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Have you ever come across a piece of meat that, instead of being tender and juicy, is hard and difficult to chew? We’ve all been there, and the good news is that there’s a foolproof trick to transform any cut into a smooth, succulent treat.
The secret is in an ingredient that you probably already have in your pantry: baking soda. This oriental trick, used in Asian cuisine for years, is not only easy to apply, but also noticeably improves the texture of the meat, making it more tender and tasty.
Trick 1 for tenderizing a large cut of meat
For each kilo of meat, 10 grams of baking soda should be added. If you don’t have a scale, one teaspoon is equivalent to 6 grams.
Distribute over the entire surface of the meat and place in a plastic or glass container.
Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for 3 to 12 hours or overnight.
Wash the meat to remove the baking soda flavor and pat dry with a piece of kitchen paper.
The piece of meat will be ready to cook as you prefer.
Trick 2 for tenderizing a small cut of meat
For 350 or 400 grams of meat, add a teaspoon of baking soda to a bowl and add 120 milliliters of water, dissolve perfectly and add the meat.
Mix well with the meat so that it is impregnated. Cover the container and let it rest in the refrigerator for 15 to 45 minutes.
Remove from the refrigerator and wash the meat, dry with a piece of paper towel and it is ready to use.
Why is baking soda recommended to tenderize meat?
When you go for Chinese food, you will surely have noticed that meat with vegetables is always soft and tender or right? This is due to baking soda, a compound, which being a base, reacts with the acids present in meat, mainly lactic acid.
This reaction causes the muscle fibers in the meat to partially break down, softening the texture and making it easier to chew and digest.
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