Meat cut used and slice thickness significantly affected tenderness but the differences were small. Cook yield for all muscle cuts was similar but very low (50–60%). Alternative processing strategies are needed to offset low cook yields. Fiber direction dramatically affected the tenderness of stir-fry slices so it is important to pay close attention to fiber direction when making slices. While muscle type had little effect on shear values, slice thickness had a dramatic affect on tenderness. When slices were removed perpendicular to the fiber direction the shear values were much less than when slices were removed parallel to the fiber direction.
This was especially noticeable in strips from the inside round. It is important to keep slices small and be aware of fiber direction when manufacturing stir-fry slices.