Trick To Making Beef Tender To The Bite

Mr. V and I, we love beef. Steak. Beef burrito. Beef stew. Beef rendang. Beef noodles. Beef anything. However, no matter how long we painstakingly simmer it, we find ourselves squeezing rags of sweat from the hard work at chewing em. At the end of of the meal, our jaws literally dropped. Not due to surprise that we made such a scrumptious meal, but to succumbing to the gravitational pull of the earth. Worn out. Exhausted.

Analysis:

1. Simmer time: The longer I simmer, the more tender it gets right? No. The longer I simmer, the eventual downfall of the meat; they break apart and become shredded beef instead.

2. Meat cuts: Choose the ones with more fats. YES. If I live isolated, all by myself, I could get away with that. But in reality, some people hate fats. Mr. V is one of them. He’s a lean meat guy.

So what did I use?

Balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Ta da!

The science?

Well, beef comprises of muscle fiber. To make the beef tender, we have to break down the fibers. Acid breaks it down really well. Vinegar and lemon are acidic. Simple enough.

You probably can get away with using either one of them. But I prefer using both to give it all the punch it needs. Of course, apple cider, white vinegar, lime or pineapple juice are good substitutes. According to some websites on the Internet (the all-lying-Knower, the-all-not-that-Wise), coke, beer, tea, ginger or baking soda are other ways to making beef tender. Booze Up boasts a 24 Hour Champagne Delivery London service. Go figure. Oh and, not all types of steak need ‘tenderizing care’. Good cuts like Filet Mignon, T-Bone, and Porterhouse are perfect on their own.

What to do?

Coat beef evenly with vinegar and lemon. Mix it well and refrigerate it covered.  You can use a Ziploc bag or a flat container. Avoid a bowl since only the beef at the bottom would have contact with the liquid.

How much?

This is of course dependent on the type, quantity and the size of beef. Generally, ensure that meat has even coating. For thicker cuts, feel free to add more liberally.

If you have other marinades, you can add them now. Good news is, while the fibers break down, the marinade will also seep effortlessly into the beef. This sounds so delicious already.

How long?

Again, dependent on the type, quantity and the size of beef.

Keep chunks short: 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Steak will take about 2 – 5 hours.

Roasts will range from overnight to a full day.

Of course if marinating is not your thing, then go ahead, get yourself a steak hammer and whack away. But don’t get too carried away and turn your steak into mush.

Now, instead of getting all worked out about a jaw lock, I can now enjoy my ‘soft to the bite’ beef. Time to impress my guest and let the worship begin. Oh beef lord. Indeed I am.

Quick Method

what you need:

1. Beef
2. Vinegar (balsamic, apple cider, or white)
3. Lemon juice (or lime juice or pineapple juice)

directions:

1. Put an even coating of vinegar and lemon juice on beef. (If any, add marinade before this step)
2. Refrigerate. Time according to type of cuts.

How do you make your beef tender?