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the touch.

When selecting meat the colour should be bright, clean and not too dark-depending on the
type and age of the meat to be purchased. Most consumers want light red to bright red meat.

4. Fat colour. The natural fat colour of beef carcasses ranges from white to yellow. It varies with
breed (some breeds tend to deposit more yellow fat than others), age and feed (nutrition).
Yellow colouring is due to carotene pigments. Cattle fed on carotene rich green pasture and
feed derived from grass (hay) tend to have yellow fat. As these animals age carotene is
stored in the fat and the yellow colour increases. If cattle are subjected to poor nutrition
(lack of feed or poor quality feed) the colour will increase yellow fat can, therefore, indicate
nutritional stress.
An even coverage of subcutaneous fat leads to even chilling throughout the underlying
muscles. The greater the fat depth on a carcase, the slower and more uniform the muscle-
chilling rate will be. The coverage and distribution of subcutaneous fat over primals helps
prevent dehydration and provides protection for the muscles from microbial contamination.
Uneven fat coverage causes the muscles with inadequate coverage to chill at a faster rate. An
irregular pattern of pH temperature decline occurs, which can create cold shortening
conditions near the surface and heat shortening in the deep core.

These effects will impact on the predictability of eating quality.
Uneven fat distribution can occur when fat is removed from a carcase during the mechanical
removal of the hide, exposing the underlying muscle. This is known as hide puller damage
and can lead to uneven chilling throughout the exposed muscles.
Portion cuts/ purchasing

The catering sector will mainly purchase meats in sides, quarters, primal and restaurant cuts. When
purchasing, be specific about the age of the meat you wish to purchase. Be specific also about the
feed regime of the carcase or cuts you are ordering, that is, grass or grain fed (GF) or organic (no
chemicals).

When purchasing, it is necessary to specify the particular cuts required, the quantity/ weight
required (for whole joints or portion control cuts), packaging and chilling requirements (individually
wrapped, vacuum packed, frozen or chilled), any special trimming requirements (for example,
tenderloin – side strap removed) and any particular ageing requirements.
It is important that staff be able to identify the different meat cuts as they select them from stores.

Pre-trimmed meat
Effective portion control enables cost control-it aids in maintaining profit margins, reducing waste,
promoting consistency and ensuring quality. Purchasing trimmed meat means that the meat has had
fat, unwanted sinews, rib bone lengths, other bones, cartilages and ligaments removed. Kitchen staff
need only cut the necessary portions.

Portioned meat requires no trimming or cutting. When purchasing portioned meat the order must be
very specific-describing the cut thickness and size, cut weight with a variance tolerance, fat and meat
colours, length of rib bones on cutlets etc.
Purchasing of portioned or pre-trimmed meat can effectively maintain portion control and will
reduce waste if meat offcuts are not likely to be used in other areas of kitchen operations.