Good tender meat, there is nothing better.
Especially if you grill it on the barbecue afterwards!
Want to know how to tenderize your meat while giving it a delicious flavor?
Fortunately, a friend who is a chef in a great restaurant in Paris gave me his tips for tenderizing meat easily.
Here are 11 chef's tips for tenderizing meat and making it moist as desired. Watch:
Some say you shouldn't season meat with salt because it gets tough and dry.
But I have a little secret for you!
Generously sprinkle your steaks with salt, on both sides, 1 hour before cooking.
I tried it and it's great! Use sea salt instead of table salt.
In addition, it tenderizes the meat, because by absorbing the salt, part of the proteins break down.
Try it on a steak and you will see the difference.
Tea contains tannins that naturally tenderize meat.
Brew a cup or two of strong black tea and let cool.
Then, immerse the meat in it to marinate for a few hours.
You can try this original trick to soften beef.
These three products are acidic and soften the fibers of the meat, in addition to giving it a delicious flavor.
Try lemon, lime or pineapple. Some also use mustard.
For vinegar, try apple cider or balsamic vinegar.
As for the red wine, it is excellent, as it contains tannin and flavors the meat well.
It is not for nothing that it is used for beef bourguignon or to make stews.
Tomatoes are acidic, which is why there are many barbecue marinades made from tomato sauce.
And it's not just for their delicious taste or their beautiful colors!
These marinades are also made from vinegar which increases the level of acidity and makes the meat tastier.
Before a plancha, it's a good idea to have tender meat.
Beer is great for adding flavor to your marinade, but that's not all!
Indeed, as it contains alpha acids and tannins, it is also perfect for tenderizing meat. pork or beef.
To do this, leave to marinate for at least an hour before grilling your meat (beef cheek, filet mignon, beef shank, veal for a blanquette...)
It may sound weird, but you really can marinate meat in Coca-Cola!
For it to work, marinate for at least 1 hour and at best up to 24 hours.
Not only does it tenderize the meat thanks to the acid side of the coke, but it also gives a very pleasant caramelized taste.
Try it with pork chops, for example, and you'll tell me about it!
Ginger is often used in marinade recipes. Did you know it's not just for its flavor?
This is because it contains a proteolytic enzyme that naturally breaks down proteins and tenderizes meat.
Excellent tip for tenderizing chicken in particular.
Coffee naturally tenderizes meat giving it a great taste.
To do this, brew a very strong coffee, let cool, then marinate the meat for up to 24 hours before grilling.
You will see the meat will be very soft and will be delicious! Perfect for tenderizing skewers, for example, or making a good sirloin steak.
Like all dairy products, yogurt and buttermilk contain some acidity, while being rich in calcium.
These 2 properties activate meat enzymes and also contribute to the breakdown of proteins.
As a result, this helps tenderize the meat and make it less tough.
Figs, pineapples, kiwis and papayas divinely flavor marinades with a very exotic sweet-salty side.
They contain vegetable enzymes that soften meat that is too tough.
For this, simply put fruit puree or slices on the meat and marinate for 3-4 hours or more if you can. Some use papaya powder.
It works great for thin slices of meat.
Like salt, baking soda breaks down protein as it is absorbed by meat.
You can sprinkle the meat with baking soda, rub it gently, then leave it in the fridge for 2 hours.
Or, make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it directly to the steak or other product.
Leave on for several hours before rinsing for baking to remove all the baking soda. Check out the trick here.
Marinade recipes typically contain three things:an acid, an oil, and herbs and spices. Why?
- the acid is used to tenderize the meat
- spices and herbs are used for flavor
- and the oil is used to soften and fix the flavor on the meat.
If you are making a recipe with strong acid, use glass dishes, as stainless steel can react with the acid and give the meat a very bad taste.
Meat should not be left for longer than 2 hours in acid alone (vinegar), as this will have the opposite effect. The meat would begin to toughen.
If you want to marinate the meat for a long time, use a recipe with oil rather than vinegar or acid.
There you go, now you have how to soften and tenderize meat.
And it works for all kinds of meat:filet mignon, roast pork, veal, turkey cutlet, loin, sautéed veal, meat for pot au feu, leg of lamb, duck leg, pork roll, mutton ...
