Many home cooks often encounter tough, chewy meat after cooking, even with marinating. Chef Vu Nhat Thong, from Eric Cooking Class, states that this issue can be resolved using basic kitchen ingredients.

Many recipes suggest using acidic environments like vinegar, lemon juice, yogurt, or wine to tenderize meat. However, acid penetrates slowly, affecting only about 2-3 mm of the outermost surface layer, leaving the thick core of the meat unaffected. Marinating meat in an acidic environment overnight can denature the surface proteins, resulting in a mushy texture and loss of natural moisture.

According to Thong, the primary role of vinegar or wine in marinating is to add flavor and enhance color. For thinly sliced meat, acidic marinades should only be used for 30 minutes to two hours.

Using pineapple and papaya juice is very effective for tenderizing meat, instead of lemon or yogurt. Photo: AI

To tenderize thick and tough cuts of meat, using fruits containing digestive enzymes is more effective. These enzymes work through a biological mechanism, breaking down protein bonds deep within the meat, leading to natural tenderness.

Pineapple and green papaya are two fruits rich in proteolytic enzymes. In the food industry, green papaya is often extracted to produce meat tenderizing powder.

When using this method, only fresh fruit juice should be used, not canned products, as high temperatures during processing destroy the digestive enzymes. Marinating time must be strictly controlled: 30-60 minutes for thinly sliced meat and one to two hours for thick cuts. Marinating with pineapple or papaya overnight will result in mushy meat, even when refrigerated.

In addition to fruits, coarse salt can also change meat's structure. When applied, salt ions penetrate muscle fibers, loosening their connections and helping the meat retain moisture better.

For steak, chefs often sprinkle coarse salt onto the surface of the meat and let it rest for at least 45 minutes, or refrigerate it overnight. This process allows the salt to penetrate deeply, drying the meat's surface to create a crispy brown crust when seared, while maintaining a juicy interior.

Bao Nhien