Steak Processing Technology

In recent years, the development of steak restaurants has flourished, with chains like 豪客来 (Haoke Lai), 豪享来 (Haoxiang Lai), 佳客来 (Jiake Lai), 豪佳香 (Haojiaxiang), and 豪客家族 (Haoke Family) spreading across the country. These chains cater to the rising demand for premium meat products as people's living standards improve.

To meet the needs of fast-food chains, many steak processing plants have been established to provide restaurants with standardized products such as portioned, seasoned, and quick-frozen steaks.

To support these steak processing plants, H-Plus Machinery has collaborated with Swiss-made Suhner (舒娜) brine injectors, enhancing them for steak injection and production. These machines can inject brines of various concentrations and additives, as well as melted fats, to make the quick-frozen steaks even more delicious!

Here is the basic process and workflow for steak production, shared for the benefit of the industry.

Basic Process Flow:

Raw Material (Tenderloin) Thawing → Trimming → Brine Injection → Vacuum Tumbling → Molding → Freezing → Cutting → Bagging → Metal Detection → Freezing → Finished Product → Packing

Brine Preparation:

Prepare the brine solution in a refrigerated storage (0°C–4°C) and keep it chilled until ready for use. The brine is made by dissolving specific amounts of salt, MSG, carrageenan, phosphates, sodium nitrite, injectable soy protein, beef flavoring, etc., into ice-cold water at 0°C–4°C. The brine must be thoroughly mixed and free of any lumps or precipitates, and its temperature should not exceed 4°C.

Processing Steps:

1. Raw Material Thawing: Use high-temperature, low-humidity thawing systems to thaw the beef tenderloin (with health certificates) while minimizing protein loss and maintaining a fresh, red color. Thaw to around -2°C.

2. Trimming: Remove any impurities, dirt, sinew, fat, etc., while maintaining the basic shape of the meat.

3. Brine Injection:

- The brine should be injected at about 25% of the meat's weight after tumbling. If the meat is thick, inject brine on both sides. If the injected amount is less than 25%, the brine should be added to the vacuum tumbler for further absorption.

- It is important to use a filter for the brine to remove any impurities.

- After using the brine injector, run clean water through the machine to avoid protein, collagen, or other residues from clogging the system.

4. Vacuum Tumbling: The meat is tumbled in a temperature-controlled environment (0°C–4°C) for 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the size of the meat chunks.

5. Molding:

- The molding cylinders are made from stainless steel, with an internal diameter of 15 cm. After tumbling, the beef is straightened and evenly placed into the mold, with a light sprinkling of meat powder. The meat is pressed layer by layer, then covered with a lid and securely locked.

- It is important to place the meat with the grain aligned, not across the grain, to avoid compressing it.

- A small amount of transglutaminase (TG) enzyme powder is added during molding, or it can be included in the tumbling stage.

6. Freezing: The meat, along with the mold, is placed in a quick-freeze chamber at below -35°C, until the center of the meat reaches approximately -8°C.

7. Cutting: Once the meat has reached the desired center temperature, it is demolded, the plastic film removed, and then the steaks are cut into approximately 1.3 cm thick slices weighing around 200 grams each using a cleaver machine.

8. Bagging: Each steak is placed into a plastic bag, vacuum sealed, and passed through a metal detector before being placed in a freezing chamber. Once the center temperature reaches -18°C, the steaks are boxed and ready for shipment.