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It’s all the time frustrating once you work hard on considered one of your favorite recipes (like my yummy Air Fryer Breaded Cubed Steak, as an example), only to seek out out the meat has come out tough and chewy. It definitely takes away from the meal, which is why I all the time keep probably the greatest meat tenderizers in my kitchen.
Credit: Amazon
Meat tenderizers help break down the bonds between the protein in tough cuts of meat, improving the feel and making it easier to chop and chew. Certain tenderizers may also help pound meat to a consistent thickness, ensuring an excellent cook.It’s a handy tool to maintain in your collection, and I exploit mine on a regular basis for recipes like my cozy Skillet French Onion Chicken.
If you happen to’re in search of the perfect meat tenderizers, I’ve put together a listing of my favorite options. I’ve personally used several of those tools, while others are highly rated amongst buyers and cooking pros. Keep reading to find my top picks!
My Top Picks
- What’s in My Kitchen: OXO Good Grips Bladed Meat Tenderizer – $22.95 at Amazon
- Best Mallet: KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer – $13.99 at Amazon
- Best Budget: OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer – $11.99 at Goal
- Best For Marinades: Jaccard 48-Blade Meat Tenderizer – $23.02 at Amazon
Reviews of The Best Meat Tenderizers
1. What’s in My Kitchen: OXO Good Grips Bladed Meat Tenderizer
When I would like to tenderize a troublesome steak or prep a bit of meat for marinade, I all the time reach for this bladed tenderizer from OXO Good Grips! It has 50 sharp, angled blades that easily cut through a few of the hardest slices of protein—all you will have to do is place it on top of the meat and push down. It has a non-slip grip for safety, and I like that it locks closed to be sure that the blades don’t by accident come out while it’s in storage.
Not only is it easy to make use of but this tenderizer is a breeze to wash, too.. You’ll be able to pop it on the highest rack of the dishwasher, which is right due to all those tricky spaces between the sharp blades (ouch!).
The one downside is that it’s not the perfect for pounding out thick cuts of meat — I’ve found that a mallet-style tenderizer is way more efficient for that task.
The Specs
- Type: Bladed
- Dimensions: 2.8 x 4 inches
- Dishwasher-Secure? Yes, top-rack only
- Material: Chrome steel
The Pros
- Sharp blades to tenderize meat
- Compact design
- Dishwasher-safe
- Locks closed for safety
The Cons
- Not the perfect for pounding
What Others are Saying:
The OXO Good Grips Bladed Meat Tenderizer was named the perfect bladed meat tenderizer by Food Network.
Buy the OXO Good Grips Bladed Meat Tenderizer:
2. Best Mallet: KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer
Credit: Amazon
For recipes like my light and yummy Air Fryer Chicken Milanese, you will have to pound the chicken right into a thin, even layer, and a mallet tenderizer like this one from KitchenAid is ideal for the job. This popular meat tenderizer is constructed from lightweight forged aluminum and appears like a small hammer. One side of its head is flat for pounding out meat, and the opposite side has small spikes for tenderizing.
I like that this tool is comfortable to carry, and in contrast to bladed tenderizers, it might probably even be used for other cooking tasks, comparable to cracking nuts, crushing ice, or smashing peppercorns. It’s a flexible pick that’s impressively inexpensive, too! Just be mindful that it might probably’t go within the dishwasher, so that you’ll must rigorously wash it by hand after using it on any type of raw meat.
The Specs
- Type: Mallet
- Dimensions: 9.45 x 3.4 inches
- Dishwasher-Secure? No
- Material: Solid aluminum
The Pros
- Inexpensive
- Comfortable handle
- Dual-sided head
- Versatile
The Cons
- Hand wash only
- Not the perfect for marinades
What Others are Saying:
The KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer has a 4.8-star rating from greater than 21,000 reviews on Amazon.
Buy the KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer:
3. Best Budget: OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer
Credit: Goal
This small mallet-style tenderizer is an excellent selection should you’re shopping on a budget or only need a meat tenderizer for infrequent use. It has a dual-sided head with one flat edge and one spiky edge, and while the top is fairly small, it has a steel core that helps you generate more power. The mallet’s handle is wrapped in a soft, non-slip material that’s easy to carry, even in case your hands are wet, and the tenderizer is dishwasher-safe for hands-free sanitizing after you’re done cooking.
Nonetheless, its spikes are fairly small, so it’s not necessarily the perfect tool should you’re prepping meat for marinade or working with an extra-thick cut.
The Specs
- Type: Mallet
- Dimensions: 9.7 x 2.4 inches
- Dishwasher-Secure? Yes
- Material: Steel
The Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easy to wash
- Comfortable handle
- Dual-sided head
The Cons
What Others are Saying:
The OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer has a 4.8 star rating from greater than 5,000 Amazon reviews. Plus, Food & Wine gave it the title of best meat pounder and Serious Eats named it the perfect mallet-style meat pounder.
Buy the OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer:
4. Best For Marinades: Jaccard 48-Blade Meat Tenderizer
Credit: Amazon
Whenever you’re making a recipe like my Garlic-Lime Marinated Pork Chops, a bladed tenderizer like this one will poke holes within the meat, allowing the marinade to soak in higher. This Jaccard Tenderizer has 48 sharp, double-edged blades that get deep into any cut of meat, and it might probably be washed on the highest rack of the dishwasher, helping to sanitize the blades after use.
This tenderizer comes with a protective cover for storage, but as a consequence of its bladed design, is healthier fitted to pork than it’s for pounding out thick chicken breasts.
The Specs
- Type: Bladed
- Dimensions: 4.5 x 6.2 inches
- Dishwasher-Secure? Yes, top-rack only
- Material: Metal and plastic
The Pros
- Sharp, double-edged blades
- Creates deep holes
- Includes cover
- Easy to wash
The Cons
- Not good for pounding
- Somewhat hard to press
What Others are Saying:
The Jaccard Meat Tenderizer has a 4.8-star rating from greater than 7,000 Amazon reviews. It was also named the perfect bladed meat tenderizer by The Spruce Eats.
Buy the Jaccard 48-Blade Meat Tenderizer:
Other Meat Tenderizers to Consider
Weston Meat Tenderizer and Cuber
If you happen to ceaselessly cook big batches of food this massive unit will assist you to quickly tenderize large quantities of meat. It has 31 blades, and all you will have to do is feed the meat into the highest and switch the crank handle—no manual pounding required. The Weston Tenderizer will also be used to make cube steak, nevertheless it is kind of large (and pricey), so it may be oversized for on a regular basis household use. The Weston Meat Tenderizer and Cuber is accessible at Amazon for $129.99.
Gorilla Grips Heavy Duty Meat Tenderizer
That is one other popular mallet-style meat tenderizer that you could want to think about in your kitchen. It has a dual-sided head for pounding and tenderizing, in addition to a non-slip handle that is available in several colours. The mallet will be cleaned within the dishwasher, nevertheless it’s fairly lightweight, so that you do must put in a little bit extra elbow grease when using it. The Gorilla Grips Heavy Duty Meat Tenderizer is accessible at Amazon for $13.40.
Norpro Grip-EZ Tenderizer
Some cooking pros swear by the Norpro Grip-EZ Tenderizer, which has a singular short-handled design. Its round head is 3.5 inches in diameter, covering more area with each pound, and its tenderizing spikes are also longer than many mallets. You may also flip the top over for a flat pounding surface, however the handle design isn’t as ergonomic to make use of as other mallets. The Norpro Grip-EZ Tenderizer is accessible at Amazon for $26.58.
Aliglow Meat Tenderizer
The Aliglow Meat Tenderizer is a cheap mallet with a classic double-sided head. While it’s a preferred product, it’s on the smaller side. Moreover, the tool should be hand-washed, so that you’re probably higher off putting your money toward considered one of the opposite options highlighted above. The Aliglow Meat Tenderizer is accessible at Amazon for $9.89.
Williams Sonoma Reversible Meat Tenderizer
This meat tenderizer from Williams Sonoma has the identical design because the Norpro, with a brief handle and reversible head. While the top has a 3-inch diameter for more coverage, the handle isn’t non-slip, and the tenderizer is fairly pricey in comparison with most other options. The Williams Sonoma Reversible Meat Tenderizer is accessible at Williams Sonoma for $42.95.
Why You Can Trust Me
I’m Gina Homolka, the writer and recipe developer here at health foods diets. My goal is to assist you to create lightened-up versions of your loved ones’s favorite recipes without compromising flavor, and I like to cook with seasonal, whole foods, including all styles of meat. On the positioning, you’ll find plenty of recipes that use beef, pork, and chicken—in addition to other protein sources—and a meat tenderizer will help take your cooking to the subsequent level.
Credit: health foods diets
I’ve personally used several of the meat tenderizers included on this list, and the OXO Good Grips Bladed Meat Tenderizer is considered one of my favorite grilling tools. For the products I haven’t been in a position to use myself, I relied on rankings from a whole lot of home chefs, in addition to reviews and testing from other cooking professionals at trusted publications across the web.
The whole lot to Know Before Buying a Meat Tenderizer
What to Consider Before Buying a Meat Tenderizer
There are a number of various factors you’ll need to have in mind as you’re purchasing for a meat tenderizer, including the next considerations:
Style: There are two major forms of meat tenderizers that you just’ll find today: mallets and bladed tenderizes. Mallets are generally cheaper, and so they typically have a two-sided design that makes them effective for each pounding and tenderizing meat. Bladed models, then again, have sharp blades that poke holes within the meat, which is great for marinades and particularly tough cuts of protein.
Size: Meat tenderizers are available in a wide range of different sizes, from small mallets which you can store in your utensil drawer to freestanding crank-operated models. If you happen to’re only cooking for one or two people, a small tenderizer will likely be tremendous, but anyone who cooks in large batches may need a larger version to hurry up the method.
Cleansing: Because tenderizers are used directly on raw meat, it’s vital that they’re thoroughly cleaned between each use to remove any potentially harmful bacteria. For that reason, you’ll likely need to search for a product that’s dishwasher secure.
How Do You Tenderize Meat?
To tenderize meat, start by laying it on a stable work surface. If you happen to’re using a mallet, you may cover the meat with a bit of plastic wrap to reduce the mess, then use the spiked side of the mallet to hit the meat. Start at the middle and work your way toward the perimeters, and don’t pound so hard that you just flatten the meat. If you happen to’re using a bladed tenderizer, skip the plastic wrap and work directly on the meat’s surface, pressing the blades down into the meat to create evenly spaced holes.
How Do You Tenderize Stew Meat?
For recipes like Beef Stew, many individuals wish to use inexpensive stew meat, which might sometimes be tough and chewy. Nonetheless, you don’t need to make use of a tenderizer to get the stew meat nicely tender. As an alternative, the bottom line is to cook your stew for several hours on low heat, which is able to break down the collagen proteins, giving it that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
What Does Tenderizing Meat Do?
When you will have a troublesome piece of meat, comparable to chuck steak or brisket, the meat itself has a variety of college protein in it—that’s what makes it tough and chewy. Whenever you tenderize some of these meat, whether with a mallet or blades, it helps to interrupt down a few of those proteins before cooking. This makes the meat more tender, easier to chop, and easier to chew.
Does Vinegar and Salt Tenderize Meat?
There are quite a few other ways to tenderize meat—including a number of options that don’t involve pounding it with a hammer. Brining meat in salt is a surprisingly effective method to make it more tender, and it might probably also help improve the flavour of the meat, as well. It’s actually a key step in my Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich recipe! Vinegar will also be used for tenderizing, due to its acidic nature, but you don’t need to use an excessive amount of or your meat may tackle the taste.
The Best Meat Recipes
When you put money into a meat tenderizer, you may be surprised at how often you reach for it while cooking. I pull mine out almost each time I cook a cut of meat, whether I’m grilling steaks through the summer or pounding out chicken for a tasty schnitzel. Listed here are a number of of my favorite recipes where a meat tenderizer will come in useful:
Prices were accurate at time of publication.