Tenderness, juiciness and flavor are commonly known as the main attributes that describe beef palatability, with tenderness being most important to consumers. The beef industry has heavily marketed the rib and loin, which meet consumer demand for a tender, flavorful and juicy product. Tougher cuts from the chuck and round are typically marketed as lower-valued roasts, steaks and ground beef. Consumers are looking for affordable, convenient cuts without sacrificing favorable palatability attributes. The beef industry has an opportunity to capture underutilized value of end cuts by appealing to consumers’ product demands.
In the late 1990s, The Beef Checkoff funded a Muscle Profiling Study. This study evaluated individual muscles from the chuck and round. The second-most tender muscle (infraspinatus), commonly called the Flat Iron, was the first successful value-added cut from this study. Results from this study have led to the success of new beef cuts being introduced into the market over the past 10 years, including the Delmonico (chuck eye steak) and Denver (serratus ventralis).