There’s nothing worse than slicing into a beautiful cut of beef—only to chew your way through a tough, leathery disappointment. Luckily, tenderizing meat isn’t just for chefs—anyone can learn how to tenderize steak at home using simple, proven methods.
As human beings, we’ve evolved past gnawing on raw muscle and bone and crave a succulent meal that does, in fact, taste as though it’s melting away in our mouths. Unless it’s beef jerky at a ball game, we want our meat to be tender. The problem, though, is that some of the most delicious cuts of beef are also the toughest. That’s why it’s important to tenderize steak and other cuts of beef before cooking.
Tenderizing beef is the process of breaking down its connective muscle fibers and tissues, creating a tender texture and richer flavor. So, how do we accomplish this at home?
How to tenderize steak
Depending on the dish you’re cooking, there are many options when it comes to tenderizing your steak. Many of these methods are wonderful not just for tenderization, but also for adding extra flavor to your dish.
Pounding: Break down tough fibers fast
Pounding your steak with a meat mallet is a great way to tenderize it. If you’ve ever wondered about the dual side of a meat mallet, each side has a specific purpose. The spiked side creates small indentations in the meat that help break up connective fibers and muscle tissue, thus tenderizing the meat. Use the spiked side for red meat, whereas the smooth side of the mallet is better for more delicate meats like chicken or pork. The smooth side is also better for leveling and thinning out a piece of meat so that it will cook more evenly.
Salting: The oldest trick in the book
Perhaps the most ancient of tenderizing methods, salting is exactly what it sounds like. In this tenderizing method, meat is salted before cooking, which breaks down proteins to tenderize the meat. Salting meat before cooking not only tenderizes but also enhances flavor.
Marinating: Tender and tasty in one step
Marinating steak is one of the best ways to tenderize and impart flavor into meat. A marinade generally consists of an acid, an oil, and flavoring agents. Acids can be citrus juices, wine, vinegar, buttermilk, or even soda. The acid in a marinade helps to break down connective tissue and muscle fibers, doing the bulk of the “tenderizing” leg work. The oil component of a marinade penetrates the meat’s surface and helps to keep it moist. Finally, flavoring agents such as herbs and spices will – obviously – help to flavor a dish. You can mix and match ingredients depending on the dish, as long as the acid, oil, and flavor components are included.
For added tenderization in a marinade, you can use a process called enzymatic application, which adds additional tenderizing enzymes in the form of certain fruits. Ingredients like papaya, pineapple, Asian pears, and kiwi contain these added enzymes that will further assist in breaking down the meat’s connective tissues. Use caution with these ingredients—they’re so effective that if left to marinate too long, they can make the meat mushy. When using enzymatic application, it’s best to only marinate meat for – at most – 12 hours.
Velveting: Lock in moisture and silky texture
This Chinese method of marinating meat is also a delicious way to promote even browning and create a surface that sauces will more easily adhere to. Velveting is the process of creating a cornstarch-based slurry prior to cooking that’s mixed with flavoring agents like rice vinegar or oyster sauce. Sliced pieces of meat are coated in this slurry before being cooked, and the result is deliciously tender.
Slow cooking: Set it and forget it
Low and slow cooking is one of the most popular forms of tenderizing meat. Any melt-in-your-mouth pot roast or savory beef stew is often the result of being slow-cooked. This slow process releases collagen and breaks down the connective tissues in beef, resulting in those succulent, fall-apart tender dishes perfect for cozy nights in.
Scoring: Tenderize and infuse flavor
Scoring meat is yet another dual-purpose tenderizing method. Not only is this a great way to make meat more tender, but it also helps to get flavor inside more easily. To score steak (or any protein), simply cut shallow slits into its surface. This will both sever the connective fibers and create a convenient place to add extra flavor in the form of oils, butter, herbs, and spices.
Which cuts need tenderizing?
Tougher cuts of beef tend to come from the parts of the cow that are most used and worked by the animal. Muscular areas like the shoulder or leg tend to be tougher but also the most flavorful. By tenderizing these tougher cuts, these flavorful pieces can be not only tasty but beautifully tender and supple as well. The following cuts tend to be tough but delicious and respond extremely well to tenderization.
- Brisket — tough but flavorful, ideal for slow cooking
- Bottom round — lean, benefits from marinating
- Chuck — rich in connective tissue, great for braising
- Flank steak — thin and fibrous, best marinated and grilled
- Hanger steak — flavorful but tough, tenderizes well
- London Broil — typically tougher, needs tenderizing
- Tri-tip steak — flavorful but can be chewy
- Skirt steak — fibrous, needs quick tenderizing
- Shank — very tough, ideal for slow cooking
FAQs
What’s the fastest way to tenderize steak?
Pounding or scoring are fast methods that take only minutes.
Can I tenderize meat without changing the flavor?
Yes! Scoring and pounding change texture without affecting taste.
How long should I marinate steak for tenderness?
Anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours, depending on the marinade type.
No matter which cut you choose, tenderizing techniques can elevate your steak from tough to tender. Try one of these methods and enjoy a juicy, flavorful meal every time.
