People often complain about the toughness of cuts of meat during meals, as these are difficult to cut, bite and chew. There are cuts of meat that are often very hard to bite and chew because of the tough muscle fibers of the animal protein. However, there are different things that can be done in order to make the meat softer. The process is generally called meat tenderizing. Not only does this process make the meat softer for consumption, it also makes the meat juicier and tastier.

Consider the following options in tenderizing your own meat.



•Use papaya. Papaya does wonders as it contains an enzyme called papain, which is known for its ability to break down proteins through the addition of a water molecule. The green skin of unripe papaya is all you need. Just peel the skin off and add 1/4 teaspoon of salt for every two tablespoons of skin that you extract. Grind the papaya skin and salt until you make a gooey mixture. The mixture works as the meat tenderizer that you can rub into the meat. Store the mixture in a dry, cold place for later use.
•Use vinegar as meat tenderizer. If you are cooking meats for soup and stew, add one tablespoon of vinegar into the water when the meat is ready for cooking. The vinegar aids in the tenderizing process, making the meat easier to chew. For steaks, add one tablespoon of vinegar to the water while baking the steak or beef. A little taste of vinegar might be present, but it is enough to make the meat easier to prepare and eat.
•Use pineapple. Pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain, which can be considered as the most popular meat tenderizer. With its protease enzymes, the fibers of the meat become softer. This meat tenderizer comes from the stems of pineapple plants.
•Marinate. Having the meat marinated is the best choice for most people. Marinating the meat is meant to make the meat more tender. In order to marinate your meat, simply steep it into a seasoned liquid. However, the results of marinating the meat can differ for every type of marinate that you use. Likewise, the length of the marinating process can affect the resulting flavor and softness.
•Use meat tenderizing tool. Aside from the taste of the meat, its texture is also improved by meat tenderizing tools. There is no longer any need to marinate the meat if you are going to use a meat tenderizing tool to soften it. It is often a manual tool simply pressed onto the meat surface. Meat tenderizing can be very easy with the use of this hammer-like tool made of wood or metal. This tool often has a square head and rows of small spikes on both ends. The fibers become softer with pounding and pressing.



There are also pure meat tenderizers that you can use. However, there may cause a tingling sensation when the meat is eaten. While there are pure meat tenderizers available in the market, it’s usually best to use natural methods and ingredients outlined above.