Steak Tenderizing: FRUITS vs MACHINES Series Finale!

Guga Foods

10 Jun 202017:10

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video explores the best methods for tenderizing an inexpensive eye round steak. The host compares traditional meat mallets, enzymatic action from fruits like pineapple and papaya, and a sharp jacquard knife. After an hour-long tenderization process, the pineapple and papaya enzymes prove to be the most effective, while the jacquard knife over-tenderizes the steak, making it too soft. Mixing the enzymes from both fruits results in a tougher steak, suggesting they may not complement each other. The video concludes with a recommendation to use pineapple for tenderizing steaks.

Takeaways

🍽️ The video is a final episode in a series about tenderizing steaks, aiming to determine the best method.
🥩 The chosen cut for the experiment is eye round, a tough and inexpensive cut from a hardworking part of the cow.
🔨 The first tenderizing method featured is using a meat mallet, which has both a coarse side for breaking down connective tissue and a smooth side.
🍍 The second method involves using pineapple, which contains the enzyme bromelain that breaks down meat proteins through hydrolysis.
🍉 Papaya is another fruit used for tenderizing, containing the enzyme papain, which is also found in the skin and leaves of the plant.
🥣 Both pineapple and papaya are blended to create a marinade that must completely cover the steak for effective tenderizing.
🔪 The jacquard knife is introduced as another tenderizing tool, which punctures the meat to break down fibers but can make the steak dry if overused.
🧪 An experiment is conducted to see the effect of combining pineapple and papaya enzymes, but it results in a less tender steak.
🍖 The video creator also tries a method that combines all tenderizing techniques on one steak, resulting in an overly tender and unappealing texture.
🍳 After tenderizing, the steaks are seasoned and grilled, with the video highlighting the differences in taste and texture.
🏆 The final verdict from the video creator is that pineapple is the most effective tenderizer, while papaya is the runner-up, and the jacquard knife can be too aggressive.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video?
-The main purpose of the video is to determine the best method for tenderizing a steak, comparing natural fruit enzymes with man-made machines.
Which cut of meat was chosen for the experiment and why?
-The eye round cut was chosen for the experiment because it is not naturally tender, inexpensive, and comes from a part of the cow that does a lot of work, making it perfect for testing tenderizing methods.
What is the first contestant or method introduced in the video for tenderizing the steak?
-The first contestant introduced is a meat mallet, which has a coarse side for breaking down connective tissue and a smooth side for evening out the meat.
What is special about papaya and pineapple in the context of tenderizing meat?
-Papaya contains an enzyme called papain, and pineapple contains bromelain; both enzymes break down meat proteins through a process called hydrolysis, making the meat tender.
What is the significance of blending the entire papaya and pineapple, including the skin and leaves?
-The significance is that the highest concentration of the enzymes papain and bromelain is found not only in the fruit but also in the skin and leaves, making it important to blend everything together for maximum tenderizing effect.
What is the next contestant or method tried after the fruit enzymes?
-The next contestant is a jacquard, a knife that cuts the meat, creating many punctures to tenderize it.
What issue arises when combining the enzymes from pineapple and papaya?
-Combining the enzymes from pineapple and papaya seems to reduce the tenderizing effect, possibly because the enzymes do not work well together or interfere with each other's action.
What is the result of using the jacquard on the steak?
-Using the jacquard makes the steak extremely tender, almost to the point of falling apart, but it also causes the steak to become dry due to the many punctures allowing juices to escape during cooking.
What is the final recommendation for tenderizing a steak based on the video?
-The final recommendation is to use pineapple as a tenderizing agent, as it was found to be the most effective method in the experiment, making the steak tender without causing it to become dry.
What is the humorous conclusion the host makes about the jacquard and fruit enzymes?
-The host humorously concludes that instead of using the jacquard or mixing fruit enzymes, one should simply eat the fruit for dessert and let the remaining piece tenderize the steak.

Outlines

00:00

🥩 Exploring the Best Steak Tenderizing Methods

In this video, the host embarks on a culinary experiment to determine the most effective way to tenderize an inexpensive cut of steak, the eye round. This cut is typically tough and not tender, making it an ideal candidate for the experiment. The host introduces various tenderizing techniques, including the use of a meat mallet, pineapple and papaya enzymes, and a jacquard knife. The goal is to find out which method can transform this cut into a tender steak suitable for grilling.

05:01

🍍 Testing Fruit Enzymes and Manual Methods

The host begins by pounding the eye round steak with a meat mallet, a common household tool, to break down its connective tissues. Next, the power of fruit enzymes is explored through the use of papaya, which contains papain, and pineapple, rich in bromelain. Both fruits are blended into a slurry and applied to the steaks to marinate. The host also combines the two fruit enzymes to see if a mixture would yield even better results. Additionally, the jacquard knife is used to puncture the steak, allowing the enzymes to penetrate deeper.

10:02

🕒 The One-Hour Marinate and Washing Process

After applying the various tenderizing methods, the steaks are left to marinate for one hour. The host emphasizes the importance of not exceeding this time due to the potency of the enzymes, which could over-tenderize the meat to the point of disintegration. Following the marination, the steaks are thoroughly washed to remove any residual fruit enzymes, ensuring that the tenderizing process is halted and the steaks are ready for cooking.

15:03

🔥 Grilling the Steaks and Evaluating Results

The host seasons the tenderized steaks with salt, pepper, and garlic powder before grilling them. The video documents the grilling process, highlighting the differences in texture and tenderness among the variously treated steaks. The control steak, treated only with a mallet, is compared to those treated with fruit enzymes and the jacquard knife. The host and a guest taste each steak, commenting on the texture, tenderness, and flavor, with a particular focus on the effects of the pineapple and papaya enzymes, as well as the over-tenderizing that occurred with the jacquard knife.

🏆 Conclusion and Final Thoughts on Tenderizing Steaks

In conclusion, the host and the guest discuss their favorite tenderizing methods. While the pineapple and papaya enzymes both prove effective, the host finds the pineapple method to be superior for its tenderizing power. The jacquard knife, when overused, turns the steak too tender, almost into ground beef. The video ends with a humorous note, suggesting that the best way to enjoy steak might be to simply eat the fruit used for tenderizing. The host invites viewers to share their thoughts and experiences in the comments section and reminds them to subscribe for more content.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Tenderize

Tenderize refers to the process of making meat softer and more palatable by breaking down the muscle fibers and connective tissues. In the video, the theme revolves around finding the best method to tenderize steak, with various techniques such as using a meat mallet, enzymes from fruits like pineapple and papaya, and a jacquard knife being tested.

💡Steak

A steak is a piece of meat that is cut from the flesh of a cow and is typically cooked by grilling or frying. In this video, the focus is on tenderizing a specific cut called 'eye round,' which is known for being less tender and inexpensive, making it ideal for the experiment.

💡Eye Round

Eye round is a cut of beef that comes from the part of the cow that does a lot of work, resulting in a tougher meat. It is usually used for roasting rather than steak. In the script, the presenter uses this cut for the tenderizing experiment due to its initial lack of tenderness.

💡Papain

Papain is a specific enzyme found in papaya that breaks down meat proteins through a chemical process called hydrolysis. In the video, papaya is used as a natural tenderizing agent for the steak, with the script mentioning that papain is also present in the skin and leaves of the papaya plant.

💡Bromelain

Bromelain is an enzyme found in pineapple that has the ability to break down meat proteins, effectively disintegrating the meat. The video script discusses using pineapple as a tenderizing agent, noting that the highest concentration of bromelain is in the skin of the fruit.

💡Marinade

A marinade is a liquid in which food, particularly meat, is soaked to add flavor and, as in this video, to tenderize. The script describes creating a slurry from blended pineapple and papaya to use as a tenderizing marinade for the steak.

💡Jacquard

Jacquard refers to a type of knife with multiple sharp points used to tenderize meat by puncturing and cutting it. In the video, the presenter uses a jacquard knife on the steak, resulting in a very tender, almost over-tenderized, piece of meat that resembles ground beef.

💡Meat Mallet

A meat mallet is a kitchen tool used to pound meat, often to tenderize it or flatten it for cooking. The script describes using a meat mallet with a coarse side to break down the connective tissue of the eye round steak, followed by the smooth side to even it out.

💡Hydrolysis

Hydrolysis is a chemical process in which a molecule is cleaved into two parts by the addition of a water molecule. In the context of the video, papain and bromelain enzymes facilitate hydrolysis of meat proteins, making them smaller and the meat more tender.

💡Sear

Searing is a cooking technique that involves cooking food, especially meat, at high heat to create a browned crust on the surface. The script mentions the difficulty of achieving a nice sear on the pineapple-treated steak due to the wetness from the marinade.

💡Crust

In cooking, a crust refers to the outer layer of food that has been browned or cooked to create a textured and flavorful surface. The video discusses the crust created on the steaks after tenderizing and cooking, noting differences in texture and appearance due to the various methods used.

Highlights

The final episode of a series on tenderizing steaks aims to determine the best method using fruits' enzymes or man-made machines.

Pineapple and papaya were previously found to be the best tenderizers in the series.

The eye round cut of meat is chosen for its toughness and affordability, making it ideal for the experiment.

The meat mallet is the first method tested, with a coarse side for breaking down connective tissue and a smooth side for finishing.

Papaya's enzyme papain is highlighted for its ability to break down meat proteins through hydrolysis.

Pineapple's bromelain enzyme is noted for its power to disintegrate meat, with a stronger concentration in the skin.

A combination of pineapple and papaya enzymes is tested to see if their effects are additive.

Jacquard, a knife with multiple blades, is used to physically tenderize the meat by making punctures.

The experiment includes a control steak tenderized only with a meat mallet for comparison.

All methods are applied for one hour, after which the steaks are thoroughly washed to remove residues.

The tenderness and texture of each steak are evaluated after cooking, with the meat mallet showing less effectiveness.

Pineapple and papaya both significantly tenderize the steak, but the pineapple method has a grainy crust texture.

The jacquard method results in a very tender steak that is almost falling apart, but also dries it out.

Mixing pineapple and papaya enzymes does not improve tenderness and results in a tougher steak.

The final steak, treated with all methods, is a disaster, resembling overcooked ground beef.

Seasoning the steaks simply with salt, pepper, and garlic powder is recommended to enhance the beef's flavor.

Direct grilling is used to cook the steaks quickly, with butter basting to compensate for the lack of fat.

The video concludes with a recommendation to use pineapple for tenderizing steak, and a humorous reminder to avoid combining methods.

Transcripts

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