What Role Does Collagen Play in Meat Products?

Collagen is a protein that occurs as an organic component in the skin and connective tissue. The connective tissue surrounds the muscle fibers of all multicellular animals – including those of pigs, beef, lamb and poultry. Depending on how strongly the collagen is “crosslinked” in the connective tissue, we perceive the meat as tender or tough.

The collagen in the connective tissue keeps the muscle flesh together – the more a muscle is used, the better the collagen crosslinks and strengthens the muscle tissue. Networking can also increase as the animal ages. Such meat is considered very tough and requires special preparation. Tender meat, on the other hand, is provided by those parts whose muscles are hardly or not at all used by the animals. This is the case, for example, with the loin muscles of beef, pork and lamb, which make for a very tender fillet.

The collagen in the connective tissue also has a major influence on the preparation of meat products. Tender meat, for example, can be roasted and then eaten immediately or left to cook in the oven for a short time. Because it contains little connective tissue including collagen, the muscle fibers can be easily separated from each other and we find the meat tender.

The situation is different for sections that provide heavily used muscle parts, such as parts of the neck, shoulders or chest. After pan frying, the meat is still tough. It only becomes tender or tender if you cook it long enough. The collagen melts and turns into gelatin, making the end product edible. Collagen melts at around 70 degrees Celsius. The meat is therefore fully cooked when it has reached this core temperature through cooking.

In addition to long cooking or stewing, there are other methods to make meat with a high proportion of connective tissue particularly tender. For example, beef is hung for a longer period of time before it is sold because the connective tissue of beef is particularly well networked and is also heat-stable. The muscle fiber structures dissolve, the meat becomes more tender, as well as aromatic and juicy. However, the cross-linking of the collagen itself is not affected by the hanging. Marinades for the meat, which make the connective tissue softer and more tender, are therefore useful before preparation. Acidic ingredients in particular (e.g. vinegar, wine or buttermilk) are suitable for dissolving the collagen bonds.