Are you looking for a stable meat tenderizer to pound your meat to the flattest it can be? Look no further to some of the best tenderizers in the BBQ game right now!
For those who may not know, a meat tenderizer is meant to soften tougher cuts of meat, while breaking out the flavor and allowing you to prepare all of your favorite meat recipes. But it doesn’t apply to just meat. You can use a meat tenderizer to break or smash a variety of foods such as hard candy, shellfish, peppercorns and more.
If you’re in a hurry, here’s our top 3 quick picks for the best meat tenderizer tools of 2022:
- KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer
- AksHomz Meat Tenderizer Tool
- Reversible Meat Tenderizer and Pounder
Considerations for Choosing a Meat Tenderizer
Do meat tenderizers work?
By tenderizing meat with the mallet, the fibers are softer, making the meat easier to consume. You can use it to cook hard pieces of beef and it works well when broiling or frying. However, pounding the meat makes it mash into a magical bullet that you can never go wrong.
What is an example of an ideal starter meat tenderizer?
You can tenderize your steak with acidic products. The marinade that some use includes lemon juice to help soften the steak. Those who pound the meat prior to cooking also break down the fibers.
How long should I use a meat tenderizer?
In order to stay away from mushy meat, it is imperative to marinate the meat only for a short time, since acids will weaken the protein structure of the meat excessively. Keep the meat in the cooking pan for 30 minutes to two hours, but periodically check for doneness around the edges.
The 10 Best Meat Tenderizer Tools of 2022
Right now, Amazon has some of the best sellers for the best meat tenderizer tools if you’re looking for the best pounder in the BBQ world. Our criteria for choosing the best meat tenderizer tools include ones that are durable and can journey through some thick meat. as well as tenderizers that are either dishwasher safe or easy to clean in general. We also chose the best meat tenderizer tools that were recommended by Editor’s Choice via Amazon.
KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer
This is an example of your normal average meat tenderizer. There are a row of spikes on the edge of the mallet that are designed to tear connective tissue, break fibers and soften the meat so it can be more readily brushed with marinades. With this tenderizer, the flavor is enhanced and cook time is reduced when meat is pound thin on the flat side.
PROS
- Price is worth its value
- Easy to hold and clean
- Tenders the meat quickly
CONS
- Some customers report that it is not dishwasher safe
AksHomz Meat Tenderizer Tool
You will never have a disappointment with the quality of this commercial grade stainless steel. Featuring a unique handle, this AksHomz tenderizer provides you with an ideal grip for the best tenderized steaks. Tenderizing meats with the balanced size & weight of the tenderizer saves cooking time by sharpening and flattening them. You can safely wash it in the dishwasher, as the loop hanger allows you to store it easily.
PROS
- Easy to wash
- Price is worth its quality
- Provides a high quality stainless steel
CONS
- The instructions can be difficult to follow
Reversible Meat Tenderizer and Pounder
This meat tenderizer and pounder gives you two tools in one. One side of the blade is smooth, designed to flatten meat and poultry and the other side is textured to tenderize meats and poultry. A zinc core surrounding a triple-plated chrome construction gives it heft. Disks can be switched sides by grasping the outside edge with one hand and unscrewing the handle. Put the disc on one side, attach the handle, and then flatten meats or crackers, garlic, and nuts to the flat side of the disk. Keep the meat separated from each other by using plastic wrap to avoid sticking.
PROS
- Heavy (good/bad)
- Super easy to clean, as it is dishwasher safe
CONS
- Heavy (good/bad)
- One customer reports that his tenderizer came crooked
Jaccard 48-Blade Meat Tenderizer
Using this original multi-blade hand-held meat tenderizer will make it easier to cook less expensive cuts of meat. This meat tenderizer reduces cooking time by as much as 40%, and it provides a way to absorb marinades up to 600% faster, ss this machine uses stainless-steel knives that effortlessly cut through connective tissues in meat. Any type of meat can be enhanced, including but not limited to beef, pork, veal, chicken, venison, and fowl. It is perfect for both professional chefs and home cooks.
PROS
- Works smoothly
- The product is big
- Much tender than other blades
CONS
- One customer reports that they received a knockoff
Norpro Meat Tenderizer
This meat tenderizer improves the texture and taste of poultry, fish, and beef while accelerating the cooking process. By breaking through tough meat fibers and connective tissues, the stainless prongs allow the marinade to soak into the meat faster, resulting in tastier, juicier results. An action control mechanism controlled by the heavy-duty spring operates. Hand washing while using this product is extremely recommended.
PROS
- Perfect for crispy pork
- Price is worth its value
- Able to break down tough fibers
CONS
- One customer reports that they received a knockoff
- One customer reports that the spikes are unnecessary
Steel Ultra Sharp Needle Meat Tenderizer
With this meat tenderizer you can easily cook delicious and tender meat, and you won’t feel tired while doing so. The stainless steel blade is used and its rectangular shape will not ruin the shape or appearance of the meat. Using it will enhance the marinating process, decrease cooking time by up to 40%, and also keep the original taste and flavor. As it is suitable for steak, beef, pork, and more, It is an indispensable cooking tool for your life.
PROS
- Price is worth its value
- Quick and easy to use
- Great for restaurants or commercial kitchens
CONS
- One customer reports that it is hard to clean
Shebaking Meat Tenderizer
This meat tenderizer is very comfortable and non-slip, making it easy to use and control, allowing you to tenderize and inject marinade into the meat at the same time, reducing cooking time up to 40%. This meat tenderizer works well with all kinds of meat, regardless of the high-quality stainless steel needles. It provides a deeper level of flavor. It is effective with beef, lamb chops, pork loin, chicken breast, turkey, fish, sauce enhancers and other foods. In addition to breaking down the connective tissue of the meat, meat tenderizer needles also make the meat easy to eat. This is a great tool for the outdoor barbecue party and the kitchen.
PROS
- Simple to use
- Price is worth its value
- Able to go through thick steaks
CONS
- One customer reports that it leaks
Aliglow Meat Tenderizer
The mallet and gravity work together to cut down on the time needed to tenderize meat in this tenderizer, using a round head with a balanced design. It can also be used for pounding meat thinly on the flat smooth side, great for tenderizing and shaping steaks. The tenderizer can be used not only for meat, but also for crushing ice, loosening frozen vegetables, cracking crab, and crushing garlic.
PROS
- Easy to clean
- Price is worth its value
- Great, anti-leak design
- It is sturdy enough to last a lifetime
CONS
- One customer reports that the tenderizer is too small
Meat Tenderizer Hammer
This hammer will work like an excellent meat tenderizer as it will help cut down your cooking time and leave you with perfectly cooked and evenly cooked chicken, steak, veal, and vegetables. This two-sided meat tenderizer provides you with two different ways of cooking – thin files or thick steaks, textured or plain. The weight of this mallet tool is perfect for breaking some toughness out of steaks, which is why it’s ergonomically designed so that your arm does not have to do any work. It is also dishwasher safe.
PROS
- It is well-balanced
- The handle has a rubberized grip
- Its weight makes it easy to tender or flatten meats
CONS
- One customer reports that there was black residue
AOWOTO Meat Tenderizer Hammer
This mallet and tenderizer in harmony with each other to help all the work get accomplished in less time. The smooth side can be used to pound steaks while leaving the textured side to tenderize steaks. Besides being very comfortable for left and right-handed users, its soft rubber handle helps absorb pressure. It can also be used to crack crab, crush garlic, crush ice for a cocktail, thaw frozen vegetables, and loosen frozen vegetables, in addition to tenderizing and flattening meat.
PROS
- Easy to clean
- Price is worth its value
- The size and weight of the tenderizer is ideal to most
CONS
- One customer reports that it is small
Frequently Asked Questions About Meat Tenderizer Tools
What happens if you eat meat tenderizer leftovers?
During cooking, the enzyme papain is destroyed and this ingredient, which stimulates the process of meat tenderizing, is unusable. In addition, even if there is any active papain on the stomach, it will be rendered harmless by the stomach juices.
Is it safe to use baking soda as a meat tenderizer?
Baking soda alkalizes the meat’s surface, making it difficult for the proteins to bind so that it remains perishable when cooked.
Can I use a meat tenderizer on chicken?
Tenderizing boneless chicken breasts or thighs using a meat tenderizer can be achieved. It’s best to avoid tenderizing bone-in cuts of meat that contain bones, because this can damage the meat. You can tenderize bone-in cuts of meat by doing this, but you must take the meat off the bone first.
How can I tenderize chicken without a meat tenderizer?
The meat mallet is ideal if you don’t have one. The bottom of a mason jar also works for the chicken. If you don’t have a rolling pin, use the back of a skillet. Pound the breasts till they are of equal thickness, with plastic wrap or wax paper on top.
We hope you found the best meat tenderizer tools with the help of our list. As it may look easy, tenderizing and pounding meat may not be as easy as it looks. Luckily, meat tenderizers are our heroes when cooking the smokiest and best BBQ you could ever imagine.
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We hope you enjoy these products! But keep in mind, Grit Daily might take a small commission on the items recommended here—but that doesn’t mean we don’t believe in them. We only recommend products that we would buy or use ourselves, so don’t be wary of our suggestions.
