FOOD NEWS
Simple Ways To Tenderize Steak, According To Chefs
by ANITA SUREWICZ
Poke With A Fork
Piercing steak with a fork can have a similar effect to pounding it with a meat mallet, but with way less effort, and can enhance the penetration of marinades.
While you may have to poke quite a few holes on both sides of the meat for this to work, it's still a relatively fast way of softening beef without the need for any special equipment.
Baking Soda
Patricia S. York from Southern Living says baking soda can tenderize beef faster and better than salt. York says 15 to 20 minutes in a baking soda brine is sufficient.
To achieve optimal meat tenderness, Tasting Table advises calculating the weight of the meat, then using just 1% of that weight in baking soda to create your brine.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch works similarly to baking soda in that it can stop the proteins from seizing up during cooking by making the outside of the meat more alkaline.
While marinating in cornstarch, it's common for the raw meat to take on a vibrant red hue. To prevent clumping, washing the marinade off the meat before cooking is important.
Soda
Colas are popular tenderizing tools amongst chefs because of their high acidity, which is excellent at breaking down connective tissue and tenderizing meat.
Beyond their tenderizing capabilities, sodas can also imbue steak with distinctive flavors, and the sugar content can help caramelization, adding an exterior crust and color.
Scoring
While you wouldn't use this method on a tenderloin, scoring tougher cuts of meat like flank steak or skirt steak with a kitchen knife can enhance the meat's tenderness.
Making small ⅛" incisions in a criss-cross pattern can tenderize the meat and let seasoning and marinade penetrate deeper. The sliced edges help with caramelization and texture.