The 48 blade meat tenderizer is one of the most used products in my home. We use it on steak, roast, pork and boneless chicken breasts. I know, you say that chicken breasts are already tender. That's what I said too. Until I tenderized them one time with the 48 blade meat tenderizer. Now, I always tenderize chicken breasts.
I am always getting new questions on the 48 blade meat tenderizer. Following are the answers to the most asked.
Why does the 48 blade meat tenderizer work better than a meat mallet?
The stainless steel blades slice through the connective tissue that makes the meat tough. Using a meat mallet, you are trying to accomplish the same thing by bursting the connective tissue with the impact of the meat mallet. You can see why the 48 blade meat tenderizer would be more efficient and it also maintains the original texture of the meat better..
I have heard that cutting the meat lets out all the juices and dries out the meat. How can the meat still be juicy if the 48 blade meat tenderizer cuts the meat?
It is absolutely true that if you cut the meat while it is cooking, the juice runs out and dries the meat. However, when you use the 48 blade meat tenderizer, you are cutting the meat before you cook it. You are then placing it on a hot grill, under a hot broiler or in a hot frying pan. There is some controversy over whether searing the meat locks in the juices or not. But, whatever the reason, the meat remains juicy as long as it is not over cooked. The most important thing to remember, let the meat rest for about 5 minutes after cooking before cutting it. If you cut it immediately, the juice will run out. If you wait, the juice get absorbed back into the drier parts of the meat.
When using the 48 blade meat tenderizer, do I cook the meat for the same amount of time?
No. Because the 48 blade meat tenderizer creates thin channels in the meat, heat penetrates faster and most meats will cook 25% to 40% quicker. These thin channels also have another benefit. They help ensure even cooking in meats that have high and low thicknesses. (Such as chicken breasts.)
How do you use the 48 blade meat tenderizer?
Each person has their own idea of how tender they like their meat. I particularly like the flavor of strip steaks. But, sometimes strip steaks can be very tough. This is how I tenderize my strip steaks. Place the steak on a cutting board. Use one that has a little give to it. If you use the hard cutting boards or your counter top, you can bend the tips of the blades. If you accidentally bend the tips of a few blades, the meat tenderizer will still work, but, it will be less efficient. Press the 48 blade meat tenderizer through the steak covering the entire surface for the steak. It will tenderize an area about 1/2" by 3" at a time. I then tenderize that side of the steak 2 more times (One time 45 degrees to the right of the original pattern, the other time 45 degrees to the left). I plump up the steak after each time by lifting and pressing lightly in on the sides. I then repeat the same process on the other side of the steak. The steak will be pressed thinner than it originally was by this process. But, I then plump it up again before cooking. It will then further plump itself up near original thickness during the cooking process. The amount you tenderize the steak is a trial and error process depending on how tender you like your steak and what cut of meat you are using.
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