How To Tenderize Beef

There's nothing better than a good steak on the grill or under the broiler. But if you bite into it and can't chew, it puts a damper on the deliciousness. There are several things you can do to tenderize beef. Read on to learn how to tenderize beef.

Step 1:
Use a meat mallet (a meat tenderizing hammer) to pound the meat before you cook it. Pounding the meat with the mallet breaks up some of the fibers in the meat. It also breaks some of the connected meat tissue. Break down of this fiber and tissue makes the meat cook more evenly throughout and helps to tenderize beef.

Step 2:
Marinate the beef in a deep bowl inside your refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Punch holes in the meat first with a fork or sharp knife. The holes will allow the marinate liquid to penetrate throughout the insides of the beef. Marinate helps to tenderize beef, especially if you use acidic ingredients in your marinate liquid. Oil, vinegar or wine work well. Any citrus fruit juice will help also. A bottle of oil and vinegar salad dressing poured over the meat works well as a marinate to tenderize beef. Turn the meat several times in the bowl while marinating.

Step 3:
Try a meat tenderizer that you can buy at the grocery store. Sometimes a meat tenderizer bought at the store is all that is necessary. But on some cheaper, tougher cuts of meat, it may take all techniques combined together to tenderize beef.

Step 4:
Cook the meat quickly on high heat after you have prepared to tenderize it. Beef cooked on the grill or under a broiler helps hold in the flavor and retain the tenderness you've worked to achieve.