The acidic element is highlighted here. Of course, you are not going to look for chemicals, although, in molecular cuisine… You need elements that contain non-abrasive, gentler acids, which are nevertheless capable of penetrating the muscle fibers and relaxing them.
Lemon, red wine or cider vinegar will do the trick. Note that tomato, pineapple or papaya are excellent meat tenderizers!
Thanks to lactic ferments: milk, cream, dairy products.
Lactic ferments contain tenderizing powers, thanks to their famous enzymes which do so much good for the digestive tract, which will overcome the toughest meats.
This foolproof technique therefore consists of soaking your raw meat in these nutrients. We must no longer see a single square centimeter of meat, whatever it may be. Here too, time is on your side: between 5 to 8 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Does this crazy life make you boil? What if you let off steam by “beating” this tough meat?
Yes, sometimes in the kitchen, we tend to want to let off steam… physically! What we are going to discuss now is aptly called: hammering. We hit the piece of meat to destroy the fibers and therefore tenderize it.
There are two methods available to you. With or without a meat mallet.
Without tools: put your piece of meat in a clean cloth or wrap it vigorously, then place it on your work surface and start tapping on it for a few minutes. Observe the effects, you won’t have any bad surprises!
With a meat mallet: As with the previous method, simply tap your previously wrapped pieces of meat and observe the final result.
How to make a stew, beef bourguignon or any stew without the meat being dry?
“Simmering” is in itself a method of tenderizing meat. It is important to let it cook over low heat for a long time and above all to watch the level of water, salt or tomatoes! We too often forget that tomato sauce, with its acidic action and its water, accounts for a lot in the success of so-called casserole dishes!
Beforehand, take care to carefully cut the pieces of tomato and also add a teaspoon or two of baking soda. Shh, it’s a secret!
How to make meat that is too tough after cooking tender?
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