Meat can be tenderized using enzymatic or mechanical methods, as well as acidic substances like ginger and vinegar. Enzymatic tenderizers, such as bromelain and papain, break down peptide bonds, while mechanical tools break down muscle fibers and collagen bonds. Precautions must be taken when using these methods, as over-tenderizing can make meat mushy and enzymatic tenderizers can continue to soften leftovers. Tenderizing meat can improve texture and shorten cooking times, but it’s important to choose the right method and cut of meat.
How well a meat tenderizer works depends on whether it’s an enzymatic meat tenderizer or a hand tool. The former type breaks the bonds between the cells of a piece of meat chemically, while the latter breaks the bonds using force. There are also many other substances that can be used to soften meat, including beer, ginger and vinegar, which work by breaking down cellular bonds. While any type of meat can be made softer, tougher cuts like brisket, lamb brisket, and steak tend to perform best, as they have the most connections to break down.
Enzymes
Enzymatic meat tenderizers are made of proteolytic enzymes called proteases, which break down the peptide bonds between the amino acids found in complex proteins. This makes the meat softer, as one of the main things that hold the meat together is the protein collagen complex. The most common types of enzymatic tenderizers are bromelain, which is made from pineapples; papain, which is made from papaya; actinidin, produced by kiwis; and ficin, which is made from figs. When sprinkled on raw meat, they can soften it within minutes, but can make it soft if left on too long. They can be used both in marinades and independently.
Mechanical tools
There are also mechanical meat tenderizers that look like mallets or hammers with a rough, pointed surface that is dropped onto the meat. When the spikes strike the flesh, the force breaks down the muscle fibers and collagen bonds, making it softer. Depending on the thickness of the meat and the toughness of the cut, a person may need to pound it for several minutes to get it tender enough. These tools can also be used to flatten meat to make cutlets, steaks, or other dishes that require very thin or uniform pieces of meat.
Alternative tenderizers
Other products can be used to improve the texture of the meat, although they are not usually sold as a meat tenderizer. This primarily includes acidic products, such as ginger and tomatoes, as well as acidic beverages such as coffee, beer and soda. These also work by breaking down the bonds that hold meat cells together, but they do this with acid, rather than enzymes. Baking soda and fermented milk products like yogurt can also soften meat enzymatically, as can the fruits that many meat tenderizers are made of: pineapples, papayas, kiwis, and figs.
Precautions
While most meat tenderizers are effective, it’s important to use them correctly to achieve the desired effect. Acidic and enzymatic substances must not be used with metal pans, as they can react and affect the flavor or color of the meat. Also, enzymatic tenderizers have a temperature at which they become inactive, but if this temperature is not reached during cooking, they will continue to function. Papain, for example, will not be inactivated by cooking a steak medium rare and will continue to soften leftovers, making them mushy.
Pros and cons of the tender
Tenderizing meat can make it softer and improve its texture. It’s also easier to cut and can often shorten cooking times. It may also be needed for some recipes that call for the meat to be all one thickness and can ensure that the meat cooks evenly. However, using tenderizers for too long or on already soft meat can make it uncomfortably tender, and it may be difficult to predict how different ingredients in a recipe interact with enzymatic or acidic tenderizers. To get good results with this process, it’s generally best to figure out the recommended amount of time to use each substance, consider any reactions it might have to oils or cookware, and choose cuts of meat that are high in collagen, such as shank, brisket, of chest, neck or ribs.
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