Impact of Crust Creation on Techno-Functional and Organoleptic Properties of Meat with Different Fat Contents

In this study, the effects of crust formation were investigated on the quality properties of pork meat, including texture, colour, cooking loss, pH, water-holding capacity (WHC), and sensory attributes. Two cuts of pork, (1) tenderloin (lean) and (2) collar (fatty), were subjected to three treatments as follows: (1) crusting before cooking, (2) crusting after cooking, and (3) cooking without crusting. Texture was analyzed measuring hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness. Colour was analyzed measuring lightness, redness–greenness, yellowness–blueness, and hue angle. Cooking loss and pH and WHC were measured using standard methods and a pressing test. Results showed that meat type and treatment significantly impacted texture, with tenderloin exhibiting greater hardness and chewiness than collar (p = 0.05). Crusting after cooking produced the highest values for hardness and chewiness, while cohesiveness and springiness were unaffected by treatment (p = 0.05). Colour measurements revealed significant treatment-induced differences, with samples crusted after cooking being darker and redder, on average 14% and 33%, respectively. Cooking loss varied considerably, with no significant treatment differences, although a trend suggested lower loss in samples crusted before cooking. pH values were slightly higher in crusted samples, while WHC was notably higher for samples crusted after cooking, likely due to oil retention.