With a good deal of different meat tenderizing tools available on the market, it can be a real challenge to choose one product. The deliciousness of your meat dish depends on this tool, so selecting the right one is important. To help you out, we've created a complete buying guide, explaining the potential factors that should guide your decision toward the right meat tenderizer for you.
Choosing the Ideal Type of Meat Tenderizer
There are two major types of meat tenderizer tools: a mallet and a hand press. Below, you can check out the differences between these types so that you can choose the right one for your needs.
Mallet tenderizing tool
A mallet-shaped tenderizing tool is almost like a hammer, and you need to swing your hands for each contact with the meat. They feature two surfaces, one spiked and one flat, making them multifunctional. They are best used for thinner cuts of protein but are typically much cheaper than their counterpart.
Hand-press tenderizing tool
When using a hand-pressed tool, you need to press down the handle so that the blade can pierce the protein. These use sharp, and sometimes double-sided, blades to tenderize the meat, making them an excellent choice for thick pieces. They are often somewhat more costly.
Key Factors To Consider When Choosing a Meat Tenderizer Tool
Surface texture
If you have chosen a mallet meat tenderizing tool, verify its surface texture. On one surface, you can see pyramids or spike-shaped ridges that help you tear apart the protein’s connective tissue and make it soft. The other surface will be flat, having more surface area to ensure that you can reduce the meat’s thickness for making cutlets, roulades, and more.
Number of blades
In the press-style meat tenderizing tool, you need to pay attention to the number of blades it has. Most products come with 48 blades or more so that you can cut through more connective tissues of the meat in a single press. A larger number of blades also helps you quickly tenderize the meat, regardless of its surface area and size.
Blade sharpness
If you’re working mostly with meat that has tougher tissues and a hard texture, choose a tenderizing tool with sharp blades. These blades should be razor-sharp so that they can easily make holes and tenderize the protein efficiently. Apart from this, you should also check the number of cutting edges in each blade. If you often cook meat types like pork belly and beef, it’s better to choose a product reinforced with dual cutting edges.
Material
Meat tenderizing tools are usually made from four materials: aluminum, steel, stainless steel, or plastic. Aluminum is lighter and durable enough to last for a long time. It won’t put much pressure and stress on your wrist and fingers during use. Sometimes, the tenderizing mallet tools have a soft steel core instead of aluminum. They are a bit stronger and can help you tenderize or flatten thick and tougher meat cuts effortlessly. Stainless steel is mainly used for manufacturing long, sharp blades in press-styled meat tenderizing tools. This material is quite durable and sturdy, enabling it to cut through the meat with ease. Therefore, you won’t struggle pressing down on the blades and creating holes in the meat. Plastic is often used for manufacturing the handles (in mallet tools) and the top and bottom covers (in hand-press tools). It is food-grade and doesn’t contaminate the meat.
Weight
When you are choosing the mallet-styled meat tenderizing tool, you need to check its weight. If you do not want your hands to ache after you are done softening or flattening the meat pieces, choose a product with weight that is evenly distributed. This will prevent fatigue in your hands, and you can start the cooking process within minutes. Also, a lighter mallet tool will be much easier to use as compared to a heavier product.
Handle
Most meat tenderizing tools are equipped with ergonomic handles so that you don’t have to put too much physical energy into softening or pounding on the protein. These handles also have an anti-slip surface texture so that you can exercise better control over the tool. It won’t slip out of your hand, whether your palms are dry or wet.
Meat cut
You also need to check whether your chosen meat tenderizer tool can be used for softening the meat with any cut or only some specific ones. For example, some products can work well with both chicken breast (a cheaper meat cut) and steak tenderloin (an expensive meat cut). There are certain products that are suitable only for specific types of meat. So, you should ultimately choose the tool that best suits your cooking needs.
Benefits of Cooking With a Meat Tenderizer
Here are a few benefits of preparing proteins with a meat tenderizing tool to provide you with a better understanding of their practicality.
- Softens the protein sufficiently by tearing apart the connective tissues
- Allows you to quickly and effectively marinate the meat, ensuring all the flavors are infused
- Eliminates long cooking times for perfect meat, regardless of the cut type or thickness of the protein
- Prevents meat from shrinking during cooking, so the texture remains soft and tender
Using a Meat Tenderizer Tool Properly
If you are using a mallet tenderizer, simply swing your hands to stroke the meat with its spiked surface. For flattening the meat, use the flat surface of the tenderizing tool and pound on the meat until you achieve the desired thickness. If you have picked the hand-press tenderizing tool, simply place it on the meat’s surface, making sure the tool’s base is touching the meat. Once placed properly, press down on the handle so that the blades go deep into the meat and cut through its tough fibers.
