Want a gourmet steak without having to take out a loan? If you don’t mind some extra salt, sprinkling a generous handful over both sides of the steak and letting it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes will loosen up the proteins and make it more tender.
Rinse the salt off and pat dry before cooking, then cook the way you normally would – I like searing it in my cast iron skillet and dropping it in the oven at 500 until it’s medium-rare. No need to season before plopping it on the heat.
You can add garlic and herbs during the salting as well and it will pick up those flavors. Don’t let the salt scare you – it will taste like it comes from a restaurant.
Thanks for the tip. You’re right about salts tenderizing ability. Most meat tenderisers sold, are mostly salt.
Don’t mean to sound negative, but there’s reason why its recommended to wash chicken & pork, then pat dry, but isn’t recommended for beef.
Yet, to behonest, I don’t exactly know why it isn’t recommend to wash beef ?
Wonder if anyone has any thoughts about this ?
Is it specifically recommended not to wash beef, or is it just not necessary? I would think it’s the second one, since beef doesn’t carry nearly as many nasties as the other two.
Either way, very true about most commercial tenderizers. I want to experiment a little with papain when I get a chance. Seems like it would be healthier because it doesn’t use all that salt, but it might also make the meat sour. Could be good for stir-fry beef though.
That makes sense. It would probably be a good idea to wash first, then salt, then rinse before cooking and pat dry. That way the salt isn’t carrying in any nastiness that might have come from the packaging. I think the salt would kill any critters that might be trying to hitch a ride though.
Seriously. I usually get my meats online from a totally grass fed and organic source. After this little discussion, I’ll even start to look at those lightly differently. Not that I won’t still happily stuff my face.
Ummm, chickie butts (AKA tails OR, ‘the piece that went over the fence last’) will never see a fork or mouth in this home!
I’ve given up on buying prepackaged chicken parts. I will buy single pieces from the butcher’s meat case, several of the same but ask to see each before they wrap it (same price as prewrapped, they also told me they are fresher as the ones that don’t sell that day get packaged & put out & customers grab at random.)
I also prefer a whole chicken when time allows & I’ll hack it up myself. That way I know all the pieces came from the same bird & will be uniform in size.
I also like brining them in salt water. My grandmother did this before it was even fashionable. She said she did it to draw the blood out of the chicken, go figure! Soaking in buttermilk is also nice!
Yes, patting them dry is really a key to cooking them without steaming or stewing them.
One of my best friends would kill for chicken butts and every turkey day it’s the butt for her - not me - I like the neck! The butt is in the garbage before I get the entire wrapper off him!
What do you usually do with the necks? A friend of mine will literally gnaw all around it for the bits of meat. I’m not as gung-ho.
Either way, very true about most commercial tenderizers. I want to experiment a little with papain when I get a chance. Seems like it would be healthier because it doesn’t use all that salt, but it might also make the meat sour. Could be good for stir-fry beef though.
