Naturally tender cuts of meat tend to be more expensive, and serving meat on a budget can be a challenge. There are many ways to tenderize tough meat before cooking it, which include pounding, scoring, soaking in a marinade and sprinkling it all...
Tenderizing beef can sometimes make an inexpensive piece of beef more palatable, but too often commercial beef tenderizers are high in sodium. Natural meat tenderizers can flavor your meat while using enzymes to break down the meat proteins,...
Nearly all meat tenderizers commercially available at your supermarket contain one of two enzymes: papain or bromelain, according to the Enzyme Development Corporation. Papain and bromelain both work to break down the connective tissue and muscle...
Some people shy away from cooking and enjoying lamb because it has a reputation for being tough and gamey. But preparing or cooking lamb in just the right way helps to make it tender, juicy and flavorful. Choosing the correct piece of lamb goes a...
You can turn tough, cheap meat cuts into juicy, tender bites by using fruit as a meat tenderizer. Kiwi, pineapple and papaya all contain enzymes that break down protein molecules, necessary to tenderize tough meat cuts. Indigenous populations...
Less expensive cuts of meat like flank steak tend to have tough muscle fibers that make the meat difficult to chew. Budget-conscious cooks don't have to sacrifice tenderness for cost, however. It is not difficult to tenderize fibrous meat once you...
Cuts of meat from the muscular, heavily used parts of the animal, such as the shoulder, legs and rump, tend to be tough. Tough cuts of meat, which usually are less expensive, contain the same level of vitamins and minerals as more tender,...
The Chinese technique of stir-frying meats and vegetables is simple and practical, with its short cooking time, bright colors and bold flavors. While the basic technique is easy enough to master, home stir often falls short of what's available at...
Moist, tender meat is as much a matter of timing as it is of proper prep work and cooking method. Even the most tender cut of meat will dry out and get tough if it is overcooked or prepared using the wrong method. Some cuts, like chuck mock steak...
Keratosis is a fairly common type of skin disorder; unfortunately, it is quite difficult to treat. However, it is usually not seriously harmful and generally disappears on its own by age 30. The irritation and appearance of keratosis, however,...
There are two methods of aging beef to improve tenderness. Wet aging is done by simply leaving meat in its vacuum-sealed packaging in the refrigerator. However, wet aging does not give the same improvement to tenderness and flavor that dry aging...
Loosely defined, a stew is a dish of meat and vegetables slow cooked in a closed pot at a simmering temperature. The most-common stewing meats are tougher, less-expensive cuts of beef that require careful braising to achieve the best results --...
Once meat has been frozen, it can lose some of its natural flavor and texture, especially if the cut of meat was not particularly tender to begin with. For this reason, it is essential to tenderize certain cuts of frozen meat, though the meat must...
Many cuts of meat are tough and chewy because they come from muscles that get a lot of exercise. Cuts from the shoulder area of deer, lamb, cow and pig contain a lot of connective tissues that make the meat chewy, but the tissues melt when exposed...
Cooking a tender and juicy steak can be a challenge, because steaks tend to get dry and tough due to incorrect cooking methods. At every step of the cooking process – from choosing the meat cut to cooking it – precision is required to...
Low-cost cuts of meat need special preparation to tenderize them without sacrificing flavor, texture and nutrient value. Flank steak, arm roast, shank cross cuts, brisket and skirt steak all benefit from the process. Tenderizing means breaking...
A stir-fry is a healthy alternative to the traditional meat-and-potatoes meal, allowing you to offer beef or chicken but with fewer calories, less saturated fat and less cholesterol. In addition to a healthier dish, you can prepare a...
Flap meat is a cut of beef taken from the bottom sirloin portion of the cow. While flap meat is relatively tender for a cut of meat without too much fat, it can easily become tough and chewy if it is cooked improperly or overcooked, especially...
Buying a cheaper cut of meat at the grocery store may shave money off your grocery bill. But cheaper pieces of meat can be tougher than those that are more expensive. If you purchase a tough cut of meat, you can follow a few steps to get the meat...
Braising is an excellent way to coax tenderness from the toughest cuts of meat. Adding liquid and cooking slowly in the oven or on the stovetop dissolves the sinewy connective tissues in cuts such as chuck roast, leaving behind tender and...
Deer meat -- also referred to as venison -- is tender, moist and flavorful when prepared by knowledgeable hands. When it hasn't been, the result is a dry, tough and unappetizing dining experience. Ensure a tender piece of deer meat is served to...
Pressure cookers are able to produce full meals in a much shorter time than conventional pots and pans. They do this by artificially creating a high atmospheric pressure in the pot, which allows the trapped water and steam to reach temperatures...
Classic beef stroganoff took the United States by storm in the 1950s, though the ground beef and sour cream concoction served by housewives today bears little resemblance to the simple and elegant original dish. Making beef stroganoff is not...
Cuts of meat come with various degrees of tenderness. Often the tenderness relates to how fibrous the meat is -- cuts of muscle that are worked hard tend to be tougher and less tender. Fat content also influences the tenderness and flavor of a cut...
Lean meats are a healthier choice for your diet, but a dry, flavorless dinner does little for your taste buds. Waiting for meat to marinate or drenching it in sauce might boost the flavor factor, but neither can make meat tender and juicy. Brining...
Different cuts of meat respond to heat in different ways, so while quick, hot broiling may tenderize one cut of meat, it can quickly toughen another. Some cooking methods help minimize the fat in your meal by allowing it to drain off during the...
Marinating meat before cooking it can help to soften and tenderize the meat while adding flavors that can enhance its natural taste. Marinades vary from meat to meat, and there is no "right" marinade as far as flavor goes, so take liberties with...
Calling pork chops "the other white meat" originates from a marketing campaign intended to increase pork consumption in the United States, but the meat still bears similarities to the white meat found in chicken. Pork chops from the loin of a pig...
The goal when cooking any part of a chicken is a tender and juicy piece of meat. Whether you're grilling, frying or roasting, if the chicken isn't juicy, your guests won't be pleased. Generally, dark meat pieces such as drumsticks or thighs...
