Effects of cooking methods and meat cut on mechanical properties and energy efficiency of camel (Camelus dromedarius) meat.

This study evaluated the effects of cooking practice and meat cut on the mechanical properties, and energy efficiency of camel meat. Shoulder and round cuts from eight camels were cooked using sous vide (SV), electric oven (EO), and pressure cooking (PC). Mechanical properties were measured, along with cooking yield and energy-related indicators. Both cooking practice and meat cut significantly affected all measured parameters. SV produced the lowest shear force, hardness, and chewiness, along with the highest cooking yield (66.17%). In contrast, EO exhibited the highest cooking time (35.6 ± 0.40 min) and specific energy consumption (38.55 ± 0.78 kWh/kg), whereas PC showed the lowest energy consumption (3.28 ± 0.07 kWh/kg) and highest energy efficiency (69.88%). Shoulder cut consistently exhibited higher tenderness and cooking yield compared to round cut. Overall, SV optimized meat quality, while PC offered superior energy efficiency, providing practical guidance for improving camel meat processing and sustainable cooking practices.