Methods of post-slaughter handling and cutting a carcase

Details Methods of post-slaughter handling and cutting a carcase Methods of post-slaughter handling and cutting a carcase

1996-11-18

1999-01-05

Little, Willis

Butchering

Carcass subdivision

452167, A22C 1702

Patent

active

058555072

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to methods of post-slaughter handling and cutting a carcase. The carcase may be cow, pig, sheep, goat, deer or any other suitable animal.
The present invention is applicable to the handling and cutting of a wide variety of species, but in general the description will be limited to the example of lamb. This should not be taken as limiting the applicability of the invention in any way.
Some meat causes negative retailer and consumer attitudes because it is tough to eat. In the case of lamb, toughness is found most commonly in older lambs. Most lambs are born in the Spring and towards the end of the year of birth and early in the following year they become tougher. This is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 shows the effect of slaughter period on tenderness score. Tenderness score is a value that is assigned varying from 1 (extremely tough) to 8 (extremely tender). As can be seen, there is a generally downward trend in tenderness of lamb sold after September. FIG. 2 shows a similar trend in the overall acceptability score, which ranges from 1 (extremely unacceptable) to 8 (extremely acceptable).
In addition, changing consumer requirements for different sized portions and speed of cooking makes some conventional cuts of lamb less attractive to some consumers, particularly when associated with the increased price position of lamb vis-a-vis other meats. There is a need, therefore, to devise cutting techniques which increase consumer choice and convenience and represent better value for money.
Conventionally, carcases are hung from the achilles tendon or hock. An alternative to conventional hanging is to hang the carcase before the onset of rigor mortis (typically within one hour of stunning) from the symphysis pubis (otherwise known as the "aitch bone"). This results in a different carcase shape in which the hind legs drop to a position perpendicular to the long axis of the body. This is known to result in improved tenderness, as discussed for example in "A Physical Method To Increase Tenderness In Lamb Carcases" Quarrier, E., Carpenter, Z. L. and Smith, G. C. 1972 Journal of Food Science, Vol. 37. In this paper, the carcases are aged for up to 48 hours from the time of slaughter.
FIG. 3 shows the positions of traditional retail joints, including leg joints from a conventionally hung lamb carcase (hung from the achilles tendon). The shank/knuckle is removed by a cut (4). Typically, the angle (6) between the cut (4), and a line (7) perpendicular to the back line (5) is less than 45.degree.. However, these traditional cuts are not particularly suitable for the chump and hind leg of an aitch bone hung carcase.
Known cutting techniques for aitch bone hung beef or lamb generally attempt to simulate the traditional cuts as applied to a traditionally hung carcase (i.e. hung from the achilles tendon). FIG. 19 shows a conventional technique of cutting an aitch bone hung lamb carcase. The leg and chump are removed from the rest of the carcase by a first cut 40. A number of cuts 4la-d are then made parallel to the cut 40, to produce a number of "bone in" chops. The size of the leg joint 42 is then reduced by removing a number of steaks 43a-d after removing the tip 44 of the aitch bone. This cutting technique does not fully exploit the changed shape of the carcase due to aitch bone hanging, and only produces small steaks 43a-d.
FIG. 19A is a photograph of the leg of a lamb carcase which has been aitch bone hung and cut according to the technique shown in FIG. 19. FIG. 19A shows the leg joint 42, three "bone in" chops cuts produced by cuts 41a-c and two small steaks 43a, 43b.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, we provide a method of cutting a carcase which has been hung from its symphysis pubis comprising the steps of:
(1) removing the knuckle, fillet end and chump from the rest of the carcase; and,
(2) separating the knuckle from the fillet end and chump by cutting at an angle of less than 45.degree. to the back line of the carcase.
In accordance with a second aspect

REFERENCES:
patent: 3210802 (1965-10-01), Gray
patent: 3916484 (1975-11-01), Kennedy
patent: 3940998 (1976-03-01), Sourby
patent: 5464368 (1995-11-01), White, et al.
patent: 5626515 (1997-05-01), Krogh

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