Beating your meat

[Dietrich]

One of the great pleasures that I have in life is firing up my old charcoal grill and seeing what kind of meal I can whip up.I have heard for years that pounding meat will tenderize it but lately I`ve heard that all it does is flatten it.I think that there`s a little of the chef in most men so I put the question to you people.Does beating a cut of meat tenderize it or not?

[kahrseye]

I don't think it helps at all. The trick is to buy a good piece of meat before you cook it. I've never beat it to tenderize it.

[wyntrout]

Catchy title. First thought smutty... See picture.
If you use one of those hammer-like tenderizers, you're kind of pre-chewing the meat. If you use a good tenderizer and fork it in per directions, it can help tenderize somewhat less than tender meat. It won't do miracles, though. Buy a better cut of meat, that would be my advice, too.
Wynn:D

[wyntrout]

Here's another thought... It didn't take me long to figure out that there was little pleasure in building a charcoal fire for grilling. The first house I bought had an outdoor grill fired by natural gas... now that's luxury. Turn the gas on and hit the igniter... poof! Do this for a few minutes before bringing the meat out... while seasoning the meat... and throw the meat on the grill. My newest grill is all stainless and has a separate searing grill... great for steaks, but not main cooking.
Charcoal has no positive additions to the meat, especially if you used some kind of fluid to start it... ummm, kerosene. Charcoal is used as a filter and absorption agent to remove odors... taking away, not adding to the meat.

Now, there's something controversial! Have fun with that!
Wynn:D:boink::001_tt2:

[jeep45238]

No, just cook over low to medium heat for a longer period of time.

That's where most folks **** it up, the cook on high temperatures for a short period of time and screw it all up.

[OldLincoln]

Gave up doing BBQ decades ago. Never did get the hang of it and the party was always comfortable inside with the a/c while 105* outside alone fussing over grill. Finally told wife to plan all inside food and joined the party.

[johnh]

Very, very true Jeep. Most cooking on my Egg is done around 200-225. I even tend to do burgers lower than most so as to get a lot of smoke into the meat. Tastes far better than burned to death in a hurry bricks that many people make. So I suppose I vote no to beating the meat.

John

[wyntrout]

That depends on your taste. Searing seals the juices in and proper quick cooking doesn't let the meat dry out.
My wife prefers that I pan sear the tenderloins in a frying pan with real butter and garlic, before searing for a couple of minutes on a side to medium for her and med-rare to RARE for me. I like juice... she calls the brown juice bloody! I pour her juice over my steak after they are on the plates.

About 15 or so years ago, while we still lived in San Antonio, we went to a Ruth's Chris Steak House and had the tenderloin. They boast of a 1200 or 1300° grill that lets them sear the outside crusty black and the inside be rare or as you like it. My wife has been demanding that I cook hers like that ever since. Only with the sear grill can I even come close... sometimes just right for her.

Ya gotta have the right amount of cholesterol... er, flavor for the best cooked-to-taste steak, and you don't need tenderizer if you use tenderloin and strip all of the chewy stuff and excess fat out. There's still plenty of cholesterol... er, fat for taste.

If you read cooking guides, they suggest searing for a couple of minutes on a side to seal in the juices and then slow cook until done, unless the couple of minutes on each side is your taste.:D
Wynn:D:hungry:

[AFVet]

I barbecue on a Weber Smokey Mountain. Low and slow is definitely the way to make even tougher cuts of meat tender. I never tenderize, mallet or otherwise.

[Copper&Black]

What you might want to look into is a Jaccard Meat Tenderizer. For me it makes a great piece of meat better. Great to do before it sits in any sort of marinade.
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo180/CopperAndBlack/198288e.jpg

[mr surveyor]

What you might want to look into is a Jaccard Meat Tenderizer. For me it makes a great piece of meat better. Great to do before it sits in any sort of marinade.
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo180/CopperAndBlack/198288e.jpg




looks like a "Bobbittizer" to me:eek:

[rglbegl]

^^^
Those are great
The hammers work well too, if you are starting with a really tough piece of meat.

I cant even boil water unless it is on a grill.
I have a gas grill for quick meals. But my main BBQ is a smoker. It takes WAY longer, but you can smoke a leather shoe and it will be tender and taste great!.

Grill = Heat under meat
BBQ = Heat to the side of meat
Smoking = Hot smokey air cooks the meat

[Bawanna]

What you might want to look into is a Jaccard Meat Tenderizer. For me it makes a great piece of meat better. Great to do before it sits in any sort of marinade.
http://i373.photobucket.com/albums/oo180/CopperAndBlack/198288e.jpg

We use that contraption as well, can't attest that it does anything but we use it none the less. I also go the low and slow indirect heat whenever possible. I'm all for the old barbecue biscuts if we have time and throw some sort of wood to create smoke. I do believe it adds flavor. Difficult to control the heat with the standard grills, need a big one.
Beef, it what america eats!

[Bawanna]

looks like a "Bobbittizer" to me:eek:

Lovely hand by the way, love that nail polish. Nice application. Umm, ok bye.

[jlottmc]

I do the low and slow, over a wood fire. If you hold you hand about a foot and a half over your coals, then your count should be about 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1000 ouch. That's how I check my grill, I also refuse to use all but a really good gas grill. I have a marinade that I mix, and let set all day before, then brush it on the top side as I cook. I get one complaint cooking it that way, and that goes like "That was good, but I sure am full. Is there any left? No, well it sure was good." Those little contraptions I think are for the folks who don't know how to cook very well. I also don't own a jar of tenderizer. Just my way. You'll find that like with a pizza everyone has there favorite.

[yoyomeng]

I do it every da......oops I uh like to grill too

[wyntrout]

I do the low and slow, over a wood fire. If you hold you hand about a foot and a half over your coals, then your count should be about 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1000 ouch. That's how I check my grill, I also refuse to use all but a really good gas grill. I have a marinade that I mix, and let set all day before, then brush it on the top side as I cook. I get one complaint cooking it that way, and that goes like "That was good, but I sure am full. Is there any left? No, well it sure was good." Those little contraptions I think are for the folks who don't know how to cook very well. I also don't own a jar of tenderizer. Just my way. You'll find that like with a pizza everyone has there favorite.

Ha! See? I had it right... masochist... likes a lot of recoil, manual loading of magazines, and now feeling the heat of the grill.
I'll bet you would pass up a nail gun and use a hammer, too.
I think we have some tenderizer, but I'm not sure. We just buy good cuts of meat... or slow cook the less tender stuff.
Wynn:boink::behindsofa::D

[Bawanna]

Ha! See? I had it right... masochist... likes a lot of recoil, manual loading of magazines, and now feeling the heat of the grill.
I'll bet you would pass up a nail gun and use a hammer, too.
I think we have some tenderizer, but I'm not sure. We just buy good cuts of meat... or slow cook the less tender stuff.
Wynn:boink::behindsofa::D

I think you might be correct however one can inflict a tremendous amount of pain with a nail gun. A pneumatic stapler can be bloody hell. I still have nightmares of nailing myself along with a piece of base trim to the bottom of a wall with no one around. I normally always carried side cutters in my bag but for whatever reason didn't have my bags on. I was stuck for about an hour till my pard showed up and cut me loose. I cried on that one but it was tears of joy at being freed. I have had the pleasure of using a waffle face hammer on my appendages many many times as well. That falls under meat tenderization as well and of course gets real ugly too.

[jlottmc]

I use a hammer sometimes, but yes a nail gun is nice when I can use one. I know your pain Bawanna, I too have had the I think I need a trip to the ER moments. My methods may sound painful, but they work when I don't have all that fancy stuff around to use.

[Bawanna]

I use a hammer sometimes, but yes a nail gun is nice when I can use one. I know your pain Bawanna, I too have had the I think I need a trip to the ER moments. My methods may sound painful, but they work when I don't have all that fancy stuff around to use.

I seldom do the ER thing, you can really get hurt there. There was the time the wall fell on me and broke my back, didn't have much choice on that one, didn't figure it would get all better on it's own. Then they wouldn't let me leave for a month. I think they're just in it for the money myself.
Some funny stories from that period but I highly don't recommend that whole experience just for the fun of it.
Ok OK I"ll share one.

Everyday first thing the nurse would bring my schedule. Always 1 hour physical therapy, then 1 hour occupational therapy, then the rest of the day planning my escape. A nurse actually gave me her car keys once. Turned out an unknow honda stick shift that I could neither find or drive. Wench!
One day it's the same schedule except phsyc is added to the list. I asked what that was and she said the always have a shrink come see if your minds right with becoming a full time derelict. Well sounds like fun to me. SOOoo, everyone who came to visit of course brought me gun magazines. I probably had 20 or 30. So before he gets there I spread them all out on the bed open to various pages. I see him at the nurses station so I turn my back to the door. He knocks, introduces himself and i immediately ask if he knows anything about guns? He says some but not much. I asked if he was gonna kill himself would he use a revolver or an auto? His reply was "you don't need me do ya"? I told him I thought not but then we talked for an hour about the possibilities of have physical relations with my missus. Hadn't thought of that. Fortunately there ended up being good news there. ok bye

[jlottmc]

That sounds like me. I don't go if I can help it. There was a time I was bleeding from the shin, and I was taken. I was waiting for a couple of hours before I even got to the room, left a puddle and all. I waited a little longer for the doctor, then when I had enough waiting started getting into cabinets and drawers and such. I found some thread, and needles. When the doctor got there I was tying the knot off, he walks over and asks where I learned that stitch, it was better than the one he used. Then he made me empty my pockets on the way out. That hurt the most, because I had some good stuff.

[wyntrout]

Yeah, that was funny... good laugh. I get bored, too. I usually take a book or grab a magazine. LOL.
Wynn:D