Top 5 Genius Techniques of Tenderizing Meat

You have found a new meat recipe, used the money to buy the best cut and ingredients and used some time to prepare the recipe. You have served the food, only to end up with tough and not-so-chewy meat. It may be embarrassing, and you might feel wasted after using a lot of time and money on the meat. However, what if we told you there are ways you can make the meat tender the next time you cook? Tenderizing meat is not difficult, and you can prove this from the techniques we will mention in the article. Read on to find out simple, but genius techniques for making the meat tender.

Dry-age the Meat

This one tried and true way of tenderizing meat. If you have enough time, you can dry-age the meat to make it tender. Dry-aged steak has improved flavor and texture because of the process of breaking down enzymes in the muscle tissue. Dry aging is a traditional method of preserving and tenderizing meat. The only thing you need is to keep it in a temperature-controlled environment.

Use a Tenderizer

A quicker and easier way of tenderizing meat if you don’t have time to wait is by using a meat tenderizer, also known as, a mallet. You will place the chunk between food wraps and beat it using the mallet to break down the fibers. Start from the inside, going to the outside. The chunk will be thinner than before but softer too. If you don’t have the mallet, use your hand carpus to tenderize. Make sure you also start going outwards. You can also use a knife to macerate the surface for easier absorbing of enzymes.

Cook Slow and Low

This method works if you have time. If you want to soften the meat, try slow cooking in the pan on low heat. This gives enough time for the muscle fibers to break down, making the meat tender and great to chew. However, you need to keep wetting the pan to prevent the meat from drying out. Try using wine or broth to ensure the pan is not dry.

Marinate It

You can also marinate the steak for added flavors and improved texture. Ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, and buttermilk tenderize the meat and add flavors. Let the meat sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes before you cook. You can also use kiwi fruit, pineapples, and papaya to make fruit puree to marinate the meat.

Use Coarse Salt

Salt is a great meat softener, but you need to ensure the meat is 4cm thick or more. Coarse salt helps to remove excess moisture from the meat. So, sprinkle the salt on the meat and let it rest for about an hour. This will remove excess water and leave in proteins and fats. Salt also concentrated the flavors and creates a natural brine. Unlike other marinades, you can keep the meat covered for 24 hours. Remember, the more the flesh rests, the tender it gets.

Try Out These Techniques

These are genius ways of tenderizing meat at home. Some, like dry-aging, require time, while others only need a day or minutes. It will be useful to tenderize your meat using these methods if you want to enjoy nice and pleasant-to-chew meat. Butcher make it possible for you to savour the best pork dishes at home.