Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Ingredient to put to soften beef

There is some tips

Beef shouldn't need to be softened by ingredients... proper cut selection, cooking time and temp, as well as carving make all the difference.

A brisket, for instance, is full of collegens and is very tough unless it is prepared correctly - low heat for a long time. If collegen gets up to about 192°F, it melts... and becomes delicious.

If you cooked a rib roast to 192°F, all the moisture would be out of it and it would be tougher than shoe leather. Cook it only until it reaches an internal temp of 130°F for rare (it will raise another 5-10° depending on method while you are letting it rest).

Always cut through the grain when carving so that the meat fibers are made smaller... it makes the meat less tough that way because the fibers themselves are tougher than their connections with each other.


 If you are referring to tenderizer, then if you can find a natural one made from papayas, then use it. The worst thing that causes tough beef is it being dry. Some cuts are naturally drier than others. Round steak is one example. There are other steaks as well like london broil. If you put salt on it before or while cooking, it will make it drier and tougher. If I have a piece of tough cut I will sprinkle with schillings meat tenderizer and stab with a fork several times then rub in thee tenderizer. Turn it over and do the other side, then let sit for at least 20 minutes. Braise on high heat, then cook on a lower temperature. Do not use a fork to turn it if on a grill.

Marinating in citric acid such as lemon or lime juice may help but really the quality of the beef and the way its cut is the best way. If you have a "tougher" piece of meat cook it slowly and gently so as not too toughen it up any more hope that helps.

 Give finnideni a try: 1 part soy sauce, 1 part vinegar, 1 coarsely chopped onion, red pepper flakes. Marinate your meat up to 48 hours in the fridge with this awesomeness.

The Chinese use a weak carb soda solution to tenderise the beef used for "sizzling beef".

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