How to Tenderize Beef
Pick the right cut., Trim the fat from your cut., Chill your meat., Use a cutting board., Give it a good pounding., Pick a side, any side.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick the right cut.
Good candidates for tenderizing are:
Round steak Flank steak Various cuts of round (such as eye of round).
Skirt steak -
Step 2: Trim the fat from your cut.
Leave some on for flavor, but get rid of the excess. , After you've trimmed it, pop it in the freezer for about a half an hour, so it's good and cold, but not yet frozen.
This will help the mallet do its job. , This is important—you're about to start whacking away with a 1 lb steel mallet, and if you slip and whack your tile counter, you can add a repair bill to the cost of your dinner. , Pounding a steak with a mallet is a great way to tenderize.
It will certainly be more tender than when you started.
If you're preparing multiple cuts with this method, you can also form the cuts so they are of a uniform thickness, which makes cooking a little more manageable.
Using a mallet to tenderize works by breaking down the fibers of tough cuts, making it much easier on the jaw.
You'll notice there are two sides of the typical meat mallet: one side had teeth, the other, flat.
For tenderizing, use the toothy side: it breaks through and softens the muscle.
The flat side is for flattening. , Pound away, moving around the cut to give each part of the cut the attention it needs.
Spend a little longer on the thick parts, a little less time on the thin parts.
When you've given one side a good once-over, flip it and repeat on the other side.
Be careful not to be overly enthusiastic with your tenderizing efforts: you don't want to break all the way through the meat.
The goal here is to tenderize, not mash. -
Step 3: Chill your meat.
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Step 4: Use a cutting board.
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Step 5: Give it a good pounding.
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Step 6: Pick a side
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Step 7: any side.
Detailed Guide
Good candidates for tenderizing are:
Round steak Flank steak Various cuts of round (such as eye of round).
Skirt steak
Leave some on for flavor, but get rid of the excess. , After you've trimmed it, pop it in the freezer for about a half an hour, so it's good and cold, but not yet frozen.
This will help the mallet do its job. , This is important—you're about to start whacking away with a 1 lb steel mallet, and if you slip and whack your tile counter, you can add a repair bill to the cost of your dinner. , Pounding a steak with a mallet is a great way to tenderize.
It will certainly be more tender than when you started.
If you're preparing multiple cuts with this method, you can also form the cuts so they are of a uniform thickness, which makes cooking a little more manageable.
Using a mallet to tenderize works by breaking down the fibers of tough cuts, making it much easier on the jaw.
You'll notice there are two sides of the typical meat mallet: one side had teeth, the other, flat.
For tenderizing, use the toothy side: it breaks through and softens the muscle.
The flat side is for flattening. , Pound away, moving around the cut to give each part of the cut the attention it needs.
Spend a little longer on the thick parts, a little less time on the thin parts.
When you've given one side a good once-over, flip it and repeat on the other side.
Be careful not to be overly enthusiastic with your tenderizing efforts: you don't want to break all the way through the meat.
The goal here is to tenderize, not mash.
About the Author
Frances Lopez
Specializes in breaking down complex DIY projects topics into simple steps.
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