That doesn't mean they should be overlooked in the kitchen, it just means learning a few techniques on how to tenderise meat before you get cooking.
If
you've got a cheaper cut of meat like hangar steak or brisket or some sinewy or
try any one of these techniques listed below to turn your meat more manageable
and fall apart tender.
1. Slow cook
If
you're planning on cooking a cheap cut of meat like brisket, try slow cooking.
Cooking for longer periods at low temperatures gives time for the chewy
connective tissue to break down turning it into tender fall apart meat.
Discover the science behind low-temperature cooking.
2. Marinade
or
thinner cuts of meat try marinating them in an acidic marinade. Citrus, vinegar
or wine-based marinades help to break down the muscle fibres and yield a more
tender piece of meat after cooking.
3. Pounding
If
you have a kitchen mallet try pounding the cut of meat between a couple of
pieces of plastic before cooking. Check out the video above. If you don't have
a mallet, try a saucepan or other heavy equipment.
4. Salting
Try
giving your cut of meat a generous coating of salt about an hour before cooking
to help break down the protein. Rinse and dry before cooking.
5. Thinly slicing
Slicing
thinly against the grain can help shorten the tough muscle fibres and make each
mouthful less chewy. Get the lowdown in the video above.
6. Velveting
If
you're planning on stir frying try this Chinese cooking technique of coating
the meat in an egg white, cornstarch, salt and rice vinegar mixture and briefly
dropping into boiling water before adding to your stiry fry. It's the magic
that helps locks in the juices into those tricky to cook lean pieces
guaranteeing tender juicy chicken pieces every time.
By FDL