How can you make steak tender ?

Question

How can you make steak tender ?

Answer 1

Don't buy a cheap cut of meat if you want it tender!



In my opinion you can bash it about and add all the flavourings and chemicals you wish, but cheap cuts of meat make fantastic stews and casseroles, but lousy steak!



Buy meat from the butchers not the supermarket, and ask how long it has been hung. You want it to have been hung for at least 21 days.If you can afford it buy organic, free range meat from a local producer. This will not only taste better and be tender, but is better for the environment as well as local farming.



I would letting the meat come to room temperature before you cook it, drizzling with olive oil and cooking in a griddle pan (one of those with the ridged bars that leave lines on your food).



Gordon Ramsey recommends pushing your finger into the meat to check how well it is cooked:

As soft as your cheek = rare

As hard as the bony part of your chin = medium

As hard as your forehead = well done

Answer 2

Any less marbled cut of meat can be tenderized by



1. pounding



2. Cutting into smaller pieces and poking with a fork



3. Puting thin slices across the meat with a sharp knife



2. Marinading for 6 hours or more with an acidic base (vinegar, wine, lemon/lime juice)



Good Luck!

Answer 3

Beat it out with a meat tenderizer. You can get wooden ones or stainless steel ones. They look a bit like old school weapons - basically a mallet with short, blunt spikes on either end.



You can put the steak in between some cling film and bash away.

Answer 4

I did this by accident, but the results were amazing.



Bought large piece of top sirloin and cut it into 3 steaks. Seasoned all 3 with Montreal Steak Seasoning and pan fired two of the steaks right away. Turned out ok.



The third steak (already seasoned) I just wrapped in plastic wrap and stuck in the refrigerator.



2 days later I remembered that steak, took it out of the refrigerator and pan fried it. AMAZING! My wife and I could not believe it was the same steak. Tender melt in your mouth tasty perfection.



Don't know why this worked, but it did.

Answer 5

All the above are sound advice, but I think the best thing to buy is well hung meat (!) (ie. at least 21 days old). I have never bought it and then kept it for 21 days I have just let the butcher do it. Tesco now sell this, and then cook it really really quickly in a red hot pan ie. 4 mins on either side if steak really thick.

Answer 6

IN EUROPE, THEY LITERALLY "BEAT THEIR MEAT" WITH A MEAT MALLET---COOKING SLOWLY ,ALSON HELPS,,AS DOES COOKING YOU ,SLOWLY,MEAT IN A GRAVEY. ----"DO YOU BEAT YOUR HUSBANDS,OR BOYFRIENDS ,MEAT PROPERLY???"---LOL

Answer 7

Don't overcook your steak, and while you are cooking it, don't keep flippping it back and forth. Cook one side then the other side and take it off the heat. You should also let the steak sit for about 3-5 minutes before you serve/cut into it.



If you don't overcook your meat, it will be juicy and tender. If you overcook your meat, it will be dry and tough.



Good luck!

Answer 8

It is good to marinade the meat overnight in worcestershire sauce and be sure to sprinkle with meat tenderizer seasoning. You can even buy steak seasoning to sprinkle on meat also.

Enjoy!

Answer 9

You can tenderize your meat by marinating it. Use an acidic substance like vinegar (red wine vinegar works well) or lemon juice. The acidity premeates the meat and breaks down connective tissue.



Of course when you make your marinade add garlic, spices, etc. to the vinegar or lemon juice.

Answer 10

It depends on what kind of steak you're buying, but making it medium rare is the way to go!

Answer 11

hit with a meat tenderizer or pound with mallet

thank you

Answer 12

marinate with bit of kiwi 1/2 hr b4 cooking



bon appetit

Answer 13

Hit it with a steak mallet/marinade in wine overnight (use marinade to make the gravy)

Answer 14

Bashing it with a mallet can help, but if the steak is of poor quality, then you are up a gum tree, whatever you do.



When you buy steak, or any other beef, ask how long the animal has been hung for. (28 days is good). Ask the butcher to show you the meat, and look for marbling (veins of white fat running through the meat). If the marbling is minimal, then your steak will be tough. It is the marbling fat that allows a grilled steak to be tender. Ergo, don't buy packaged steak from a supermarket, unless you can find out how long their suppliers hang their meat for.



Another prime point (pun intended), is that the particular cut of meat that you buy will influence tenderness. The fillet is the best cut (often subdivided into chateaubriand, tournedos and the like). Porterhouse is probably the next best. Rump is generally the toughest, (but often the most tasty).



Buy a decent meat bat from a catering supplier, rather than bashing it with a mallet. All steaks will benefit from a bashing, as this breaks up muscle fibre that comprises most of the meat. Marinading can help - rump marinaded in diluted white vinegar tenderises beautifully. If you pan-grill the steak along with a bit of finely chopped onion, this will kill any residual taste of the vinegar.



Try to avoid frying steak in a frying pan (skillet). Instead, use a ridged grill-pan, moistened with a film of extra-vtrgin olive oil, or sunflower oil, or bruch the steak with oil and cook it under the salamander( overhead grill). And remenber, the longer you cook it, the tougher it gets.

Answer 15

by marinating, pounding, or applying a tenderizer

Answer 16

marinade it and beat it with a meat tenderizer.

Answer 17

Use one of those steak tenderising mallets. That's all they do at the butchers.

Answer 18

There were so many woodworking plans with this collection and you will not believe this but there are over thousands plans in the one package deal. Go here https://tr.im/4YOaC

This is really something to find that many all together. For someone like me who is just really starting to get involved with woodworking this was like letting me loose in a candy store and telling me I could have anything I wanted. That was my dream when I was a kid.

Answer 19

I know the perfect solution if you are just starting with woodworking and also if you have already experience with it. I reccomend to give a look to this website ( woodworkingplans.kyma.info ) You can find a lot of woodworking plans and you will be able to manage the projects with a CAD/DWG software. It allows you to modify the projects and to alter the arragements. If you are a beginner this is the easiest way to start, it's the best approach to woodworking; and if you already have experience you will find a lot of ideas and inspirations to improve your abilities with woodwork. I'm sure that you will love it!

Answer 20

It usually helps if you start off with a good cut of meat. My favorite is filet mignon.

Answer 21

bash it with a meat tenderisering ammer..if u havent got one use the back end of a large knife...dont forget to do both sides

Answer 22

i beat it with a rolling pin till its thin then fry it just for a short time.

Answer 23

hitting it pretty hard is always a good bet. plus it is great for anger management!

Answer 24

*is now ravenously hungry in a worrying carnivoric kinda way*

Answer 25

i tend to cook it bit rare -thats how i like it-but also put i bit white wine when seasoning it.

Answer 26

Cook it very fast or very slowly, not in between

Answer 27

Don't overcook it!

Answer 28

my moms secret spieces

Answer 29

hit it with a wooden mallet;)

Answer 30

hit it and add flavouring

Answer 31

I believe I have the answer(s) for you right here, & I'm happy to share them with you! Enjoy!



TENDER & TASTY BEEF COUNTRY STYLE RIBS



2”—3” thick, boneless beef strips

1 med. onion, peeled & thickly sliced

flour & water for brown gravy

salt, pepper & garlic powder, to taste



Preheat to 425 degrees F. Place beef strips into a glass baking dish just big enough to lay the beef strips side by side without touching. Do NOT add water---the onions & meat will add just enough moister. Season the beef, & cover dish & contents with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes until tender & will tear with a fork---do NOT over cook, because the meat will become dry & tough. Remove meat & onions to a covered dish & keep warm while making delicious brown gravy from the meat drippings.



Brown Gravy: In a small bowl mix a little flour & water till smooth & runny, then add to the meat drippings, & cook in microwave or in oven, stirring often to keep gravy from becoming lumpy. Taste for needed seasoning. Serve over the meat &/or mashed or baked potatoes.



NOTE: Try adding your favorite barbecue sauce (I prefer “KC ORIGINAL” or “CURLY’S”) to the meat the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking.



**************************************



TENDER & SPICY BEEF STEAK

I was so tired of buying beef steak only to cook it & find out it's so tough it takes all the enjoyment out of eating it.....that is, if you CAN eat it! You can pound it to pieces sometimes & it's still inedible! Cattle's revenge, I guess.  Anyway, I came up with this solution one night, & thank goodness it worked & tasted good! It works well in my iron skillet, but any other type of skillet will probably work as well.



1/2 can of Ro-Tel

1/2 can water

skillet full of beef steak

garlic powder, to taste

salt & pepper, to taste

oil



Season steak with salt, pepper & garlic powder. Add just enough oil to the skillet to brown the beef without it sticking. Heat skillet & oil till hot, add steak, & brown on both sides. Add Ro-Tel & water, cover with lid, then turn heat on medium to low (depending on your stove) to finish cooking slowly. When the liquid cooks way down you will have a nice caramelized, spicy sauce to top your steak or a baked potato. The steak will be so tender & moist it will cut with a fork. NOTE: The reason I specified a “skillet full of beef” to 1/2 can of Ro-Tel is because it will be too hot & spicy with more Ro-Tel or less meat.



****************************************

MEAT TENDERIZING RECIPES & IDEAS

I posted a message at a couple of Online lists requesting help with finding recipes & tips for tenderizing meat, especially while the meat is being cooked. Here are some of the suggestions I received:



1) I sometimes sprinkle salt & pepper, sear on both sides then add 1 c. black coffee to it & simmer it on low. It adds a good flavor & tenderizes. If the coffee dries up before the steak is done, just add a little water. When the steak is done, let the water dry to just a little juice & it makes a wonderful steak sauce to pour over the top of your steak.



2) My favorite works great with round steak, also pork steak. Use 1 can Campbell’s golden mushroom soup...mix with 1/2 can of water. When your steak is almost done (right before it starts browning) add the golden mushroom soup, then let simmer for about 10 min. the steak will melt in your mouth!



3) I swear by a handy-dandy little gizmo called the Jaccard Super 3 Meat Tenderizer. It has rows of sharp blades that penetrate the meat without making it mushy like cubed steak. Plus, you can use it on large cuts. If you want you can then use a marinade. To see it go to: http://www.jaccard.com/products.asp



4) Coca Cola has been known to tenderize anything & adds a great flavor to meats. Let soak for a few hours or overnight.



5) When buying meat make sure any visible fat is white. Beef with white fat will be more tender than beef with yellow fat. Fat with a yellowish tint indicates that the cow was grass-fed. Fat that is white indicates the cow was fed a corn & cereal diet.



6) Also, see my “TENDER & SPICY BEEF STEAK” & “TENDER & TASTY BEEF COUNTRY STYLE RIBS” recipes above.

Answer 32

This is for skirt steak (which is a tougher cut of meat)



Skirt Steak



Skip to:

Varieties

Buying and storing

Availability

Preparation tips

Also indexed as: Hanger Steak



See also: Recipes with Beef





National Cattlemen’s Beef Association



Extremely flavorful and streaked with fat, skirt steak is the meat of choice for making fajitas.



Skip to:

Varieties

Buying and storing

Availability

Preparation tips

Skirt steak is a long, flat piece of beef cut from the diaphragm muscle. Extremely flavorful and streaked with fat, it makes it a juicy steak when properly cooked. Since it is one of the less tender cuts of beef, skirt steak is usually marinated and sometimes pounded before cooking. This steak is the meat of choice for making fajitas.



Varieties

Skirt steak is also known as the “butcher steak” because it’s rarely found on meat counters—the butcher takes this one home.



Hanger steak is so named because it is part of the diaphragm muscle that hangs between the loin and the ribs. Like skirt steak, hanger steak is a grainy, fatty cut that turns out beautifully if it’s well-marinated before cooking.



Buying and storing tips

Look for skirt steak that has a clear, red color. The normal color of beef is purplish-red, but it takes on a cherry-red hue, known as the “bloom,” when exposed to oxygen. While the exterior is bright red, the interior of the meat retains this darker color. Vacuum-packed skirt tip steak also shows this purplish color.



Packaged skirt steak should be cold and the packaging should be free of punctures or tears; vacuum-packed steak should have its seal intact. The beef should be firm to the touch. Check the label for the “sell-by” date and make sure to buy the meat before or on that date.



Store skirt steak in its original packaging in the coldest part of the refrigerator, where it will keep for 3 to 4 days. It may be frozen in this packaging for up to two weeks. For longer storage, wrap the steak in heavy-duty aluminum foil, freezer paper, or freezer bags. Skirt tip steak will keep 6 to 12 months in the freezer. Defrost the steak in the refrigerator, allowing 12 to 24 hours, depending on size. Cook as soon as possible after defrosting.



Availability

Skirt steak may be available in butcher shops. In grocery stores it is typically sold already cut up and packaged to use in making fajitas.



Preparation, uses, and tips

Skirt steak can be cooked using either moist heat or dry heat, if marinated first. Marinades are seasoned liquids containing tenderizing ingredients, and include either acidic foods such as lemon juice, wine, vinegar, and tomato juice, or natural tenderizers such as pineapple, papaya, or ginger. To marinate, place the skirt steak in an acid-resistant container; add the marinade—1/4 to 1/2 cup (59–118ml) for each 1 to 2 pounds (0.45–0.90 kg)—and turn the steak to make sure the marinade touches all surfaces. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for six hours or overnight. Marinades may be added to skirt steak while cooking, but never consume marinades that have come in contact with raw meat unless they have been thoroughly cooked to destroy all microorganisms.



Broil



Marinate the steak, then preheat the broiling element. Place the steak on a broiler pan 2 to 4 inches (5–10cm) from the heat source. Broil for five minutes, turn, and broil the other side five minutes for rare, allowing more time for medium. Remove the steak when it reaches the desired degree of doneness.



Grill



Marinate the steak and then place it directly over the heat source. Grill for four minutes, then turn and grill for four minutes on the other side for rare, longer for medium.



Pan-broil



Marinate the steak, and then heat a skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat until hot. Place the steak on the skillet and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. Remove the skirt steak when it reaches the desired degree of doneness.



Pan-fry



Cut the skirt steak against the grain into four pieces. Then heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté two minutes on each side.



Braise



Heat oil in a skillet and brown the skirt steak on both sides. Add cooking liquid and seasonings. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours.