Evaluation of Prerigor Freeze‐Dried Beef in the Manufacture of Dry Fermented Sausage

Experiments were designed to determine the acceptability of prerigor freeze-dried beef in the manufacture of dry fermented sausage. Several chemical and physical variables were measured on dry fermented sausages prepared using (1) prerigor salted, freeze-dried, (2) prerigor unsalted, freeze-dried, (3) postrigor salted, freeze-dried, and (4) postrigor frozen beef as ingredients. Results showed that fat and moisture content, total shrinkage, Instron firmness and panel scores for juiciness, texture, and flavor were not affected to a large degree by treatment or rigor state of the beef ingredient. Generally, freezedried beef was found to be equal to conventional beef for dry sausage production regardless of when the freeze-dried beef was salted.