A Meat Tenderizing powder is a dried tenderizer containing special ingredients which help to weaken the bonding of connective tissues (tough muscles) in meat. The result would be a soft meat chunk that is easier to cook and eat. That’s how restaurant meat dishes turn out tasty and juicy leaving you awed.
However, before you go buy it, learn what a meat tenderizer powder is and how to use it first.
To make it convenient, we’ve summarized the Best Meat Tenderizer powders down here just for you!
How Does the Tenderizing Powder Work?
Meat tenderizer powder works similarly to the enzymes in the human body. In the powder, the papain and bromelain enzymes are used. These enzymes are derived from the Papaya and Pineapple fruits.
When we sprinkle the powder on meat, the enzymes dive into the meat tissues and tear apart the tough molecules. Not only make it chewable, but these enzymes also enhance the meat taste as well.
How to use powder to tenderize the meat?
Many people know about tenderizer powders, but they do not know how to use it effectively while cooking.
So here, we’ll explain gorgeously how to use the meat Tenderizer powder, ways to use meat tenderizer powder, and how to make it at home!
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Sprinkle the powder on the meat
First, sprinkle the tenderizing powder on the meat gently. Remember that for the meat to become incredibly soft, you should leave the powder for some time as it must be set in the meat muscles.
Along with it, sprinkle or tap some liquid on the surface of the meat to help the powder reach inside the meat.
For effective tenderness, the powder should be rubbed on the meat. After applying the tenderizer powder, set aside the meat for about an hour.
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Marinate the meat properly
Meat tenderizing depends upon the proper marinating of the meat. If it was not marinated appropriately, it would lose its taste.
For marinating it properly, keep balance while smearing tenderizer powder on meat. It should be applied equally on the surface of your meat chunk. However, avoid over-smearing the powder. Otherwise, the taste will be destroyed.
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Keeping the Hygienic tenderizing
Keeping the tenderizing hygienic is as crucial as the tenderizing itself is. When we tenderize the meat, the risk of virus increases if we keep it uncooked for a long time.
Therefore, the tenderized meat should not be kept in the fridge for later use because it loses its taste when we keep it in the refrigerator for a long time. Hence, make sure to cook the tenderized meat as early as possible.
Making meat tenderizer powder at home
Generally, people buy tenderizers from the market. However, if you want a chemical-free meat tenderizer powder, it would be a great idea to make it at home.
Although there are many remedies to make powder, we are going to tell you a general, easy, and commonly used remedy to make the meat tenderizer powder at home.
- Papaya tenderizer powder
Almost all the meat tenderizer powders contain Papain, which we call papaya proteinase; secret enzymes that break down the bulky tendons of the meat and make it smooth and ready to cook.
You can prepare the tenderizer powder from Papaya by following the steps below:
- Take an unripened Papaya. Wash and cleanse it.
- Cut it from the center and take out all the seeds in it.
- After that, grate it finely. Note that it should be grated finely so it will dry sooner.
- Now, spread the grated Papaya in a plate or muslin cloth and dry it in direct sunlight. It will take 4 to 5 days.
- When all moisture disappears, and it dries completely, grinds it in the grinding machine and makes a fine powder.
- Strain the powder thoroughly in a strainer to get rid of bigger chunks.
- The more significant pieces can again be ground to make powder.
Your chemical-free meat tenderizer powder is ready to use.
Is a Meat Tenderizer Good for Your Health?
Meat Tenderizer powders are made of natural ingredients, and whatever natural substance we intake is almost always safe.
We use enzymes in papaya to tenderize the meat for safe eating and avoid any health disadvantages! In the early days, enzymes were only taken from the papaya but now manufacturers are also using extracts from other fruits like Pineapple or Kiwi.
Meat Tenderizer tools are also used for the same purpose to make the meat soft by hammering it in different ways. Read more about what a meat tenderizer tool is in our recent post about it.
