How to Tenderize Steak

Melt-in-your-mouth is a luxurious experience achievable at home by using the right techniques. Knowing how to tenderize steak means even bargain cuts reach whole new levels in both flavor and succulence. The approaches provided here aren’t difficult at all. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be tenderizing steak like a master!    

Learn all kinds of tenderizing methods and which are best for specific meat cuts. How do you turn terribly tough meat, like top round, into a glorious main attraction on your dinner plate?  

Find out! Step into our kitchen, and let’s start cooking!               

What is a Meat Tenderizer and how do Meat Tenderizers Work?

Why does your steak come out tough? It has to do with connective tissue, muscle usage, and the meat’s cut. But using the right tenderizer transforms leathery into melty morsels.

So, what exactly is a meat tenderizer? Truth be told, this isn’t just about ingredients but processes. There are three basic categories of tenderizing.

1. Mechanical Meat Tenderizing: Here, you break down the meat’s muscle fibers by pounding it with a mallet, scoring shallow cuts, or using a needle tenderizer. This method shortens chewy fibers, letting the meat absorb more flavor. 
2. Tenderizing Beef by Breaking Down Protein: There are ingredients that break down a steak’s proteins or connective tissue, including acids, dairy, enzymes, and salt. Step away from the mallet and let the marinade do its job. 
3. Cooking Steak Low-and-Slow: Low-and-slow steak cooking melts collagen, which bastes your steak from the inside out. Think fork-tender!

The Best Way to Tenderize Steak

Anyone who cooks will have an opinion on the best way to tenderize steak, some insisting on a family favorite, others looking to commercial products. Thankfully, there are some relatively universal approaches I use regularly that help.

With tough cuts of steak (chuck, eye of round, London broil, shank steaks, and skirt steak), use salt, enzymes, and/or acid.

With tender or lean cuts (Top sirloin, filet mignon, flank steak, flat iron steak, and strip), use short marinades and recommended cooking temperatures. 

A dry brine with kosher salt, left over time, works for tenderizing every steak cut. It keeps in moisture and enhances flavor. 

Milk Steak

You may have never heard of milk for marinating steak, but trust me, it works. It’s a milder approach than vinegar or lemon, yet still activates the meat’s natural enzymes. Additionally, it’s subtly sweet. The steak cuts that benefit the most from milk marinating are cube steak, top round, thin sirloin, skirt steak, and flank.

How to Tenderize Steak with Milk

1. Get out a glass or ceramic dish big enough to hold your steak.
2. Pour milk or buttermilk so that it’s fully submerged. Plain yogurt also works, but thin it with water. 
3. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt, garlic powder, ground pepper, and onion powder.
4. Refrigerate. 2-4 hours for thin cuts, 6-12 hours for thick cuts (but never more than 24 hours).
5. Remove from the milk and pat the meat thoroughly dry
6. Add your dry rub and continue preparing the steak your favorite way (bet you know what mine is!).

Acid-Based Tenderizers

Acid-based tenderizers include wine (red is traditional for beef), citrus juice (which adds brightness), vinegar (apple cider, white, red wine), and liqueurs like tequila. Acid tenderizers break down the steak’s muscle fibers. They’re ideal for top round, skirt, and flank steak. Do not soak for more than an hour if you have a thin cut. 1-3 hours for thicker steaks. If you leave meat in acid-based tenderizers for too long, it becomes mushy.

Enzyme-Based Tenderizers

Examples of enzyme-based tenderizers include papaya, fig, mango, pineapple, and kiwi. These fruits break down proteins while also adding flavor. Twenty to thirty minutes is plenty of time for marinating. These tenderizers are very efficient.

Salt-Based Tenderizers

Salt offers three benefits. They draw moisture, dissolve protein, and create a natural brine. You can use Kosher salt (for 45-60 minutes) or salt-forward seasoning blends, including Cuso’s Dirt, Gravel, and Grass Seasonings. If you want, you can rinse the steak and pat it dry. Otherwise, you can toss it on the grill or griddle and let the salt create an awesome crust, while keeping juices and beefy flavor neatly tucked inside. 

How to Make Marinade For Tender Steak

A marinade blends tenderizers with flavor boosters. Chuck, flank, round, sirloin, and skirt steaks all take very well to marinating.

Why Marinates Work

Marinades are fun to play with because you can mix and mingle various tenderizers together. Marinades work because they include an acid for breaking down muscle fibers, salt to retain moisture, aromatic herbs for flavor, and/or fat.

Tips for Adding Flavor and Improving the Tenderness of Tough Steaks

Remember the rule of three for marinade: tenderizer, flavor, and fat. 

Tenderizers: Buttermilk, Citrus, Kiwi, Mango, Milk, Papaya, Pineapple, Vinegar, Wine, and soy sauce (for an umami finish)

Flavor: Brown sugar, Chili flakes, Garlic, Honey, Onion, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, and Worcestershire sauce

Fat: Avocado oil, Olive oil, Sesame oil, Tallow. Fat carries flavor and gets moisture into the steak’s nooks and crannies. 

Common Marinade Mistakes That Make Steak Tough

Even a seasoned cook can hit potholes from time to time. There are mistakes people make all the time when it comes to tenderizing and marinating.

• Mistake 1: Perhaps the most common marinade mistake is letting the meat soak too long. It’s tempting because you want all that yumminess to soak through. However, you can end up with something that tastes chalky and gets pulpy.
• Mistake 2: Not enough salt. Salt not only tenderizes, but it also improves the steak’s texture. Having said that, remember to adjust your salt when using ingredients like soy and Worcestershire, both of which contain salt.
• Mistake 3: Using plain oil. Fat by itself doesn’t tenderize. It needs salt or acid. Also, don’t use too much oil. It can prevent your other components from coming into contact with the steak. 
• Mistake 4: Going heavy-handed on the enzyme. Pineapple is a big culprit here. You want steak, not beef paste.
• Mistake 5: Improper refrigeration. Temperatures above 40°F can be unhealthy. Keep the meat in an airtight container with the marinade, so it stays away from refrigerator smells. 
• Mistake 6: Expecting the marinade to tenderize tough cuts. They add surface flavor. Only enzymatic marinades really get into those steaks. 
• Mistake 7: Mismatching the marinade components to the cooking method. Use less sugar for high-heat cooking. Use more acid and aromatics for low-and-slow cooking. 
• Mistake 8: Cooking the steak cold. Even though you’ve had your steak marinating in the refrigerator, you want the meat at room temperature before you cook it. A cold cook can seize up the steak, making it tough. This goes for partially frozen meat, too. 
• Mistake 9: Overcooking. The longer you cook your steak, the tougher it becomes, no matter how much you marinated it beforehand.
• Mistake 10: Using too high a heat. Just searing a steak won’t cook the middle. Reverse-sear so the marinade flavors don’t burn off. 
• Mistake 11: Not resting the steak. You’ve done all this work to achieve great succulence. But if you cut into the meat right away, all those tasty juices run right out! Wait about 10 minutes. By the way, remember to cut against the grain.
• Mistake 12: Reusing the marinade. Remember, it contains raw meat juice.

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The Best Marinade for Tenderizing Tough Steak Cuts (Flank, Skirt, Chuck)

Many cooks have their favorite marinade blend with “secret” ingredients they never share. And you can create a personalized marinade too. But it helps to have a starting point.

Here’s an ideal all-purpose marinade that tenderizes fast without overdoing it:

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup soy sauce (alternative: Tamari, Teriyaki)
• 1/4 cup canola or olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar (balsamic brings out a sweet/fruity note)
• 1 ½ tbsps Worcestershire
• 2 ½ tsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp brown sugar or honey
• 2 tbsp orange juice or pineapple juice
• 1 tbsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions

This is easy! Just whisk everything together. Add the steak and marinade to a nonreactive container. Marinate refrigerated for 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the cut and thickness. Pat dry before browning or searing.

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Tenderized Top Round

The top round steak comes from the hardworking part of the cow. It’s great on the budget, but if you don’t treat it right, it’ll be chewy. 

Best Tenderizing Methods for Top Round

You can approach tenderizing top round in one of five ways.

1. Acid tenderizers: Your choice of citrus, vinegar, or wine. Marinate for 1-3 hours
2. Enzyme tenderizers: Try kiwi for 15 minutes.
3. Mechanical tenderizer: Use a meat mallet or a needle tenderizer
4. Salt-based tenderizer: Dry brine in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
5. Slow cooking: Top round develops wonderful flavor and texture when cooked low and slow (you can pair this with any tenderizer method you choose).

Uses for Tenderized Top Round

When you’re finished cooking, there are a variety of ways in which you can use top round besides “as is.” Options include fajitas, jerky, pot roast, salad topper, sandwiches, and stir fry.

How to Tenderize a Steak? Give it “Tender” Loving Care

Creating a tender, restaurant-quality steak won’t cost you more money. You just have to use tenderizing techniques the right way, with the right key components. Each method has distinct advantages. 

Overall, dry brine (salt) is like the all-purpose chef knife of the tenderizer world. It works with all steaks. If you want fast tenderizing, kiwi and pineapple are your friends. 

If you have a really tough cut, use both a marinade and mechanical tenderizing for best results. For a gentle tenderizer, grab milk or buttermilk. 

Looking for flavor? Reach for wine or citrus. Build on that with some spices from the Cuso pantry! We have a wide variety of all-natural, non-GMO seasoning blends you can mix and match into the perfect bundle for year-round steak grilling and all your other cooking adventures. 

We also offer low-calorie barbecue sauces and (get this) Wagyu tallow! Keep up with the latest news, fantastic recipes, tips, and incredible sales by tagging us on Instagram @chefcuso, and signing up for our newsletter.