Best meat & poultry tenderizers according to redditors
We found 94 Reddit comments discussing the best meat & poultry tenderizers. We ranked the 39 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 94 Reddit comments discussing the best meat & poultry tenderizers. We ranked the 39 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Marinating works. Brines work. They work better if you use one of these.
Sorry for the wall, just hoping I can help make your food a bit less boring.
Chicken doesn't have to be suffer or settle! Just tinker around in the kitchen man.
A good meat tenderizer is a game changer for one. The multi-blade ones are vastly better than the mallet style IMO. They actually make your chicken soft & tender, it's sort of fulfills that gap between homemade chicken vs Restaurant style where you ask yourself 'Why does my chicken never come out this way?'
That tenderizer is also pretty good at making lean cuts of beef actually edible lol. Like london broil, which is awesome because it's significantly cheaper than sirloin/ ny strip/ etc. So beef can be a good change of pace as well. I tenderize it and marinade it all the same as my chicken.
Also the 30 minute marinade dry rub packs with fat free italian dressing(In place of oil), a little water, and maybe some lime extract depending on the marinade makes a world of difference for really not many added calories. I think it adds 250 calories across 4 LBS of meat. IMO calories well spent when it drastically alters your meal and makes it something you look forward to.
I also make my rice with chilli & garlic powder, and it almost makes it taste like spanish rice. Again for very little extra calories.
You can also mash sweet potatos(Or regular potatoes for that matter) and kind of incorporate your diced up meat into it for a change of pace. My taste is weird but I love to do that, and dice up a cucumber to throw in as well, and eat with a random sauce. It's interesting for sure and I could see how someone else might not like it, but I'm really enjoying it.
Use any low calorie sauces or syrups you can find. I try to aim for no more than 20 calories a TBSP, lower is preferable. A lot of asian sauces off the shelf meet this criteria, and walden farms has a whole line of 0 calorie sauces.
Also I just saw Greg Doucette's video on how to turn a protein shake into ice cream basically. Really not all that expensive or calorie dense and makes your protein shake waaaay better. And it is a lot cheaper than the healthy ice cream alternatives like halo top. You can get 10oz of guar gum powder on amazon for $6(Practically a life time supply except it supposedly expires after 2 years.)
One thing Greg Doucette also got me on was popcorn. Buy the healthies version you can find, don't go for the heavy buttered kind. I like this brand personally.
Popcorn, on paper anyway, is better than a lot of carb choices. It has more protein & fiber than rice & I'm pretty sure potatoes also IIRC. And theres so much volume you just get to eat for longer. If you are anything like me and love to eat, that's a good thing!
And I personally haven't tried this yet, because from my research it looks like it costs basically the same as buying a pre-made protein bar off the shelf but supposedly these taste a lot better. Maybe If you are crafty you can find alternative products to get the cost down. There are different fiber syrups on amazon that are cheaper than fiberyum & there are agave syrups with similar nutritional values. But in the video he says a fiber syrup is a MUST, so IDK If agave will work. I'd maybe try to make a small batch first before wasting a pound of protein to find out agave won't work.
I think it is this one.
Paderno World Cuisine 3-1/4-Pound Meat Pounder/Tenderizer, Stainless Steel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001HL0HYU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Tr.xDb7GEZ88F
Hope that helps!
I buy tough meat - I like saving money. Around here we get brisket and pork shoulder for around $2 per lb. Things that I've done to cook: BBQ (of course), braising, curing, grinding, pressure cooking, sous vide, stitching (or Jaccard-ing). Pork loin isn't that tough but it's also usually $2 per lb and I do all the above to it, too.
If you need it quick, cut it into steaks, hit it with the Jaccard and grill it. Make sure to grill it well done for safety. It will be an odd kind of "tender-dry" so a sauce is good.
https://www.amazon.com/Meat-Tenderizer-Tool-Stainless-Tendering/dp/B076CHQV7Z/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1525784364&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=jaccard+meat+tenderizer+48+blade&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Offset-Chicken-Pounder/dp/B0000CFMPU
Wow, OP was telling the truth.
https://www.amazon.com/HIC-Tenderizer-Marinating-6-Inches-3-25-Inches/dp/B073JCNDFR
However, you can buy cheaper cuts of steak and do this at home with a jaccard. It's not going to be as tasty as a better cut of meat, but it works in a pinch. It's also great for making chicken fried steaks.
I cook chicken breasts every week. I agree with everything you've said, but may I recommend pounding out the chicken instead of butterflying. It has the same effect, but my knife skills are not so great.
Before brining I trim the breasts of connective tissue and fat. Then, one at a time, I put a breast in the middle of the cutting board, cover it in a double layer of saran wrap (I use the same plastic for all of them, the plastic is pretty durable), and pound that thang with one of these until it is about 1/2 thick all around.
Then I brine.
Side note: the experience in sometimes cathartic.
I have a meat mallet that I use. (A cheapo one will do; you don't have to spend $15.) It has a flat side and a pointy side.
Some people tell me you have to use the flat side for chicken breasts, but I prefer to use the pointy side and a gentle tapping motion. (The goal is to get the chicken breast all the same thickness.) Basically, if you bash a chicken breast too hard with anything, you can go right through it.
Also, I spread out 2-3 layers of saran wrap (so it doesn't rip) and lay out the chicken on half and then fold it over so I don't have salmonella splatter all over the counter and raw chicken up in my meat mallet.
Thought about it a bit, I think here are your options (specifically excluding "cook it more" like the sous vide suggestion):
I think this might help you, Glad to help. (\^‿\^)
Not food, but good carnivore accessories you can get at Amazon:
Stupid question, but what kind of tenderizer do you use?
I've only had moderate success with this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-7032-Professional-Meat-Tenderizer/dp/B00004UE7Y
I love these.
I use a big floppy teflon spatula to smash them. I spray the underside of it with vegetable oil (a spritzer or the aerosol stuff works great here) so it doesnt stick to the patty when smashing. I press down on the spatula with this meat pounder to get good leverage.
Meat tenderizer fork.
There are more modern versions with a spring cover to keep from stabbing yourself on the splines, like this. Though I've never seen them used. The low surface area means that basically any other tool would be better.
i know you said it wasnt tenderized, but thats what it looks like. maybe it was pre-tenderized and your coworker didnt know?
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the holes look like theyre were made with this type of tenderizer or at least an industrial version...
You don't have to, but if you do, you probably won't regret it.
When I'm doing any kind of marinade for anything - beef, chicken, or pork - I give it a good pounding with one of these.
Nearing the end of my cut - I've eaten this almost every day for the past month or so.
It's Pasta Alfredo... but prepared for your jaw to drop when you see the macros:
Pound the chicken flat, sear both sides on high heat in a non-stick pan (sometimes I don't even use cooking spray - seems to do just fine without it), reduce heat to med-low and cover for ~9mins or until meat is 160F. Cut it up into chunks with the edge of a rubber spatula. Cook pasta according to directions on box, then mix all ingredients together.
Total:
It's even better if you substitute chicken breast with shrimp. I just cook baby shrimp from Costco right in a nonstick pan with nothing except a ton of Old Bay seasoning. The macros are even better with shrimp - all protein and no fat - great for a cut:
Total:
The same meat tenderizer can be bought from amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004UE7Y/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
I remember my mother using ours to punch holes in potatoes before baking them.
I've never seen a felting tool with such heavy needles. I don't think the the heavy needles would be very effective when trying to work the wool.
Am I doing it right?
Pound your meat or pound your meat...
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B073JCNDFR/
Your basic toolbox is going to be salt (assuming you don't have a sodium restriction), stevia/sucralose and lemon juice/vinegar. Any of the flavor profiles you might want to apply to the food you can eat will need them and thankfully, they will fit into your diet.
Saltiness, sweetness and acidity perpetuate flavor so having them as a basis for your work will be necessary. As an example, some acidity will help lift fruit flavors, while not necessarily making the food acidic.
If you want to exaggerate the profiles of the foods you can eat, there are consumer level offerings of food flavors, like ones sold here:
https://www.diy-ejuice.com/Real-Flavors-s/1915.htm
These are cut from industry offerings, so they will be easier for you to work with. I would also look at spices and spice oils as well. I would invest in a vacuum tumbler and a Jaccard for getting that flavor into your meat and seafood most effectively:
https://www.amazon.com/STX-International-STX-1000-CE-Vegetable-Tenderizer/dp/B0115CGX4I
https://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-200348-Supertendermatic-48-Blade-Tenderizer/dp/B001347JK6/
These work amazingly well. Jaccard the meat first, make a brine of flavor, seasonings and other ingredients and tumble them with your protein.
If I had a meat tenderizer, I could use it protect myself and my buddy, AND tenderize foods for our dinner. Who doesn't want to beat their meat, right? :P
Crushed, as much as you reasonably can on a spoon over a candle, as a practical manner. Yes, a small bed of sand heated would be better. BUT, gentle heating over a candle, letting it cool a bit and repeating 2 - 3 times will drive off most/all volatiles. Cig lighter will work too, but the lighter will get really hot. Do not let the coke get too hot and burn.
Once dried out, crush to a superfine powder. https://www.amazon.com/d/Meat-Tenderizers/Norpro-GRIP-EZ-POUNDER-Stainless-steel/B00004UE7C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542435666&sr=8-3&keywords=mwell. eat+pounder works REALLY well. Do not want it to be dust (too easy to inhale in to lungs), but super fine (not confectioners/powder sugar).
To a limit, the higher the surface to mass ratio (finer the powder) the greater the effect from a given mass unit. i.e The smaller the lines you can do for the same effect. As long as it STAYS in your nasal cavity and has contact with your mucas membranes you will get the desired affect.
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:/ Sorry about that. I completely forgot to talk about how to turn pieces of meat with connective tissue into a tender cut of meat for this recipe.
What you want is a meat mallet with spikes or a meat tenderizer tool.
I don't have the tool, but alton brown seems to like them. What they do is they manually sever the connective tissue and so that the chewy bits ball up and the whole thing seems tender.
More on meat mallets: https://keepingiteasyandsimple.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/tool-of-the-week-meat-mallet/
As for the meat cuber, I don't own one but it has a bunch of flat blades that pierce the meat and tenderize it for you: http://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-200348-Supertendermatic-48-Blade-Tenderizer/dp/B001347JK6
I totally had this link bookmarked in my notes and everything: http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/altons-chicken-fried-steak-0170182.html :(
Though in a practical sense, if you don't want to buy either of those tools, banging it more would probably do the job for you.
Marinades do not penetrate too far so one easy technique is to slice the meat to create flaps to increase the surface area for the marinade.
You cannot run a current through a piece of meat and have the current 'magically' drag marinades along for the ride. Salt however does tend to bring flavors along with osmotic pressure. So creating a "Brine-aid" with lots of salt tends to increase the marinade penetration.
Americas Test Kitchen does equipment reviews and they had one silly device that claimed it would marinade meat in an hour and it would taste like it had marinaded over night. To their surprise - it worked. It was basically a rock-tumbler. You insert meat & marinade, let it gently spin. The mechanical action seems to act like squeezing a sponge under water to increase absorption.
https://www.amazon.com/STX-International-STX-1000-CE-Vegetable-Tenderizer/dp/B0115CGX4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504312186&sr=8-1&keywords=marinade+machine
If you rest your heroin syringe on a sink only to scoop up toilet water with your cooker...I'm sorry, but you're not just an addict. You're a fucking moron.
First off, James Comey is a weasel. The FBI and DEA are not going to fund anything but a scare campaign, and there is no story here that I will believe.
Two of the stories I remember mentioned meat tenderizer being a heroin cut. I've never once heard of this, let alone twice from two people in a sample of like half a dozen. I'm no expert, but I'm certain that both stories were fake. Meat tenderizer is more expensive than so many goddamn ambiguous white and brown powders that the only reason it would end up in heroin is if you somehow spilled it because your dope was in close proximity to some unprepared meat. Fuck you mean, DEA?
This documentary is exaggerated, scripted, and worst of all it's misleading. The perfect film to show in a high school classroom.
I've known a friend who does BIAB only occasionally to use a rolling pin and ziplock bag. No idea on his efficiency.
I'd imagine you could use a flat meat mallet such as this
As for experimental splits, can't say I've ever seen someone rigorously test that given the labor intensity.
In response to /u/n_reineke's question.
No soup for you!
Also, medium rare. Wrapped in bacon.
My goto is marinade. I have an awesome Teriyaki marinade a friend passed on to me. In a pinch, I just use Italian dressing, prefer the "Zesty" or (my favorite Wishbone Brand "Robusto Italian Dressing". Be sure to poke meat with a fork or use a tenderizer beforehand to let the marinade penetrate deeper and, well, quite frankly cheaper cuts of meat tend to be tough and this helps a bunch. You might want to invest in a good tenderizer. Got mine here: http://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-200348-Supertendermatic-48-Blade-Tenderizer/dp/B001347JK6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420396666&sr=8-1&keywords=meat+tenderizer. Yes, it's a bit pricey but with it, you can always buy cheap cuts of meat like steaks and still get good results. Plus, if you take care of it, I get the impression it will be the last one you ever have to buy.
Looks painful
It's probably just me, but I tend to think it tougherizes it.
I do my tenderizing with a tool like this.
No soup for you! I like mine on the charcoal grill, well done with hickory smoke chips and a-1 along with potatoes on the grill- with a-1 sauce and butter with sour cream! dinner with whoever would show up from the smell of the grill LOL - true story, was grilling once and a jogger stops and says mmm steak- got any extra there? :D
http://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-200348-Supertendermatic-48-Blade-Tenderizer/dp/B001347JK6/
and
http://www.amazon.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade/dp/B0007Y9WHQ
The best way, the way that I use ALL the time now is a meat mallet like this: https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-GRIP-EZ-POUNDER-Stainless-steel/dp/B00004UE7C/ref=sr_1_9?crid=WC1YJ47FTZPN&keywords=meat+mallet&qid=1550908967&s=home-garden&sprefix=meat+ma%2Cgarden%2C197&sr=1-9
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it will give you some of the finest power you have seen, due to its inherent weight. A couples rounds with the mallet and it is as fine as cornstarch. Use a mirror, not a plate though. Most all plates are very uneven. (relatively speaking. Not hubble level tolerances, but go with something that does not have the surface variability of ceramic.
I looked at that one and I am cheap too but this one Made in America promised results more than 4 times as good
What I like about this one is:
it's not just possible, it's easy to disassemble.
The blades are flat with a sharp blade at the end so they make a deep slice 1/8th" wide, cutting the connective tissues instead of just pushing them aside. Much more tender meat as a result.
Lifetime money back guarantee.
Jaccard also sells the older model which disassembles with screws which everyone says are a pain in the butt. I have the one with a blue slider lever on the handle to unlock the blades for disassembly.
Here are a couple of tips I would suggest to mellow the meat out as well:
We cut the meat into the sizes we want to cook it, Jaccard it, then sprinkle with the tenderizer. Then, we put it back in a bag in the fridge for a bit. That way, it isn't so tough when you cook it. Also, we like to marinate deer meat in Italian dressing. Tastes great.
I worked in a place where we cooked chicken-fried steak. Get one of these Jaccard Tenderizers. I can't speak to jerky, but one of those will make anything easy-to-chew.
This works, it's a chef tool.
bought one of these tenderizers with puncturing blades in it and it's awesome for flattening and softening white meat breasts. Makes the cooking time shorter and texture less chewy. White meat boneless chicken is almost always too tough no matter which way you cook it. With that? Awesome.
Thank you for the reply. What's the name of the full-size papaya on a dwarf tree? I grabbed a papaya plant with two other little siblings attached to it for $5 from a Thai lady in August and got them through winter here (North Florida) and just recently planted them in the ground about a month ago. At the time of my purchase I didn't know anything about papayas but then read about the different flower types and that they don't transplant very well. I'm noticing two of the three plants haven't established a strong root zone and wobble pretty easily once I transplanted them so I can see why they say they don't transplant well, and I can see from your comment that this has probably happened to you as well. Hopefully they'll make it through, but if not I'll have learned my lesson and will be ready to try some of your techniques for next spring (starting them in the fall for a spring transplant).
I'm looking for the large size papayas as my wife loves to use them green for papaya salads ("som tam", she's from Thailand), but don't have a ton of yard space, so if you can recommend any dwarfs that grow well for you I'm all ears.
Regarding the fabric pots, do you think the roots will penetrate through these fabric pots? I use these a bunch for other plants and I'd be open to just throwing them into the ground come spring next year if that means they'll have a better chance of surviving transplant. I just don't know if the roots can penetrate these well enough or not. I guess I could see if any of my current potted plants in these have been able to establish roots on the bottom side successfully or not. If not, I have a meat tenderizer (this guy) that could probably make some pretty decent holes! haha.
Jaccard a thin piece and make chicken fried steak on a bed of mash potatoes and gravy. Mmmm. Cheap and delicious.
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https://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-200348-Supertendermatic-48-Blade-Tenderizer/dp/B001347JK6
This guy will tenderize it pretty well http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001347JK6/?tag=hyprod-20&hvadid=15474605259&hvpos=1o2&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=585831003675954919&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&ref=asc_df_B001347JK6
The way I've always done it is to hit the meat with a meat tenderizing tool like this then soak it overnight in buttermilk. The buttermilk is more for removing the gamey taste from the meat, but I like to think that it helps tenderize it too.
Season the steak liberally with kosher salt (not iodised salt) and pepper and then hit it with a tenderizer like this one. Let the steak sit out for 20-30 minutes until it comes to room temperature. Heat the pan to ~400 F with a little olive oil and then cook the steak for about 3 minutes per side (for rare).
If you are buying tough cuts of meat, this is a much better meat tenderizer.
Gente che ne capisce di cucina, dovrei acquistare un batticarne.
Ora qual è il prezzo onesto? (Visto che non ne capisco nulla)
http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Meat-Tenderizer/dp/B00004OCJJ
Extending off of this article, this is when a steak tenderizer can really come in handy as well.
I have this
Weston Jerky Slicer
I've had it for 2 months and its great, it makes slicing a breeze. All you have to do is cut the meat into slabs that will fit into the chute, then crank it through. Imo it has 2 drawbacks you might be concerned with, you can't adjust the thickness of the slices and cleaning can be a pain. The whole thing can be taken apart so cleaning most of it is easy but the blades are a pain. if you do deicide to get it I would suggest also getting a pipe cleaner or thin bottle brush with very stiff bristles for cleaning in between the blades.
They make special tenderizers for that purpose, things like this, I've got one and it's awesome.
Steak tenderizer, cast iron skillet, butcher's block, chef's knives and sharpener.
/u/brock_lee is probably correct, but I think it could also be a meat tenderizer.
No pic. Does it look anything at all like this? https://www.amazon.com/FBasics-Tenderizer-Kitchen-Pounding-Tenderizing/dp/B06XZ4WXDB
You can tenderize the raw steak with a Jaccard. Then marinade. Or you can pound it with a meat tenderizing mallet.
If you've got $50, you can get a home meat slicer. Then buy primals, partially freeze them, then slice thinly, as for cheesesteaks.
If you eat a lot of these I can attest that a Jaccard Meat Tenderizer does wonders to this cut.
Also if you are going to get into this id recommend a jerky slicer, I have this one and it works great Weston 07-3801-W-A Manual Single-Support Jerky Slicer, Charcoal Gray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001SGB3SS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_kg84Cb5A27HWV
this one is a best seller on Amazon - used for beating meat
Female here but I sucked cooking meat, still working on the steak part but we don't eat red meat al ot anyway.
But chicken, invest in a meat thermometer. Don't over cook it. And let it rest before you cut it. Invest in a jaccard to tenderize it before you cook it or marinate it. (
https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-7032-Meat-Tenderizer/dp/B00004UE7Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?keywords=meat+tenderizer+tool&qid=1557945665&s=gateway&sprefix=meat+tenderi&sr=8-14)
Resting is just letting it sit without heat, or minimal heat so it can soak back up those juices! Also, homemade shake and bake is your friend when you want a nice meal with minimal work and super cheap.
Here's my ranch shake and bake chicken recipe:
1/2 packet of ranch powder dip
Jar of bread crumbs, preferably Italian flavor
Vegetable oil/canola
Butterflied chicken breast
Forget the mallet, get one of these:
Meat Tenderizer with 48 Stainless Steel Ultra Sharp Needle Blades, Kitchen Cooking Tool Best For Tenderizing, BBQ, Marinade by JY COOKMENT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GF4YH4C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CXeZCbBM0RCJ7
I was thinking of this one
https://www.amazon.com/Tenderizer-Stainless-Tenderizing-Accessories-Ccfoud/dp/B074V2BS22
But your pointy hammer should work too
A Jaccard meat tenderizer. This kitchen gadget will turn any cut of meat into tender wonderfulness, fast & easy, by basically using a small handle with 45 spring-loaded teenie little knives to punch zillions of holes into the meat. It also allows for marinades to get much penetration, much faster. Best kitchen gadget I ever bought, bar none.
I like this model because it's easy to pop out the blade assembly to clean it.
This recipe is not great. I tried it just to see.
1st, use fajita marinade. Very easy to find. and there are lots of great options.
2nd, the slow cooked flank steak is "meh" in the fajitas. It is much, much better to tenderize the flank steak the pan sear it or grill it.
Also, the texture of the vegetables is soft and mushy, as I expected it would be due to the slow cooked method. but is really ruins the whole "fajita vibe"
I will not be waiting time, money, and ingredients on this method again.
For anyone reading this, I just bought the best tool ever for tenderizing tough meats. This Jaccard tenderizer is absolutely the BOMB! It makes tough brisket and flank steak almost as tender as a good Ribeye.
https://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-Simply-Better-Tenderizer-Stainless/dp/B000A3G0F6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1492098174&sr=8-2&keywords=jaccard
Get yourself one of these stabby meat tenderizers.
Get one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-200348-Supertendermatic-48-Blade-Tenderizer/dp/B001347JK6
Then follow Alton Brown's recipe for swiss steak.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/swiss-steak-recipe.html
I believe he has some other cheap steak recipes as well.