LPT 312: Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology (1+1)

Fabrication of carcasses

FABRICATION OF CARCASSES OF FOOD ANIMALS

The term meat cutting may aptly be defined as the art, skill or craft of separation of carcass wholesale primal cuts into different portions as to suit various needs in the meat trade and to facilitate easy handling by the butchers.

• There are few primary objectives in cutting all kind soft meat.
  • Separate thick from thin thick muscles which are better adapted for certain methods of preparations than the thin muscles, therefore, they should be separated when breaking down a carcass.
  • Separate fat from lean cuts with a high degree of fat should be separated from these cuts more muscular in nature, and with a lesser degree of fat.
  • Always cut at right angles to the grain. When in doubt as to how a piece of meat should be cut, study the grain and cut at right angles to the grain of the dominant muscle.
  • Always use knives for cutting meat and saw for bones.
• The specialized operation of cutting the carcass requires besides, good deal of expertise on the part of the butcher-acquired over considerable length of experience at job, a thorough understanding of the carcass types, anatomy, consumer’s diet habits and a sound knowledge of human psychology.
• The procedure of cutting varies in different geographical areas and as it is there are different methods practiced in different countries. “British cutting”, “American cutting”, “French cutting”, “Australian cutting”, etc., are the terms used to signify cutting procedures in different countries.
• Even in the same country, slight variations are being noticed from region to region and these are not generally of major importance. Whichever system is adopted, the underlying principle is separation of more valued cuts from the lesser-valued counterparts.
• In India we have cuts recommended by the ICAR, New Delhi and cuts performed for academic purpose in the Department of Meat Science and Technology, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai.

Factors in meat cutting

• Carcass
  • A neat job of cutting and trimming can be done only in a thoroughly chilled carcass and it is essential that the chilled carcass should possess an internal temperature of 1-2⁰ C.
• Butcher
  • Must be adequately trained at the job and should possess + 3% dexterity or accuracy in cutting techniques.
  • By this, it is meant, that a given cut should be identical in all the carcasses and variations in its size and shape is permitted only to the extent of + 3%.
  • This factor has got profound impact on the economics of meat merchandising as examplified

	Loin	Flank
Accurate cutting might give	75%	25%
Value ratio	9 : 5

• In terms of cost, the above ratio represents (75x9) + (25x5) = 800 money units.
• Inaccurate cutting (5% error) results in (70x9) + (30x5) = 780 money units
• Loss = 20 money units
• The loss of 5% error in cutting is 20/800 money units or 2.5% i.e. a loss of 2½ rupees for every 100 rupees in the cost of meat. 
• Cutting procedure
  • Must be an approved one and in line with a standard procedure and steps mentioned in it should be scrupulously followed. 
• Cutting room
  • The cutting operation should be carried out only in a specialized meat cutting room with a temperature at 4.4⁰C and 70 to 80% relative humidity.
  • The environment helps to maintain the wholesomeness of the meat.
  • Besides, the room should have enough sanitary and cleaning facilities. 
• Equipment and machinery
  • All the required equipment like different kinds of knives and saws, stainless steel top meat cutting tables and machinery, like electrically operated meat cutting saws, should be available in the meat cutting room and they should be sufficient sharp and in good working condition. 
• Cutting principles
  • Three basic principles of cutting techniques are to be adopted.
    • The muscular portion must be cut with knife,
    • The bone structures must be severed with saw, and 
    • Whenever joints are involved, “breaking” or “disjointing” with far less physical effort must deal them with. 
• Outlets for cuts and trimmings
  • There should be organized outlets for all the cuts and trimmings and the meat cutting room should present a synchronized working atmosphere.
  • For example, the fresh cuts must be immediately packed properly and sent to the trade or chilling room, fats must be transferred to the fat rendering unit, and trimmings may be taken to mincing or processing hall: certain primal cuts such as ham, shoulder and side and spare ribs should be sent to the curing room.
  • In many of the developing countries a recent trend is to have a half in the slaughter hoist itself for the centralized preparation of cuts rather than transport of chilled carcasses to the retail butchers.
  • In the assembly line operation the cuts are cryovaced for extended shelf life and are transported to retail stalls or super bazaars.