Here are a few tricks to end up with tender, great-tasting meat every time.
Can’t afford a filet every time you’ve got a craving for some steak?
Cutting meat “across the grain” simply means cutting crosswise through the long muscle fibers in the meat.
Breaking them up makes the meat more tender.
Overcooking meat will almost certainly end in culinary disaster.
Arguably, so can undercooking it.
Both can leave you chewing.
And chewing some more.
So have a thermometer handy and check that you take your meat off the heat when it’s ready.
Cook It Slowly
You know the old saying “good things come to those who wait”?
This is certainly true when it comes to notoriously tough cuts of meat like beef brisket and pork shoulder.
Cooking them slowly breaks down the connective tissue so they’re ready to eat without breaking your jaw.
Try Pounding
Pictured recipe:Skillet Swiss Steak
Ever heard of cube steak?
It’s super cheap, quick cooking and can be quite tender.
But it doesn’t start out that way.
Cube steak gets its tender characteristics only after taking a beating with the jagged edge of a meat mallet.
It’s just another way to break apart muscle fibers that would otherwise be keeping meat tough.
Marinate
Is your meat lacking in flavor?
Give it a boost by marinating!
Not only does marinating infuse flavor, but it can tenderize too.
Just don’t let it marinate too long or you might over-tenderize and end up with mush.
For chicken, pork and beef, two hours to overnight is a good range to be within.
