Cooking- and juiciness-related quality characteristics of goat and sheep meat

Abstract

Significant differences exist between the quality characteristics of meat obtained from 27 sheep, Angora and Boer goat carcases, when compared. Sheep meat showed greater drip loss than goat meat and was more juicy than that of Angora and Boer goat meat. In general, Angora goat meat was found to be more juicy than Boer goat meat. Drip loss increased significantly with increased animal age. Meat of younger animals (no permanent incisors) was more juicy (initial and sustained) than that of older animals (7-8 permanent incisors). This was irrespective of whether it was obtained from sheep, Angora or Boer goats and was confirmed by the expressible moisture measurements. Higher drip, evaporation and total cooking loss were reported when carcases had increased fat content. With increasing fatness of carcases, the juiciness of the cooked cuts decreased and the expressible moisture content of the meat increased.