Effect of pelvic suspension and cooking method on the processing and sensory properties of hams prepared from two pork muscles

The effect of two hanging methods (Achilles and aitch-bone) and two cooking methods (normal and Delta-T (DeltaT)) on the quality of cooked hams produced from two muscles, M. semimembranosus (topside) and M. biceps femoris (silverside) was examined. Pork sides were hung by the Achilles tendon (conventional) or the aitch-bone (pelvic suspension) 1 h post-slaughter and chilled for 24 h at 1 degreesC. The hams were steam-cooked using a 'normal' cooking cycle (cooked at 85 degreesC to a core temperature of 72 degreesC) or a 'DeltaT cycle (maintaining a constant difference, of 35 degreesC, between oven and core temperatures until the oven reaches 85 degreesC, whereupon the core is allowed to come up to 72 degreesC). Pelvic suspension increased (P less than or equal to 0.01) the brine uptake of silverside hams, by 2.6%, but not of topside. The DeltaT cooking method had a significant effect (P less than or equal to 0.05) for both muscles, reducing cook losses by 2.3% units in the topside hams and 3.3% in the silverside hams, compared to the normal continuous cook. Pelvic suspension resulted in slightly (P less than or equal to 0.05) more tender and juicy hams from silverside but not from topside. Both hanging method (Achilles and Aitch-bone) and cooking method (normal and DeltaT) affected silverside ham more than topside ham. The overall result was that a combination of pelvic suspension and DeltaT cooking had a positive effect on the quality of cooked hams, particularly hams produced from the silverside. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.