The Unexpected Fruit That Tenderizes Meat

Anyone who is well-versed in steak knows each cut fits into one of two categories: Those that you can season, throw on the grill, and cook up tender and juicy, and those which need a little more TLC to make them delicious. Filet mignons, ribeyes, strip steaks, and flat irons are some of the best cuts of steak to grill. On the other hand, skirt steak, flank steak, bottom rounds, tri-tips, and London broil steaks are chewier than chewing gum if they're not tenderized first. While it's common knowledge that a good pounding from a meat mallet is a decent way to tenderize these cuts, some may not realize that a bit of tropical fruit juice can have a similar effect.

Kiwi, pineapple, and papaya all contain enzymes that break down the fibers or proteins in meat, and make them much more tender and potentially enjoyable. In pineapple, the enzyme is called bromelain, in papaya, it's called papain, and in kiwi, the enzyme is called actinidain. The latter may be the best choice for marinating, since kiwi is the most neutral in flavor. And there's an easy way to peel a kiwi to get to all that wonderful fruit.

If you've ever eaten pineapple, kiwi, or papaya and felt like your tongue or mouth was sore afterwards, it's precisely these enzymes that you're feeling the effects of. Interestingly enough, this is exactly why eating them is good for you: Once you swallow the enzymes, they go to work breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats from the food you've eaten. When it comes to using the fruit in your marinades, a little goes a long way. You only need to puree one kiwi in a blender (or with a fork) to have plenty for two steaks. And don't marinate it for longer than two hours or your meat could turn out mushy.

Because kiwi, pineapple, and papaya all contain rather powerful enzymes that work quickly, and you don't want your beef to sit in them for too long, this method of marinating works best for thinner cuts. Using these fruits to try and marinate a chuck roast or brisket probably isn't the best choice because they are so much thicker and larger. Of course, these tropical fruits don't just work on beef; they are great for marinating pork and chicken as well.

If you don't have any of these fruits on hand, there are other ways to tenderize tougher cuts of meat. Acids work in a similar way to fruit enzymes, so putting some vinegar, citrus juice, yogurt, buttermilk, wine, beer, or soda in your marinade will help tough meat fibers break down as well. Plain old salt also does wonders for meat, breaking down even the thicker cuts like chuck roasts and briskets. It can be used in either a wet brine or a dry brine, and also adds extra flavor.

Scoring your tougher cuts can help also, as you're essentially splitting some of the outer fibers. Finally, for your thickest, toughest cuts, you can't go wrong by using the low-and-slow method. Any type of long-cooking method like smoking, braising, stewing, or cooking in a slow-cooker at low temperatures is great for practically melting away the fibers in some meat cuts. You'll just need to plan ahead because these methods take hours.