How to Tenderize Your Steak

How to Tenderize Your Steak

Picture the scenario. You invite some friends or family over for a barbecue. You want the occasion to be fun and memorable so you prepare a few nice salads and get some veggies roasting. The potatoes are wrapped in tin foil and are already on the coals, as is the corn on the cob. Nothing could go wrong. Your guests are having a good laugh over a joke that someone has told and some of them are discussing last week’s rugby game. The vibes are good, the food is almost done and the cutlery and crockery are prepared. You get the juicy steaks out of the fridge and pop them onto the grill, you ask your guests how they would like their steaks and are delighted when they reply medium rare in unison. What a great night, it’s so much easier to cook your steaks and keep track of them if everyone likes them done in the same fashion. The aroma of the grilled meat fills the garden and whafts into the neighbour’s kitchen engulfing them in jealous hunger. Everyone’s mouth is watering as you serve the sizzling steaks when disaster strikes.

Your guests act like fire fighters trying to hack their way through the bits of sinew, separating that first bite from the rest of the meat. For those that have managed to get the first bite life isn’t much easier as they chew and chew but are not even close to swallowing that delicious and flavoursome beef. What went wrong? The meat is a perfect pink in the middle and it smells absolutely divine but why is it so tough? Collagen.

Yes the same stuff that you may want injected into your lips is also causing the meat to be a little tough and impossible to eat. The collagen has to be broken down before the meat is cooked for it to be tender and juicy. What most people do is sprinkle some meat tenderizer onto their beef before cooking, or they pound each of the steaks to release the bonds of collagen. Now you might not have any meat tenderizer at home or you just can’t be bothered to go out and get some so here are some great alternatives to use for tenderising that meat.
 

1 – Give it a good pounding – Pounding your steak will losen the collagen and make the meat more tender immediately. Don't fret if you don't have a mallet; you can use a rolling pin or the back of a small plate. It can be a light pounding but a pounding none the less.

2 – Kiwi fruit – not only is kiwi a delicious fruit packed with vitamin c, it also contains an enzyme called actinidin that helps to break down the collagen in meat. Tenderising the meat is so easy you could do it in your sleep. Just cut the kiwi in half and rub the fruit side over every inch of the steak. Allow the steak to tenderize in the juices for an hour before grilling the softest and tastiest steaks ever. You cannot go wrong with a kiwi fruit tenderiser.

3 – Coffee – not only will this bitter beverage get your day going and give you that jump start that you need, it will also tenderize your steak to perfection. It can also be used as a rub to flavour your grill. Marinade the meat in black coffee for two hours before grilling for a great tenderized steak. You can also mix coffee grounds with your favourite herbs and rub it onto the steaks for grilling, the flavour is mind blowing.

4 – Pineapple – Marinade the steaks in pineapple juice for an hour before grilling. Pineapple contain the enzyme Bromelain which helps break down the collagen in the meat resulting in a jucy steak that you could slice with a butter knife. Pineapple also goes great with steaks, grill some fresh pineapple rings after you have grilled your steaks. The fruit picks up all the flavour off the grill and the taste is mind blowing. Try it next time you are having a barbecue.

5 – Coca cola – Not only can you serve a coke with the steaks you can also tenderize the steaks in the cold drink. Use regular coke and marinade the meat for an hour before grilling. The steaks will come out fabulously soft and juicy.

6 – Baking soda – This tenderizer takes a long time to work but if you are preparing for a barbecue the next day you can sprinkle baking soda onto your steaks and leave in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. Make sure you rinse your steaks before grilling. 

7 – Beer – Has tannis and alpha acids so it's great for tenderizing steaks. It also add an amazing flavour to the meat. The steak should be marinated for at least an hour before cooking.

8 – Tea – Tea also has tannis which is a natural tenderizer. Make a couple of cups of strong black tea and allow them to cool before you marinade your steak in them. Like coffee this will give the steak a great earthy flavour. Season the steak just before cooking. 

9 – Apple cider vinegar – Vinegar is highly acidic and you could use any vinegar to tenderize your steak, however apple cider vinegar has a great flavour. Rub it onto the meat and allow to soak for a few hours before preparation. The meat will be cooked to perfection; full of flavour and juicy steaks

10 – Ginger – Ginger contains a proteolytic enzyme that naturally breaks down protein, thus softening the steak. It also has a very strong and distinct flavour so be sure that you're a ginger lover before you try it.

So there you have it. Ten alternative and interesting ways to tenderize your steaks before grilling them for your friends and family.