If you want to tenderize meat, there are several types of meat tenderizer you can choose. Meat is tenderized by breaking down the muscle and collagen present in it in order to produce gelatin, which further adds moisture to the meat when cooked.
Tenderization of meats can be achieved using hammers, meat pounders, cubers and meat tenderizing powders. A variety of natural ingredients, including fruits that typically contain enzymes, can also be used to tenderize meat, especially papaya and pineapple. Looking for the best meat tenderizer? we have a review you can check.
Types of Meat Tenderizer Tools
Tools for tenderizing meat generally fall into three categories that, let’s face it, are all extremely similar in terms of design and function. A meat hammer, or as it’s also called a meat mallet, is the most recognizable tool of these types.
Meat Hammer
The meat hammer is a classic childhood toy that we all remember from our childhood, mainly because it was great for batting down annoying siblings. Only one blow to my head followed by the inevitable crying fit was enough to feel the wrath of my parents, but it never stopped me.
Modern meat hammers are made from classic wood, metal and plastic and have a strong, steady grip as well as two faces: a smooth one at the top and a textured one at the bottom.
There are pyramid-like dimples on the textured side that are used to break down connecting tissue without causing the meat to become too soft. The result of this is a mushy textured meat when cooked from overworking the meat.
In addition to the flat face, there is a flat face on the hammer used for pounding meat. A meat pounder comes in handy when you need a uniformly sized piece of meat that will cook evenly on the grill.
OK, so there’s no official name for these meat tenderizer tools, but I generally refer to them as meat tenderizer machines. These are the tenderizing gadgets that have a lot of sharp needles so you can puncture lean, tough cuts of meat.
Meat Tenderizer Machine
A meat tenderizer machine sever the connecting tissues and long muscle fibers of the meat, which in turn causes a few things to occur. Firstly, the punctured meat will allow the heat from the grill to penetrate more quickly, thereby reducing the cooking time. As a result of reducing the cooking time, you are able to save the meat’s moisture, which is normally lost when cooking over a long period.
Also, marinating becomes much quicker and more effective as the holes allow the marinade to draw into the meat to provide uniform flavor rather than just waiting for the marinade to sit on top of the meat. I would estimate that marinating meat that has been tenderized by a meat tenderizer machine will take around five minutes to achieve the same results as a normal three-hour marinade.
The experience of using a meat cuber is similar to that of using a meat grinder or a pasta machine. Meat is passed through a chute at the top, where it is flattened and tenderized by manually turning a crank.
Meat Cubers
Meat cubers are named after the indentations they leave on the meat after it passes through the machine. When making chicken fried steak, you are more than likely to use a top sirloin or top round cut of steak.
Weston Meat Cuber – For large amounts of meat that need tenderizing, a meat cuber is the best choice. With it, you can throw anything at it and it will churn it out into perfect cubes you can grill.
Weston meat Cuber is made from cast aluminum with stainless steel working parts. It works extremely well with tougher cuts of meat as well as meats like game and venison. There are options to buy a slicer with this meat cuber also so you can slice yourself some lovely jerky.
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Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
