The Key to Tender Steak? Baking Soda (2024)

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The Key to Tender Steak? Baking Soda? ›

Mattison emphasizes to make sure not to overdo the amount of baking soda you use because it can easily over-tenderize the meat. Carefully rub the baking soda into the meat's surface before moving it to a zip-top bag or glass bowl. From there, leave it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Mattison emphasizes to make sure not to overdo the amount of baking soda you use because it can easily over-tenderize the meat. Carefully rub the baking soda into the meat's surface before moving it to a zip-top bag or glass bowl. From there, leave it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

The general rule is 1 teaspoon baking soda per pound of meat when using it as a tenderizer. For individual tender steaks, like a rib-eye, stick to a marinade or a commercial meat tenderizer. Or season simply with a generous amount of salt and some black pepper.

By adding salt to your steak, you will help pull out moisture from the meat, enriching the flavor of your steak while tenderizing it in the process. Salt will act as a natural brine and can be added up to 24 hours before cooking, instilling deep, rich flavors and tenderness to any cut of beef.

Texas Roadhouse Uses Fresh, Never-Frozen Beef

Fresh and never-frozen paints a homey, farm-to-table feel, but they also indicate that you'll receive a more tender and tastier steak on your plate. That's because fresh meat boasts a higher nutrient count and can better show off its original, unadulterated flavor.

The Aging. Most fine restaurants age their beef to intensify the flavor and improve the tenderness of the cut. Aging is done by letting the meat sit (in very controlled conditions) for several days or weeks.

Salting. Most cuts of steak benefit from being salted up to an hour in advance of cooking, but especially tougher cuts. In addition to seasoning the steaks, salt helps break down proteins and make the meat more tender.

On either a cutting board or some other cleanable surface, lay down a bed of salt the size of your steak. Place the steak on top, and completely cover it with salt. Let the salt work on the meat for 15 minutes ( NEVER go longer than 20 minutes). Rinse the salt off the steak thoroughly and pat it dry with a paper towel.

Does sprinkling baking soda on meat tenderize it? ›

Baking Soda is an Easy Meat Tenderizer

Just as it can be in so many other areas of your life, baking soda is a vital tool that can help bring each meal to life. Use baking soda if you want your friends to give their compliments to the chef.

Tenderizing with a baking soda solution is faster than using a saltwater brine. Meat only has to sit in a baking soda solution for 15 to 20 minutes, but a brine solution can take at least 30 minutes to start working.

Marinate with Acid

Not only does a tenderizing steak marinade imbue aromatic flavour, but the acidic ingredients in it also denature connective proteins in the meat. Regular or apple cider vinegar, wine or beer, lemon or lime juice, buttermilk or yogurt contain tenderizing acids.

While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.

Cola-tenderizing for 24 hours yields a meat dish that practically melts, like this Atlanta brisket. Try braising with cola, like you would with wine. Some carnitas would be excellent with the tang of cola and orange juice, and with only a 40-minute marinade, you could even pull it off on a weeknight.

You can let the meat marinate for as little as 30 minutes or overnight. The longer the better. Heat about 500ml (2 cups) of oil in a wok until bubbles form and it is glistening. Then flash fry the meat in batches for about a minute to brown.