The Science of BBQ - How Collagen Affects Tenderness
When barbecuing the end goal is to achieve a tasty and succulent meal. Using the science of BBQ, it can be determined that the most tender meals depend on preparation methods and cuts of meat. We also know that the cut of meat will dictate the cooking method, whether it be low and slow or hot and high. The ones that are smoked low and slow tend to contain more collagen in them. But, how does collagen affect the tenderness of your meal. Cooking meat while retaining tenderness and moisture can be contradictory, especially when collagen is involved. As meats filled with collagen are cooked, the collagen contracts and squeezes out the moisture. The goal is to minimize this moisture loss and maximize the tenderness when cooked. The question is how and what does collagen have to do with it?
What is Collagen?
Collagen is three separate amino acid chains that spiral together like a rope. Collagen strands come together and sheath groups of contractable muscle fibers, which are grouped together and surrounded by another sheath of collagen, which are then combined once more into the final full muscle with another layer of collagen to keep it all together. The more a muscle or group of muscles are used, whether for bearing weight or working, the more collagen will be present in that cut of meat.
When heat is applied to collagen, it contracts. This leads to the meat shrinking, squeezing out moisture and leading to fluid loss. This reduces tenderness as the collagen becomes tough and chewy. This is also why meat changes shape when cooked. However, collagen is water soluble. When moist heat is applied, in the case of braising, smoking, and slow roasting, it melts and dissolves.
What are the Benefits of Collagen?
Collagen is found in many places, not just in meat. It is a protein that maintains joints and skin elasticity, helps blood clot, helps to replace dead skin cells, and also creates a protective barrier around your organs. It is found in many places in the body including your bones, blood, and especially your muscles and skin. And while we can produce it ourselves, you require certain proteins that can only be found in food like Copper – from organ meats, cocoa powder, and lentils, Glycine – found in gelatin, Proline – egg whites, cabbage, mushrooms, dairy, Vitamin C, and Zinc – found in many red meats, lentils, dairy, and nuts. The older you get the more collagen you require.
Did you know that skin is also rich in collagen?
And you can actually see the collagen located in the image of Osso Bucco.
What Role Does Collagen Play in Meat Tenderness?
A perfectly cooked brisket will just about melt in your mouth. Expertly prepared pulled pork shreds at the lightest touch. Ribs very nearly just fall off the bone. What do these all have in common? Collagen. These cuts are collagen-heavy and when properly prepared can provide the most mouthwatering meals. How does this happen you ask?
As meat is cooked, the gelatin that makes up collagen breaks down. This occurs at about 160°F and takes an extended period. It requires temperatures between 200°F and 300°F for hours on end. So, instead of high heat, which would cause the collagen and connective tissues to shrink or contract rapidly, the gentle heat relaxes the collagen so that it can melt and become gelatin which absorbs the water inside the meat. By absorbing up to 10 times its weight in the liquids that the meat is releasing, collagen keeps the flavor in the meal you are preparing. Also, when collagen-heavy meats are cooked in a moisture-rich environment like a soup, stew, or braise, the gelatin formed when the meat is warmed will create body and flavor for the broth while providing an enticing mouthfeel. Several factors will determine the speed with which collagen will break down into gelatin. The older the animal is when processed, the less tender it will be in general. However, as it ages, the collagen will become less soluble and the strands will become more resistant to breaking down under heat.
Long and slow cooks physically break down the collagen in meat resulting in food that is easily broken apart. That tenderness is from the gelatin within the meat (broken down collagen that has absorbed water) which lubricates the mouth for a pleasant and juicy feeling.
Try this recipe for Gochujang Pulled Pork and discover the tenderness for yourself.
This isn’t to say that your steak, chicken, or pork cannot be tender if it isn’t a collagen-heavy cut. However, these cuts do require less finesse when it comes to careful and long cooks. Employing proper cooking and preparation techniques is key. In fact. I had a lightbulb moment while writing this article. For a fast and easy dinner, I would toss a pork tenderloin into the crock pot with soy sauce, sake, garlic, and honey. When I would get home after work, sure, it was a delicious meal, but the meat would be tacky. Stringy. Chewy. While it tasted fantastic over some rice and with vegetables, the texture left something to be desired. I realized; it was the lack of collagen creating a succulent surrounding for the meat to provide the pleasing texture I was after.
How to Prevent Moisture Loss when Cooking with Collagen-Heavy Meats
Ideally, when cooking meats that are collagen-heavy, you want to minimize the loss of moisture. (I mean, you want to prevent loss of moisture when cooking any meats really.) When you cook meat like beef, lamb, and pork that are rife with collagen, you need to be aware of how the meat is cooked. Because collagen melts at 160°F and only after an extended time, need to heat the meat slowly and steadily, to break past the 130°F internal temperature and safely reach 160°F and continue to 205°F for perfect results.
There are other things that can help you achieve great results and mitigate moisture loss. Here are some tips for cooking high-collagen meats.
- Marinating, brining, or dry brining meats that are collagen-heavy can have a positive effect on moisture retention while chemically interrupting those collagen strands.
- Mechanically tenderize meats before cooking. This means, slashing across the grain, pounding, and even aging.
- Sear the outside of the meat using very high temperatures. Building a crust promotes the building of flavor through the caramelization of the exterior proteins without excessive moisture loss.
- Cook your meats with the fat cap up. This self-bastes your meat as the fat melts.
- Slow cooking methods are a sure-fire way to ensure positive results. Smoking is great, but so is slow roasting, braising, and even cooking sous vide.
- Slice against the grain. By slicing against the grain when serving and eating you are cutting through the meat fibers and collagen strands, shortening them, making it feel more tender, and making your food easier to chew.
Upgraded Pot Roast
Try this Upgraded Pot Roast Recipe and discover the ultimate low and slow meal.
What Happens if you Cook Past 205°F?
When most meats are cooked to a temperature of 165°F, it seems counterintuitive cooking past that temperature. However, ribs, pulled pork, brisket, and a few others are perfect and supremely succulent when cooked to 205°F.
But, what if you went further? What happens if you cook past 205°F? You will end up spending so much time and energy heating up the meat, that the liquid, which had been perfectly absorbed into the collagen to make a gelatin, will begin to evaporate, making a very dry hunk of meat.
People Also Asked:
Does Collagen Affect Meat Tenderness?
The short answer is yes. The amount of collagen, the density in the cut, the age of the animal, and the type of meat, all have a direct impact on any given meat’s tenderness when cooked. By using the correct techniques to ensure that collagen is properly broken down, you can have the most tender meals imaginable.
Can Collagen be Cooked Tender?
When gentle and moist heat is used to cook, the water-soluble collagen will break down, relax, and become gelatin. This gelatin absorbs the water within the meat and will lubricate the food to create a very pleasing mouthfeel. This is what makes pulled pork pullable and so delicious. You can also prevent toughness by slicing through the collagen shortening muscle fibers – against the grain. Breaking cooked meat into smaller portions will make the collagen easier to break apart and more pleasant to eat. A great example of this would be slicing a flank steak against the grain for deliciously tender strips that are perfect in tacos, sandwiches, and stir-fries.
What Promotes Tenderness in Meat?
Several factors can promote or hinder tenderness in meat. It starts with the cut of meat and the age of the animal. Once processed, the aging process afterward can change tenderness. Once purchased for consumption, preparation and cooking methods will ensure the tenderness of the final product. Collagen leaden meats will require gentle cooking at the very least to ensure tenderness, however, pre-salting, marinating or brining, and manual tenderization methods can also help.
How Do You Increase Meat Tenderness?
There are many ways to increase meat tenderness, some begin before cooking while others take place during and even after.
- Marinating
This is a surface treatment. Any acids or enzymes in marinades will break down the protein on the surface of the meat. - Brining or Dry Brining
Salt is amazing. Not only does it draw moisture out of the meat, but that moisture is reabsorbed once the salt is melted, this will draw liquid back into the meat as well as the salt meaning that the cut will be deeply flavored. Salt also helps to denature protein bonds which can help loosen collagen before cooking. - Manual Tenderization
Slashing, pounding, or pricking; your favorite method can manually sever the bonds in collagen so that when the cooking process starts, the collagen can’t instantly shrink or tighten up and wring the moisture from your meat. - Cooking Processes
Using the correct cooking process for any meat that could be considered collagen-heavy or tough can increase meat tenderness. Consider sous vide, low and slow, smoking, and braising. - Against the Grain
When you are serving, slice the meat against the grain to ensure the tenderest bites. This makes the meat fibers shorter and cuts through collagen.
What Method Do You Use to Get Tender Meat?
Now that you know the correlation between tenderness and collagen in meat, you can take some cuts thought to be tough and make them tender. Using the proper technique on collagen-heavy meats can yield amazing results that are completely different, yet no less delicious than wagyu. Using the science of BBQ, now you too can understand how collagen affects tenderness. What are your favorite ways to get tenderness from tough cuts full of collagen? Tell us about it through your stories, recipes, and photos on our social pages like Facebook and TikTok, using the hashtags #NapoleonEats and #NapoleonGrills.
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