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Effects of Microwave Cooking Rate on Palatability of Pork Loin Chops

Texas Tech University², Lubbock 79409

Abstract

Twelve loins from six pork carcasses provided 216 1.9-cm thick chops which were used to study the effects of broiling and four cooking rates in two microwave ovens on cooking and palatability traits. The four control settings for the microwave ovens and the respective power outputs (watts) were low (205), medium (270), roast (350) and high (505). Cooking time for sets of three chops was 57.4 min/kg for broiling and decreased from 49.4 to 18.4 min/kg as microwave cooking rate increased from low to high. Drip loss of the chops did not differ among cooking methods, but evaporative and total losses were highest for broiling (P<.05) and second highest for the low microwave setting. Sensory panel flavor score was highest (P<.05) for broiled chops but did not differ among microwave treatments. Juiciness score was highest for the chops cooked at the low microwave setting but did not differ among the other cooking treatments. Tenderness tended to vary inversely with microwave cooking rate. Broiled chops were comparable in tenderness to those cooked at the low microwave setting. Overall acceptability was lowest for chops cooked at the high microwave setting and did not differ (P>.05) among the other treatments. Pigs from which the chops were obtained were a significant source of variance in all of the traits studied except flavor score, cooking time and protein content of the cooked muscle. The animal x cooking method interaction was significant only for cooking losses and proximate composition. In an overall evaluation, the high microwave setting tended to produce the least desirable cooked product while the low microwave setting and broiling tended to produce the more desirable products.

¹ Present address: Prepared Foods, Inc., 6930 Market St., El Paso, TX 79926.

² Dept. of Animal Science.