How to Tenderize Steak: 4 Ways to Tenderize Steak

Tenderizing is the process of softening a cut of meat by breaking down its interior fibers to make it easier to eat and digest. This process is helpful when cooking tough cuts of steak or recipes that involve a thin slice of meat, such as chicken cutlets for chicken Parmesan or veal Milanese.

There are different ways to tenderize meat, including slow cooking, marinating, and pounding. While you can tenderize meat at home using a meat mallet or rolling pin, some manufacturers handle the process by using mechanical tenderization, which involves breaking down the meat’s connective tissue with sharp blades.

Whether you tenderize steak depends on the cut and how you plan to prepare it, but tenderizing steak helps the meat lock in flavors and juices. When you tenderize a cut of meat, you puncture holes in the connective tissue, allowing the meat to absorb the seasonings and marinades better, making the cooked steak more succulent and easier to consume.

Tenderizing also helps with the preparation of thick cuts of steak. For example, skirt and flank steaks have long, tight muscle fibers that are hard to chew, and thinning these cuts makes them easier to cook and enjoy. Certain cooking methods, such as broiling, braising, frying, and grilling, yield better results with thinner cuts of meat.

Some steaks, such as filet mignon, are lean and do not require tenderizing, but tougher cuts of beef like chuck steak are naturally thicker and can benefit from the technique.

1. 1. Flank steak: Flank steak comes from the abdominal portion of the cow, so it has little fat, making it a tough cut. You can soften this cut and enhance its flavor by tenderizing it in a juicy marinade featuring lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
2. 2. Skirt steak: Skirt steaks come in long strips that you can use for fajitas and beef teriyaki. While skirt steak is flavorful, it’s also fibrous, so it can help to use a meat mallet to tenderize the cut or marinate it before cooking it on the grill.
3. 3. Sirloin steak: This tough cut of meat from the cow’s back can benefit from a slow cook or marinade. Tenderizing this steak and grilling it on low heat for an extended period results in a juicy, tender sirloin steak.
4. 4. Tri-tip steak: Tri-tip steak, known for its triangular shape, is not as tough as other cuts but marinating it is a great way to tenderize it for the best result. You can also add salt to the meat to break down the protein cells and ensure a nice sear on the grill.

Depending on your tenderizing method, there are many different tools you can use:

1. 1. Meat tenderizer: Also known as a meat mallet or meat pounder, a meat tenderizer looks like a hammer with blunted spikes. You can pound the steak with the mallet to break down the muscle fibers.
2. 2. Meat cuber: A meat cuber is a meat processing tool with a crank that allows you to tenderize large portions of meat. Simply place the cut of meat into the machine and turn the handle so the internal spikes can begin tenderizing the meat.
3. 3. Meat tenderizer powder: Use a meat tenderizer powder that contains enzymes that break down the muscle in the cut instead of a mechanical tool.

There are many different ways to tenderize a steak, from using marinades to salting the exterior. Regardless of the method you use, ensure the meat is at room temperature before you begin because you can’t tenderize frozen or partially frozen meat. Try one of these methods before grilling or cooking your next steak:

1. 1. Marinate: Marinating your steak in acids or enzymes breaks down the fibers and tenderizes the steak. To marinate the meat in an acidic solution, add lemon juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, or buttermilk to your marinade and let the steak soak in it for thirty minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the cut. Monitor the steak periodically to ensure that the acid is not breaking it down too much, and remove the meat from the marinade if it begins to cook around the edges. Fruits like pineapple, papaya, kiwi, and mangoes contain enzymes that can tenderize meat. Simply place a small amount of puréed or chopped fruit in your marinade to kickstart the process.
   
2. 2. Pound: Pounding your steak is an easy way to break down the fibers and soften the meat. Place the steak on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over the top of it. Using the spiky side of your meat mallet, pound the steak, starting in the center and moving toward each side. If you don’t have a meat mallet or pounder, use a rolling pin, hammer, or cast-iron skillet.
3. 3. Salt: Salting your steak is a simple tenderization method that breaks down the protein cells in the meat. Simply rub the meat with kosher salt or sea salt to break down these cells and enhance the flavor and texture of the steak.
   
4. 4. Slow cook: Cooking your steak in a slow cooker breaks down the collagen, which can help soften tough cuts like chuck roast. You can also cook your steak slow and low on the grill to tenderize it.

Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Gordon Ramsay, Gabriela Cámara, Chef Thomas Keller, Dominique Ansel, Yotam Ottolenghi, Alice Waters, and more.