Many people feel that the right marinade is their answer for tenderizing tough meat. Unfortunately, that is not usually the case. Marinades may make your meat taste better, but they are not really all that good at tenderizing - the effect is only skin-deep. Here is a look at the way different marinades are made and the ways in which they work.
There are three basic methods of making a marinade, depending on the main ingredient. They can all have unpleasant side effects if you do not use them correctly. For instance, an acid marinade that is too potent will actually toughen that steak. Enzymatic marinades that are left on too long or used in large amounts could turn a good steak into mush, and dairy marinades do not work well with all kinds of cuisine.
One family of marinades relies on vinegar, wine, citrus and similar acids to denature proteins. This will unwind the proteins in the steak you are cooking. Once they run into other unwound proteins, they will bind back together. This happens when we heat proteins, as well. Water molecules start out trapped in this new mesh of proteins, creating a really tender steak. However, if the marinade is highly acidic, the bonds will tighten and the liquid will be squeezed out, actually toughening the tissues. That is bad news.
Because of this, a marinade that is mildly acidic is usually a better choice than one that is extremely sour. A good marinade should be there mostly for flavor, and will tenderize best if relatively week. Stronger marinades are good for tightly grained meats, but those meats are not usually put on the grill.
Enzyme marinades actually have the ability to break down animal tissue, including muscle fiber and connective tissue. Many fruits contain enzymes that can break down protein, but papaya and pineapple are probably the most common. Overuse them, and they will create a mushy, unappealing piece of meat. The same thing happens if you use them too long. This kind of activity is present in commercial meat tenderizers, too.
The last category of easy steak marinades is based on mildly acidic dairy products, like yogurt or buttermilk. These are commonly used in India for goat and lamb, as well as for southern fried chicken.
Steaks can be interesting in this kind of marinade, but you may need to take a look at how you are cooking them, since this is not the most common type of marinade used for them. Try curry flavors along with your marinade for a good result.
A marinade does not have to be complicated if you know what it is likely to do. Knowing your ingredients will help you routinely end up with a great product. Take a while to look at all the different options out there when it comes to marinades, and you will get the one that will work best for your steak, no matter what kind you choose.
There are many secrets on how to cook boneless top sirloin steak… do you know them? Will you marinate it? How will you cook it? How long should you cook it? If you really want to learn, stop by EasySteakMarinades.net to get all the secrets to making a terrific steak every time.