If you don't have an actual meat mallet among your kitchen equipment, you can use something heavy such as … Thanks! Then get a blunt instrument. You should still strive to cook it to medium rare, but this will make it more forgiving. Try a marinade like 1 cup (240 mL) of chopped kiwi, 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of tomato sauce, 4 teaspoons (20 mL) of Worcestershire sauce, and 2 minced garlic cloves. The post How to Make a Perfect … Saute or braise cube steak for best results. ", "Now I know how to successfully tenderize meat.". Of course, if you have a meat mallet it will work great for tenderizing cubed steaks. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 527,609 times. Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Deer Hunting = Locally grown, free range, hormone and antibiotic free meat. Then, take a piece and put in a bag. The fan is important because it helps to create an even dry-aging environment that will result in a piece of meat that is evenly dried on all sides. There is a type of salt that will tenderize the meat, and also a utensil that hammers it to tenderize it. Tagged as: backstrap, loin, tenderizing venison, tenderloin. Whack it a few times with a rolling pin or other blunt object to flatten it to your desired thickness. Well, use a little restraint. Tested. Use Your Muscle. Braisinginvolves searing and slow-cooking the meat in liquid. Last Updated: August 4, 2020 As you all know, naturally tender cuts of meat tend to be more expensive, and serving meat on a budget can be a challenge. Not to worry though! Cut a hole in the fridge door’s seal so that you can run your fan’s cord through it. Meat pounder or needle tenderizer: Meat pounders or … How to tenderize cube steak without a mallet. Also be sure to cut the meat against the grain, as this makes the muscle strands you have to chew through shorter, making the meat seem more tender. Keep in mind that using metal tools to tenderize your meat will break up both the meat’s connective tissue and the meat fibers themselves. How to Tenderize Steak. Some cooks say these powders make the outside mushy and leave the inside tough. http://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/tenderizing-meat/, http://www.scienceofcooking.com/meat/slow_cooking1.htm, http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-dry-aging-beef-at-home-slideshow.html#show-311609. The loin and the tenderloin are both tube like pieces of meat. Meat tenderizers are sold at the store. When you pound the cut, you physically sever the bonds between muscle fibers. The hams make the best fried deer steak. The loin, aka the backstrap, is the long muscle that runs along the deer’s spine. Use a Meat Mallet: You can pound the meat with a mallet to tenderize it before cooking.This has the added benefit of flattening the meat out so that it cooks faster. They work good. If you are dry-aging ribs, go for the 109A (which is a cut of rib--ask your butcher and he will know what you are talking about). Tenderizing steak with a meat mallet is probably the easiest way to tenderize steak. The Best Cut of Deer Meat. Consider the kiwi. Certain fruits have natural tenderizing properties as they contain bromelain, an enzyme that can break down connective tissue in meat. % of people told us that this article helped them. From chili-spiked steaks to Szechuan deer, check out these new and unexpected recipe ideas for venison marinades and make tonight's dinner unforgettable. This just might sound a little out there, but it works. Pound the venison steak with the meat mallet until it is roughly twice the original size. The process is simple and only requires time and patience. Salt it. The hams should be tenderized, but I’m lazy and I don’t like to tenderize. It certainly beats using enzymes and chemicals which at best produce inconsistent results. 10 Best Venison Marinade Recipes. First, use the stovetop to sear the meat in the pot. And that’s why I use the bag. The only time I do is when it was a big, older buck. We also listed factors on what to look out for meat mallets. To avoid this, fork the meat all over before sprinkling the powder. The Checkered Chef Meat Tenderizer is a fantastic budget option that lets you tenderize meat without forking out for an expensive tool. The muscle fibers in tough cuts of meat are denser than those in tender cuts and have stronger bonds holding them together. Flat and Even Meat. Cutting the meat against the grain will soften it and prevent the jerky from tasting rubbery. So my wife doesn’t yell at me for mucking her rolling pin up. To dry age, you must use a rack so the meat is well aerated on all sides, and install additional fans to keep away moisture. Salt it. The most tender cuts of dear meat are the back strap and tender loin. Deer meat -- also referred to as venison -- is tender, moist and flavorful when prepared by knowledgeable hands. Coat with bread crumbs and fry for 5 minutes. Thin-slice it across the grain. What commercial product will tenderize meat? Braising takes hours not minutes, leaving you plenty of time to set the table and clean up the kitchen. This adds necessary fat to produce a more tender and juicy result. The wikiHow Video Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. Score and slice tough meats across the fibers with a sharp knife. You can also break down the collagen in meat with a mallet. ", "Don't know enough to dry age, but interested. I’ve been tenderizing cube … References Even the toughest cuts of meat, from chuck roasts to pork shoulders, can be turned into succulent, juicy meals with the right methods. Which is the loin and tenderloin. Though the process is meant to create tender cube steak, your cooking method can make the meat tough and chewy. Kiwi has chemical properties that help tenderize the meat without adding a strong flavor. If you are using a meat tenderizer, hold it in your hand and bang on the meat like you would with a hammer and nail. For versatility, the head has two different sides. Let the meat soak at least overnight. Cuts like flank or skirt steak make excellent grilling steaks, but they’re so tough you … wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. The deer’s diet, along with improper aging, will cause venison to taste gamey. If you are using a knife, make cuts or scores that go across the muscles fibers. How to Cook Venison Sous Vide for a Perfect Roast, Chicken Fried Venison – How to chicken fry backstraps, Venison Tenderloin – The best cut makes the tastiest sandwich, How to clean deer liver for cooking or freezing, Twelve Methods of Removing Gamy Flavor Put to the Test, Venison Burgers - Skip the fat, use a binder, Rotisserie Venison - the nearly foolproof way to roast venison. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Made from solid metal, it has a heavy feel that makes it easy to work on the meat without tiring your arm out – the weight of the head does the work for you. This is a useful technique for tenderizing a steak. We discussed the importance of tenderizing meat. Tenderize Meat With Brawn . Tenderizing meat with heat is best used on brisket, ribs or other meats with a lot of collagen. To create this article, 13 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. In other words, yogurt and buttermilk are strong enough to make meat tender without turning it tough or mushy. Repeat with the remaining piece. But I’ve still had some that was as tough as rubber. Now, pound the @!^%$ out of it. If handled wrong, or just happens to be off some tough, old bastard, it can still be tough. It makes for a juicier end result. There are a number of fancy machines and tools to do this, but the most basic way is with a wooden or metal meat mallet. How come this is different? Confirm with a meat thermometer that the venison has reached 160 F at its thickest point to … Yes, depending on the thickness of the meat. You can tenderize meat in a variety of ways--from the use of mechanics like meat mallets, to the employment of heat, or the breakdown of enzymes with fruit. We answered the question how to use a meat mallet. So I just put the meat in the fridge for a couple of weeks to tenderize it? The simplest way to tenderize a tough cut is to pound it thinner. Almost every kitchen has a meat mallet, most of which have never been used. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. When it comes to marinades, many, if not most, of them don't do what you think they do. This is the second tenderest/most desirable cut of meat you can get. When you forget about your meat in the fridge, it is on a plate, wrapped in saran wrap, in a bag, or some other container. Info will assist me on this endeavor. When I freeze my loin, I cut the two foot length of muscle into about 6-8 inch lengths. Try to get the steak to a nice even thickness. Cast Iron Skillet. Continue to cook it in gravy. When I forget about my meat in the fridge for a few weeks, it just gets rotten and nasty. Tenderizing involves breaking down the muscle fibers in the meat to soften the texture, making the meat easier to chew and taste better. "Thanks. Tenderizing meat will make it soft so it will cook in a much quicker time and result in a more evenly cooked portion. This article has been viewed 527,609 times. Redditor DaytonFlyers suggests peeling and mashing a kiwi fruit, then spreading the pulp over the surface of the meat. You can also marinate the meat in pureed kiwi, pineapple, or papaya for at least 24 hours to tenderize it. I don’t own a meat mallet because I don’t want to store one more big bulky kitchen gadget! Pound the steaks with a meat mallet and then marinade them in a mixture that contains acidic ingredients. If you are using a meat tenderizer, hold it in your hand and bang on the meat like you would with a hammer and nail. Venison Pastrami - Smoked Venison Deliciousness. Venison Tips: The Best Part Isn't the Taste. I came up with this method of tenderizing pretty much any cut that I don’t slow cook or grind. For those who don't DIY, you can also ask your butcher to cube the steaks and chops for you. Feb 3, 2018 - Deer meat steaks may need tenderizing before cooking because venison meat is often “gamey” in taste and can be tough. ", "I have done all the methods except the dry age one. If you don't have a mallet, use a knife to make shallow cuts going against the grain of the meat, which will loosen the fibers so the meat is more tender. My go-to method for tenderizing round steaks and chops cut from the front shoulder is a meat mallet, which works well, although it is more time consuming. Just remember, they will tenderize the outer portion, but the middle portion of the meat may remain tougher. Don’t overdo it, or it will turn to hamburger.” ]Let’s start by taking the tube and cutting it in half, lengthwise. You can now cook this in a pan, in a grill, however you would cook a fine steak. When it hasn’t been, the result is a dry, tough and unappetizing dining experience. Tenderizing meat essentially means that you are pre-chewing the meat with a tool to make it thinner and more tender. Acidic fruits and substances like lemon or buttermilk will also increase the tenderness of your meat. If you want to learn how to dry-age your meat to make it tender, keep reading the article! Salt alone will not tenderize beef, but kosher salt is great for kitchen purposes because its jagged crystals adhere better to food. Try pounding it, then marinating it. If you want to learn how to dry-age your meat to make it tender, keep reading the article! The oldest, easiest, and most obvious way to tenderize meat is to pound it into … We use cookies to make wikiHow great. It is usually a tough meat. When it comes to venison, marinades can tenderize and add flavor to this gamey meat. By bashing it with the rolling pin, you’ve broken down the connective tissue so that even if you cook it well done (which is blasphemy when it comes to venison), it will STILL be tender. Don’t overdo it, or it will turn to hamburger.” ]Let’s start by taking the tube and cutting it in half, lengthwise. ", "It has helped me in so many ways. The tenderloin of the deer is located inside the abdominal cavity. One straightforward answer to the question of how to tenderize beef and steak is to cover it … Here is the process with one of those loin pieces. You can tenderize meat in the morning, then eat it in the evening. If you go to far, it will just fall apart. Take a hammer and pound it through the grain into a flat surface. While any skillet will get the job done, cast iron skillets get extra points for their … Voila! ", "Really helpful, saved me from getting the sledgehammer out. Hit the meat evenly over the whole surface, flip it over, and continue to hit the meat with the mallet. You can use any of these methods. The reason for this is that no-one has ever showed you how to use it. I don't think so, salt causes meat to dry out making it tough. How do I make a cooked chuck roast tender? Cut it against the grain 2 inches thick. And fine, ok, my wife taught me how to do this. For instance, flank steak, if sliced thinly against the grain of the meat, will be slightly more tender as a result. Next, you’ll need an oven-safe pot like a Dutch oven. It really helped me. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Tenderize your meat. Or if you are feeding someone squeamish about rare meat, you don’t have to feel quite so bad about overcooking it on purpose. One basic technique used to ensure meat is tender is meat tenderization. Put the lid on the dish and transfer it into the oven and cook it for approximately 1 1/2 hours, turning the venison once halfway through, until it's fork-tender. Tenderizing meat before cooking makes it more even in size allowing it to be brown in color and well cooked. Steaks can be cooked to be butter soft or, more frequently, tough as nails. Meat tenderizes best during the early part of the day and tends to toughen up in the afternoon. Kiwi (along with papaya, … This article has been viewed 527,609 times. You will also need to add a small fan to your fridge--a normal desk fan will work fine. Is it true that using baking powder will help tenderize meat? How you cut the meat can also help tenderize it after it is cooked. Salting overnight would help. Venison Thursday participates in the Amazon Associates program. It’s the base for the other cooking techniques mentioned in this article. Tenderizing a steak allows the connective tissues to be damaged and broken, softening the meat before cooking. Brining Venison – Add flavor and tenderize in one step. A second benefit of this method, is that you take what would be a small cut of meat, and bang it out into a more standard serving size. Try tenderizing before 06:00 for best results. What is the best way to tenderize London Broil? For tenderloin, I would just do the whole thing at once this way. Although this makes the deer healthier, it also can cause the meat to be tough if it is not prepared by someone who knows how to cook venison correctly. Any cut of meat, no matter how inexpensive, can be made tender and delicious with the right techniques. It is the most tender part of the deer. We receive a small referral fee when you make purchases on Amazon when using our links, at no extra cost to you. The meat tenderizer mallet allows you to have a perfect dish with a perfectly cooked piece of meat. Venison Summer Sausage - Jalapeño and Cheddar, and Fat? This produces brown bits of flavor that stick to the bottom of your … How to Soak Deer Meat in Baking Soda; ... Use a tenderizing mallet to pound and flatten the meat and soften the muscle fibers. Pineapple, papaya, and kiwi all work well to tenderize meat. If you're making brisket or ribs, you can slow cook the meat in a cooking stock to make it more tender. In my case, I use a rolling pin. To chemically tenderize venison meat you can: Use a powdered tenderizer made from the enzyme papain (see papain powders here). Ensure a tender piece of deer meat is served to your family and guests by following a few basic steps in its preparation. Tenderizing is when you use force such as pounding or piercing to break down the collagens in meat. The tender loins and back strap don’t have to be tenderized. Some fruits, like kiwi, pineapple, and papaya, contain enzymes that break down the collagen in meat, making it much more tender. God bless you. The easiest way to tenderize meat is to hit it repeatedly with a meat tenderizing mallet on both sides. Your cuts should be long and thin but necessarily very deep. Heavily salting a tough cut of meat and letting it sit an hour or two before you … Whack it a few times with a rolling pin or other blunt object to flatten it to your desired thickness. Let's talk about the power of steak marinades and how they can turn even tough cuts into tender, beefy goodness. I was making pepper steak for dinner and needed to know how to make my meat tender. Cut the steak … It does not work well on pork chops or filet mignon. To create this article, 13 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Step 2. You can see we now have a “larger” steak to work with. Use a marinade. It is a cut that has had chine bone almost entirely sawed off, but the fat cap is put back on. Also on Venison Thursday: Venison Chili - … By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Lastly, we listed down the steps to properly use the mallet. Do I tenderize choice beef with kosher salt? By using our site, you agree to our, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Tenderize-Meat-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Tenderize-Meat-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Tenderize-Meat-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid1334375-v4-728px-Tenderize-Meat-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":410,"licensing":"