-finished products, which at the same time are divided into three categories: first, second and third. When cutting beef carcasses into steaks or for other purposes, and more precisely at the final stage of trimming meat, obtained from well-fed cattle that has fat deposits, fatty meat is also separately isolated. Such pieces contain up to 35% of the total mass of fat and connective tissue. In order to get natural semi-finished products, as well as premium class beef, it is necessary to process the hip, shoulder, back and lumbar parts of the carcass. In addition, the average percentage of veined meat strongly depends not only on the fatness of the animal, the cutting technique used, but also on the qualifications of workers working in the workshop.
We can only add that after deboning and before the venation, a slight cut of muscle tissue is allowed. It is also worth noting that the chest part, which is used to make the soup set, should be processed only on one side, from the outside of the cut.
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