Meat tenderisers have been used for centuries and play an invaluable, irreplaceable role in a Cook’s world. From top chefs like Rachel Ray to down to earth” Mom Cooks ” like me, a real cook cannot do without their own brand of Meat tenderiser.
Why does one use a tenderiser? Apart from the fact that they are generally known to improve texture and taste, they also quicken cook time which I personally think is one of the most compelling reasons to use them. With all the buzz about how overcooking meats can release carcinogens , it may not be a bad idea to hasten cook time. The science behind overcooking meats and carcinogens is that a chemical compound called PhIp and HCA ‘s ( hetero cyclic amines)are released under increased heat and has been connected to cancers. I am not trying to dissuade you from eating meat. I am a meat lover myself , but exercise some caution especially all of you BBQ lovers out there – tenderising meat by physical methods or marinades may be a good solution to ” Eating what you love “while being safe. Marinating meats in vinegar, yogurt, meat tenderisers, papaya or pineapple juice will break down meat fibers , enhance flavor and significantly cut down on cooking time, thus less exposure to carcinogens.
You can go high tech with electric meat tenderisers or use hand powered manual machines or just go with the good ” old fashioned hammer type of Meat mallet. The hammer type of Meat Mallet has spikes on it’s base which helps break down the meat fibers as you pound the meat. Personally I think it’s an excellent way to get some frustrations out too, pounding away …. can be therapeutic , like a punching bag!
An easy way to tenderise meat is to use ready made meat tenderisers , great option for those of us who like things easy in a box. A store bought Meat tenderiser will typically have either papain ( enzyme from papaya) or Bromelain ( enzyme from pineapple) , salt and a host of other preservatives. I myself use a papaya based tenderiser that I have created myself with all natural ingredients. I cook a lot of venison which is a tough sort of meat and find it turns out incredibly tender and flavorful when I use my brand of meat tenderiser. I discovered this growing up in India at my grandmother’s home surrounded with papaya trees, when an uncle of mine would just pick raw papaya and throw chunks of it into a meat dish which would always be deliciously tender. I then incorporated it into my “Cook Routine” and found it worked great. I have a created a recipe card that you may print or share with others.My recipe is simply just blending up green papaya with lemon and some added spices if you wish and then using it in recipes. You may freeze the papaya blend into cubes and use a cube or two when you need to. Remember the greener the papaya , the more papain power … so pick green and use liberally ! Enjoy !
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Hi there! I’m Sunithi, AKA Sue, a registered dietitian with a sweet tooth and a passion for eating healthy (quite a combo) currently working as an independent consultant in the DC Metro area. I’m also a blogger, health nut, nutrition geek who jogs to keep sane :)! I love to revamp recipes and add some ‘Nutrition Bytes’ to them. All my recipes are gluten free! I also blog on natural health and fitness! Visit often and drop me a note if you have any nutrition queries!
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I think you would make a video of your cook, but I can’t find it in the smilebox 🙂
In my place, the greener of papaya, the bitter of the taste, in other word, it’s raw 🙁
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