meat tenderizer

[Pixie]

i have a quwestion, it may be a stupid one, so bear with me.

 

what IS meat tenderizer. to me, a meat tenderizer is a mallot of sorts...you hit meat with it to make it tender. what do it put in a recipe that calls for a teaspoon of it? i have seen a few erecipes about that call for "meat tenderizer", and so i had to ask.

[Granny]

It is a spice powder that comes in a small jar like other spices. We get ours at the dollar store or available at any grocery.

 

*Reading bottle: Seasoned Meat Tenderizer. Ingredients: salt dextrose, onion, spice anatto color, paprika, garlic, (calcium silicate added to make freeflow), and bromelan (tenderizer)*

[Cat]

Usually when you see it listed as an ingredient, they're referring to monosodium glutamate (MSG) mostly sold as the Brand name "Accent".

 

This may explain it:

 

The debate about the pros and cons of MSG (or monosodium glutamate, if you want to practice saying polysyllabic words with a mouth full of take-out) is no ancient Chinese secret. Cooks in the 1950s and 1960s used this food additive mainly as a meat tenderizer under the brand name of Accent. MSG has since become more commonly associated with Chinese fast food (unless you ask for it to be omitted, which people often do). This flavor enhancer, used for almost a century, is made by fermenting starch, corn, sugar beets, molasses, or sugar cane to free naturally occurring glutamate; sodium salts of glutamate are then created that can be used to make certain foods (mostly meat dishes) more intensely flavorful. Glutamate itself is a naturally occurring amino acid found in many protein-rich foods, including cheese, milk, meat, walnuts, and mushrooms. This amino acid is also produced by the body and used in metabolism.

 

MSG first came under criticism and study in the late 1960s, after people reported experiencing a variety of physical symptoms collectively known as the MSG symptom complex that includes severe headaches, a sensation of flushed burning skin in the neck and chest areas, nausea, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing. MSG is now the most exhaustively studied of all food additives. Based on research studies, both the American Medical Association and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have declared MSG to be safe for general consumption.

 

Although MSG has been shown to be a safe food additive, some people have a sensitivity to products containing MSG. Because these folks experience headaches or difficulty breathing (most often, they have severe and poorly regulated asthma) after eating foods that contain MSG, the FDA requires the labeling of food products that have MSG added. Other sources of free glutamates that may also cause sensitivity reactions in people who experience trouble with MSG include:

 

hydrolyzed protein

sodium caseinate

calcium caseinate

autolyzed yeast

yeast extract

 

http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/2208.html

 

******

 

And here's the Wikipedia page:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate

 

******

 

There are natural liquid tenderizers, like papaya juice, but those are usually listed by name.

 

 

Does this help?

[Pixie]

 

i had NO idea what MSG was either! does it actually tenderize the meat?

[Granny]

Meat tenderizer supposed to work because enzymes break down fibers to tenderize meats. I don't use it much but ds does mainly for flavor.

 

Also some report it as a home remedy for bee stings and jellyfish stings.

 

[Cat]

Granny's right... and I just learned something new.

 

I always was told that "Accent" WAS a "meat tenderizer". But now I look to see *closely* and see that it only says *flavor enhancer*.

 

So I looked further online...

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

How do Meat Tenderizers Work?

 

Meat tenderizers are proteolytic enzymes or proteases, enzymes specialized in breaking the peptide bonds between amino acids found in complex proteins. Meat is held together by a complex protein called collagen, and aside from mechanical tenderization and cooking, enzymes are the only other available meat tenderizers. Meat is often tenderized before cooking, to make it less tough and more suitable for consumption.

 

Meat tenderizers often come in a powdered form that can be sprinkled directly on the meat. Meat tenderizers dissolve some of the sinewy connections within the meat at room temperature. If meat tenderizers are allowed to act for too long, the meat can become squishy and lose its special texture.

 

The most popular meat tenderizer, called bromelain, is composed of a number of protease enzymes and harvested commercially from the stems of pineapple plants, where it is concentrated. The substance can be found throughout the entire plant, but is harvested from the stems because they are usually not consumed and are therefore available to be processed. Besides being a meat tenderizer, bromelain is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent, blocking metabolites that cause swelling. It has been used effectively to treat sports injuries and swelling caused by arthritis.

 

Papain, extracted from the papaya, is another popular meat tenderizer. Less well-known are actinidin, from the kiwi, and ficin, from the fig. In the past, meat tenderizers were injected directly into living animals, but today this is viewed as both inhumane and unnecessary. Most ranches do not put their meat through a tenderization process, leaving that instead to the preferences of consumers in the home.

 

If pure meat tenderizers are put in the mouth, they cause a tingling sensation but are not especially harmful. Meat tenderizers are a common ingredient in marinades. If sprinkled on top of uncooked meat, they independently penetrate the meat within minutes.

 

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-meat-tenderizers-work.htm

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The things I learn here...

 

 

[Amishway Homesteaders]

here's the recipe we use on all kinds of meat:

 

Dash -paprika

Smidgen - garlic salt

Dash - onion power

Smidgen - pepper

 

now most times I just put a little of this and a little of that on meat , rub it in then put that side down in pan. now put more on the side that's up and rub that in too. then just cook until down. we also do this to any meat going in the crockpot.

[TheCG]

Bromelain, found in fresh pineapple (not canned), is a meat tenderizer. If you ever put fresh pineapple in jello, it won't set because it's messing up the protein bonds.

[Pixie]

wow, what i thought was a stupid question, turned out to be very informative! more than i thought it would be. heh heh thanks everyone for all the great info!

 

 

(i love this site! and by site i mean the ladies who post and make it possible!)

[HSmom]

My understanding is that most marinades have a tenderizing effect on meat, due to the acidity of an ingredient. Typically, a marinade contains oil, spices, and something acidic (like lemon juice or vinegar).

[westbrook]

just thought I would mention this...

 

Meat Tenderizer - Yes, that's right! Put 1/4 teaspoon of plain meat tenderizer (found in any grocery store) in your bunnies drinking water every day when he is shedding his coat. The Bromelain in the tenderizer will dissolve the ingested hair safely and quickly. Much more effective than Papaya tablets.

[kappydell]

i can resist chiming in here, waaaaaay later......save papaya seeds, dry & grind.  Use as meat tenderizer (sparingly, it works almost too well!!) it also has a slightly peppery flavor.  Since I cant find decent salt-less tenderizer, I make my own.....mix the powder with Mrs Dash.....makes it easier to use because you only need a very small amount (a pinch or two) at a time