What if the meat is tough? People who are not vegetarians love to cook meat dishes. Meat is boiled, steamed, fried and stewed.
But what if the piece that came across to us turned out to be harsh for some reason? Or while frying, you got distracted and brought your meat to an unpresentable state.
It is in this case that you will need practical advice from people who have already encountered similar troubles.
First of all, let's deal with the second case, when we have already cooked the meat, but it turned out to be tough. In this case, there is only one way to return your dish to a digestible look. You need to put it in a water bath.
How does she prepare? Very simple: you need a pot of boiling water, on which you place a colander on top, where your meat is already located.
From above you need to cover all this splendor with a lid, and give the opportunity to cook in this way for half an hour or forty minutes. After that, the meat will become softer, and the crust formed during frying will only add spice to it. 
Now let's start returning the meat to an attractive appearance if when buying you did not pay attention to its rigidity. Use the following tips to make meat more tender and soft:
1) If you are a beef lover, then you need to remember that it is stewed with salt, spices,cream and sugar. Then even the toughest initially meat will become soft and pleasant to the taste.
2) If you are going to cook meat, be it pork, lamb or veal, you need to do this for about two or even two and a half hours on slow fire. This will allow you to feel significant changes for the better and the finished dish will become much more tender.
3) Very common are before cooking. In this regard, there are many ways and recipes. The most common and affordable is the use of onions and vinegar, because in every kitchen there is this list of spices and food.
4) Incisions made on its surface will help speed up the process of penetration of the marinade into the meat.
5) After placing the meat in the marinade, you need to leave it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The low temperature will help you in your quest to tenderize the meat..
6) One way to make meat more usable is to dipping it on all sides in mustard. You can use the product both bought in the store and in grains. Why, even with dry mustard, you can achieve significant results.
7) For a better result, you can give the meat the effect of a kitchen hammer or the back of a knife - this will bring it to the tone we need and make it softer.
8) If you undertook to cook meat, then remember that you need to salt it only at the end of the cooking process. The same rule applies when frying meat. Just salt has the ability to draw water out of the product, so if you want to achieve softness of meat, it is better not to salt it immediately.
9) Very often ready-made is used as a marinade cucumber pickle . You can also use tomato, but still the best results in practice were shown by pickle from cucumbers.
10) An exotic kind of marinade, but very effective, will become made from kiwi juice or pulp. True, do not overdo it - use one fruit per kilogram of meat. Also, do not overdo it - the meat should be marinated for no more than three hours, otherwise it will simply begin to decompose.
11)Pineapple juice and pulp can also be applied. Moreover, they are not as dangerous and aggressive in terms of impact on meat as kiwi. Use the same proportions. 
12) If you are stewing meat and notice that it is slightly harsh, you can add beer to the dish. True, analyze who exactly will eat it. If you have small children, then this method is unlikely to suit you.
13) If you are going to fry tough meat, you can moisten it with lemon juice a few minutes before cooking. Allow the juice to soak in and start frying the meat.
14) A very expensive marinade contains soy sauce. You need to soak the meat for an hour or even two, but do not forget that now you should not salt it too much, since the sauce itself has a rather piquant taste.
15) Can soak the meat in water with starch diluted there for several hours. This will give the product the necessary tenderness.
16) When cooking, add half a teaspoon of sugar to the pan. This will give a significant effect in the form of softening of the meat.
17) Many people use a very extravagant method when preparing boiled meat. It consists of throwing three wine corks into the water. It is not known how effective this method is, but given its popularity, one can speak in the affirmative.
True, make sure that the corks you use are from natural cork, otherwise the result may be disappointing.
18) in meat, which is stewed,you can add a couple of tablespoons of dry wine. Be sure to take wine that does not contain alcohol, as it will tenderize the meat.
19) Sometimes the product is soaked for about an hour in vodka, which gives it a special tenderness. But look for people in our country who will casually transfer a few liters of vodka like this? To be honest, it's really hard to do...
20) Another very effective recipe marinade to tenderize meat use of finely chopped onion, grated apple ,a tablespoon of vinegar and spices.
Among the latter, it is most advisable to use bay leaf, black ground pepper and vegetable oil.
21) Milk marinade prepare as follows:
- take half a liter of kefir;
- as many mineral water, soda;
- add salt, pepper, herbs and spices to taste;
- stand for three hours, you can longer.
We hope our advice will allow you to make your dish exquisite and original, and the meat that is harsh at first will become soft and tender, as most recipes require!
Do you think you can easily make tender steaks with unique juiciness and impeccable taste? Even perfect beef is hard to create good dish. In online stores you can find any parts of grain and grass-fed meat. However, few people pay attention to beef aging. It is on this indicator that the taste and texture of your steak depends! What is the maturation and fermentation of meat, and why is it so difficult to prepare a gourmet dish from an ordinary fresh piece?
Meat that has lain down at a certain temperature and humidity for a certain number of days becomes richer in taste, more aromatic, softens perfectly during cooking and cooks quickly. Even the broth comes out clear and has an amazing smell, rather than boiled from fresh beef.
It is very easy to explain: chemical processes take place in the muscles that affect the structure of the piece, the structure of proteins. The meat is fermented. During aging, acidity rises, new substances are formed, which create that divine taste and aroma of a fried delicacy.
What happens to the cuts after the animal is slaughtered?
Meat is considered paired only for 2-3 hours. The fibers are elastic, the texture is delicate. It is this product that the Italians use to make Carpaccio! It is not sold in the markets, since a person will not physically have time to prepare it for sale in such a short time.
Rigor occurs throughout the day. The muscles remain elastic, but slightly shortened. Every hour the coefficient of rigidity increases, as well as the resistance at the cut, so it is undesirable to portion such meat. The pieces will come out uneven, the so-called "ladder".
Own ripening of beef occurs in 2-3 days. Blood no longer enters the muscles, so they do not receive oxygen, and all oxidative processes slow down. The amount of phosphoric and lactic acids increases, due to which rapid muscle contraction occurs. As a result, the water is partially removed (meat juice flows into the tray), and the collagen swells and loosens. At the same time, acids prevent the appearance of bad microorganisms. 
deep autolysis. The number of acids is rapidly increasing (adenyl, inosine), and esters and aldehydes also appear. These substances depend on taste qualities ready meal, the appearance of specific aromas. The cut becomes softer, as it loses its elasticity; when pressed, the hole does not disappear. The product breaks up into fibers, but their longitudinal and transverse striation is preserved, which is important to pay attention to. The raw material acquires a dark red hue. The cut comes out even and beautiful, as the piece becomes dense throughout its thickness.
It is during the period of its own maturation and deep autolysis that it is necessary to create acceptable conditions for maturation. meat product. Otherwise, the raw material will simply deteriorate.
However, all chemical processes are different. If, due to the low qualification of the staker, convulsions were observed in cattle, it means that autolysis will pass faster, and the quality of the meat will deteriorate significantly. The speed of maturation depends on the health of the bull, as well as on its fatness, growing conditions, feeding, age. "Young" meat matures faster than the muscles of an adult animal. So that the product does not deteriorate during aging, it is worth making sure in advance of the quality of the raw materials that all sanitary standards were observed during slaughter and cutting.
Aging beef cut
Producers and cooks save raw materials for steak in different ways, strictly observing all technological processes. Let us dwell on the most basic types of maturation. It is important to initially take a good piece of meat. If the temperature regime was violated during storage and transportation, then it is better not to risk it and cook the beef immediately. You should not buy a product from the market, as you do not know how many buyers have touched this piece. It is best to order raw materials from a trusted butcher.
Wet maturation of beef (wet-aged)
Wet aging can be applied to any cut. Usually meat is taken without bone: Tenderloin, Chateaubriand (thick and thin edge, tenderloin). Chefs use this method for portion cuts, since the loss of moisture and weight of the product is minimal. 
The meat is placed in a vacuum bag and sealed. The main thing is to pump out all the air in order to stop the oxidative processes. This can be done at home, but you should first disinfect the vacuum cleaner.
Sterility must be given special importance!
You can put a special pad or parchment in the bag, which will absorb the released meat juice. The product is placed in the refrigerator (1-3 degrees). The aging period is small, 3-10 days. It all depends on the characteristics of the meat, so it is advisable to view it every day. The piece should thicken a little, lose elasticity, be sure to darken, while the fat must remain white.
The steak, created from raw materials of wet aging, comes out juicy, tender and with a refined taste. In the process of ripening, juices are released, which provoke the appearance of lactic acid bacteria. It is they that give the meat a sour-metallic flavor, which gives an original touch to the overall flavor of the product. It can be removed if the meat is wrapped in a special paper (pad) before vacuuming.
Dry aging of meat (dry-aged)
Dry-aged cuts are incredibly valued and quite expensive.
The ripening technology is complex, so it is difficult to repeat it at home.
In order for the meat not to rot, the humidity and temperature in the chamber must be carefully controlled, and the product must be provided with good ventilation.
Otherwise, the pieces will have to be thrown away, as they will turn out to be toxic, hazardous to health.
Dry aging features:
- It is advisable to take whole cuts, since this method is not suitable for portioned pieces: they will dry out completely.
- The flesh must be protected by bones or fat. If this is not the case, you can grease the piece with beef lard, but this is done in extreme cases! A week later, the process must be repeated.
- All metal fixtures (hooks and gratings) must be made of stainless steel and disinfected before use.
- Cuts are hung or laid out on grates at a considerable distance from each other so that the piece is completely blown with air.
- For dry exposure, special equipment is used (refrigerators with convection). Some models need to be connected to the water supply.
- The optimum temperature for fermentation is 2-4 degrees, humidity - 72-76%.
- You can eat only after 21 days, not earlier! On the 120th day of maturation, gourmets consider the product to be real gold.
In order for the meat to come out amazing in taste and without an unpleasant odor, it must be monitored with special care: periodically turn over and pay attention to the formation of a crust. It should appear gradually.
Attention!
If the drying process of the top layer is very slow, then the product will begin to rot from the inside.
If the crust resembles a shell (very dense and thick), then moisture will not be able to leave the deep layers of the product. This will provoke the development of harmful microorganisms, and the raw materials will again deteriorate.
What happens to meat for 120 days?
| Number of days of exposure | What happens to meat | Product appearance |
| 7 | Collagen began to break down. The flesh has lost its elasticity, so the cut keeps its shape solely due to the bones. | The color does not change, it remains characteristic of a fresh piece. |
| 21 | The product has lost about 10% of its weight due to moisture evaporation. Under the influence of acids, the proteins swelled and lost their solubility. | The piece darkened a little, a thin crust appeared, the flesh softened. The product is ready for sale. |
| 30 | Weight loss within 15%. Beneficial fungi begin to appear on the crust. Thanks to them, the product acquires interesting taste and smell. | A more pronounced aroma appeared, the meat itself became especially soft and tender. This cut is highly valued among steak lovers. |
| 45 | It is advisable to withstand meat with increased marbling: during cooking, the loss of moisture will be compensated by fat, so the steak will come out quite juicy. The aroma and taste become more intense. | The crust is quite dense, the color has become darker, a specific meat flavor has appeared. Be careful: an unpleasant smell indicates spoiled meat! |
| 90 | Together with the liquid, the salt evaporates from the fibers. | The crust has thickened significantly, more like a shell. Grains of salt appeared on the surface. The cut darkened significantly, decreased in weight. |
| 120 | In the process of chemical reactions, the muscles were severely destroyed. | A specific flavor has appeared that may not be to everyone's taste, as is the case with blue cheese Dor Blue or Garibaldi. The piece is completely covered in salt. Only real connoisseurs of steaks can appreciate such meat! |
Here is how the cuts change visually: 
When the meat is ready, it is necessary to cut off the crust (until the reddish flesh appears), wrap it in a cotton towel and store in the refrigerator for 3 days. If necessary, you can freeze, but experienced chefs do not recommend doing this, as the taste of the dish noticeably deteriorates.
What is the difference between dry aged and wet aged cuts?
Both methods of meat ripening differ in many respects.
Since the technology of wet aging is low-cost, does not require special equipment, it is actually used by 90% of companies that deliver meat around the world.
| Meat ripening method | Percentage of weight loss | Appearance | Taste qualities | Price |
| Wet | Up to 5% | The meat is juicy, elastic, dark red, slightly brownish. | Delicate taste and light meat aroma | Cheaper than dry-aged meat |
| Dry | Up to 40% (significant moisture loss, crust removal) | The meat is dryish (the juiciness of the cooked steak depends on the degree of marbling). Dark red color, delicate texture. There may be grains of salt on the surface. | Intense aftertaste with specific notes, very pronounced aroma | The price depends on the duration of maturation. The most expensive is 120 days. |
Aged beef cuts at home
Usually aged Teebone or Striploin cooks get in specialized firms. We have a wonderful article. Often they put on maturation on their own: the restaurant management buys the necessary equipment.
At home, you can also prepare meat for steaks. The wet method does not require special equipment and tight control, so it is easy to repeat at home. Dry aging requires proper knowledge and strict control of temperature and humidity. How to prepare a cut for frying so as not to throw away an expensive product in a week?
Methods for dry aging meat in a conventional refrigerator
Method number 1. Place a piece of cotton fabric or gauze on the grate. Load a cut on it, and cover it with a cloth on top. Change the matter every day until the raw material stops sapping. Meat must be turned over with clean hands only! A slightly dried product can be sprinkled with salt and wrapped again in a cloth. Thus, it is easy to maintain portioned pieces that are ready for cooking already in 3-4 days.
Method number 2. Wrap the beef in a waffle towel. Place salt nearby to draw out moisture. Carry out similar manipulations, as prescribed in method No. 1.
Method number 3. Wrap the meat in a cloth, place in a wooden box with a lid. The box must have holes around the perimeter for air circulation! Change the material every day. When the raw material stops emitting juice, pour coarse salt, 1 cm high, into the bottom of the box. Change the fabric after 3 days. Weight loss with this method is about 11%.
Method number 4. Purchase a special package for dry maturation. It consists of a membrane that protects the product from external influences, but allows vapor and moisture to pass through. The meat is aged for about 3-4 weeks. A crust must certainly appear, which must be cut off. The main thing is to remove all the bones from the cut.
Method number 5. Hang the product by the hook or place it on a special stand. Install a fan that can be powered by a refrigerator light bulb. Be sure to install a fuse and a power button so that the device works with the door closed. It is undesirable to install a device on a battery, as it can deteriorate from low temperature and humidity. And battery components (lithium and sodium) can make products toxic.
Features of dry ripening in the home kitchen
Make sure that the meat is of high quality, and the cutting technology and transportation conditions have not been violated by the manufacturer. Of course, you need to order products from trusted suppliers.
Meat quickly absorbs odors, so you need to allocate not a separate shelf, but an entire refrigerator. To do this, you can buy small chambers, using them only for maturation. 
The following conditions must be met:
- The meat must be blown from all sides, so a molded glass or plastic shelf will not work, it is better to use a grate.
- Before using the refrigerator, it is advisable to disinfect everything in order to remove harmful microorganisms.
- The temperature in the refrigerator should be +2 (at +5 the beef starts to deteriorate).
- Ripening time depends on the size of the piece. So a cut for 10 kg will be ready in a month, for 8 kg - in 3 weeks.
Other methods of aging beef cuts
In addition to dry and wet aging, there are several other ways, but it is difficult to create the necessary conditions at home. Those who like to experiment should not forget that spoiled meat products can provoke serious diseases!
Unpopular methods of ripening meat products:
- In mineral water or aqua aging. It is important to control the amount of sulfates and sodium: due to their excess, bitterness may appear in the meat. In order for raw materials to acquire an original flavor range, a high content of magnesium with calcium and bicarbonates is necessary.
- The Hautgoût technology (French for "high taste") is more applied to game. The meat is kept in fur or feathers. The product comes out exquisite in taste, with tart-sweet notes. Of course, now the sanitary epidemiological authorities do not allow the use of this method.
- Dry moldy. Useful fungal cultures are planted on the cut. As a result, the product is covered with mold, which is cut off before cooking. The meat is valued for its distinctive nutty flavor. However, in Germany this method is prohibited by law.
- Ripening cuts in fat is an ancient method of improving meat. The piece is covered with a thick layer of lard, of course, only beef. As a result, the fibers soften, the natural elasticity of the pulp is lost. Air does not pass through the fatty layer, so all chemical processes take place in the product, as in normal aging. In addition, the access of bad bacteria is closed.
Of course, one should not take the word of each manufacturer of meat products. It is advisable to check the quality of the goods and stipulate the terms of the return in advance. Why is it worth playing it safe before buying? You can fry a steak with a full range of harmful chemicals...
I suggest watching a story about the differences between ordinary meat and fermented meat:
How do unscrupulous producers speed up the ripening process?
Buying aged beef pay attention to aroma, color, cut tension and top of the pulp.
Attention!
Cuts are only ready for sale in 21 days, but some producers cannot wait that long.
To speed up chemical processes, they go to tricks.
How to reduce maturation time?
- raise the temperature (+10 or +20), and so that the cut does not disappear, it is chipped with antibiotics or ultraviolet radiation is used;
- introduce mineral supplements (usually calcium, magnesium);
- apply enzyme preparations vegetable or microbial origin (papain, fungal amylase);
- the most used method is electrical stimulation, when electrodes are applied to different parts of the carcass and current is applied;
- soak or pump into the pulp with a syringe special brines in which lactic acid bacteria are located;
- under pressure to introduce air, water, gases into the muscles.
Some methods look completely harmless, only they significantly impair the quality of the meat. After cooking, it can significantly decrease in size, it will turn out not so fragrant, with an unpleasant aftertaste and a terrible taste range.
If you decide not to mess with bad producers, but to create a great piece of meat for a flavorful steak, you should be aware of the signs of spoilage in a meat product.
How do you know if meat has gone bad?
If you violate the temperature regime and the recommended humidity in the refrigerator, then bad microorganisms will begin to develop in the cut. Such meat can be very dangerous, not to mention the culinary value! Of course, in order for the product to ripen well and not deteriorate, certain processes must take place in it. However, it does not always contain the necessary substances for autolysis.
What causes can disrupt the natural chemical reactions during fermentation:
- the animal was constantly sick, was exhausted, was constantly in a state of stress;
- the bull did not receive a balanced diet;
- poor bleeding of the carcass;
- cutting of cuts took place in unsanitary conditions;
- contamination of the product with the contents of the stomach of bulls;
- during transportation, bad microorganisms got on the meat;
- muscle integrity was compromised.
Naturally, if the product is kept at a temperature of more than +5 degrees, then spoilage of beef is inevitable. High humidity and the presence of oxygen will accelerate the appearance of putrefactive bacteria.
Experienced chefs believe that meat should initially be free of bad microorganisms, and refrigeration equipment for product maturation should be thoroughly disinfected.
Do not forget that various bacteria can spread throughout the raw material, so you should carefully monitor each piece. It is necessary to pay attention to the color, smell and presence of liquid, that is, meat juice.
The main signs of spoilage of cuts
The appearance of mucus. In case of improper storage, various bacteria and yeast are formed on the cuts. As a result, a piece of meat is covered with a sticky substance. Unfortunately, even with the right temperature and optimal humidity, unpleasant mucus can appear as early as the second day of storage. The reason is banal: a lot of microbial cells initially got on the surface of the piece.
Tan. The color of the meat becomes grayish, brownish, with a green coating. Muscles become loose, and the smell is suffocatingly sour with a hint of sulfur. It appears already in the first hours after slaughter, when the storage technology of the product is violated. If fresh meat is wrapped in a film or put into a bowl and be sure to close the lid, then it can become steamed. Necessary processes are slowed down because there is no ventilation. The breakdown of glycogen begins, and the resulting acidic substances give the raw material a very unpleasant odor. The product can be used for cooking only in one case: if, after washing and airing the finely chopped pieces, the odor is completely gone. Green plaque must be cleaned, but if it reappears, it is advisable to dispose of the product.
rotting. Various groups of bacteria can appear on the surface. Some remain in the upper layers, others go inward. In the latter case, the meat will seem good, but the bones and tendons will be completely spoiled. In sick animals, putrefactive microorganisms enter the blood long before slaughter, which delivers them to all muscles and organs. As a result, spoilage of cuts occurs throughout the thickness at the same time.
Do not think that a product with a slight smell can be washed and recycled. When the amino acid is destroyed, amines are released, which are considered quite toxic. Stale raw materials will be less dangerous than slightly spoiled ones. If the meat begins to decompose in the skin, then sulfur-containing substances are formed. In this case, the piece will smell like sulfur. Simultaneously with decay, fermentation of carbohydrates, oxidation of fats, etc. occur.
acid fermentation. The meat turns gray, often has a greenish tint. Carbohydrates begin to break down, organic acids appear, resulting in an unpleasant sour smell and taste. Fermentation often occurs in poorly bled meat and is considered the main type of spoilage in imported cuts.
Pigmentation. Pigment bacteria begin to multiply rapidly on the surface, so characteristic spots appear on the meat.
glow. Luminous bacteria can get on beef, which give the corresponding effect. They usually live in sea water, and get on meat during non-observance of the commodity neighborhood, for example, with fish. They do not cause chemical changes in the muscles, do not affect the taste or smell of cuts.
mold appears on frozen cuts. Fungi cause the breakdown of fats and proteins, reduce the amount of nitrogenous substances, so the product has a specific musty smell.
Knowing the causes and signs of spoilage of the meat product, you will be sure that a good piece of meat will end up on your table. I also recommend reading the article. If you decide to save money and start maturing beef cuts in your restaurant, it is better to use special equipment.
Cut maturation equipment
Establishments that specialize in elite meat offer a choice of cuts of their own "production".
The chilled product is delivered to the kitchen, and the chefs place it in the chambers of special refrigerators.
Of course, there is a technique of small volumes, where only 4-6 cuts can fit.
It is easy to install right in your home kitchen.
The main thing is that it meets all the requirements.
What should be the refrigerator for ripening meat?
- double door with UV protection;
- all elements (lattices, hooks) are made of high-quality stainless steel;
- temperature and humidity control systems;
- good ventilation system with speed control;
- adjustable legs;
- bactericidal lamp.
When buying, you should pay attention to the volume of the chamber, the maximum allowable weight per shelf. There are many models that need to be connected to the water supply. It is worth paying attention to the place where you plan to install the equipment. It is undesirable to place it near the window and heating appliances. The floor must be level. Distance from the wall at least 5 cm.
Now you know that you need to select well-fermented and matured beef with great care. Then the steak will gourmet dish which will give you a lot of positive emotions and taste pleasure!
None of us is immune from cooking mistakes. This is especially true for beginner cooks. But even an experienced cook in a hurry or when preparing a new dish can make a mistake, set the wrong temperature or overexpose the meat on the stove.
Another of the main pledges in getting tasty and juicy meat, it is right to choose it when buying. Usually meat of old animals turns out dry. You can distinguish it by color, state of fat. And also the quality of the dish is affected by the shelf life of the meat and whether it was frozen before.
Knowing some secrets, you can cook delicious, juicy and soft meat with any method of heat treatment...
- Before stewing, beef meat must be rubbed well on all sides with mustard powder and left to marinate for 5-6 hours. Then rinse it well and cook according to your chosen recipe.
- When frying, the meat is first cut into portions, and then marinated. For marinade, you can use soy sauce, lemon juice, red wine, kefir, etc.
- If you are going to bake meat, then it is advisable to bake it in a large piece to keep the juice and softness. And you need to marinate such meat for a longer time.
Now let's talk about how to correct mistakes or reanimate dry, overcooked or undercooked meat.
How to fix mistakes
If you have time in reserve before the appearance of hungry guests, then you can miraculously turn overcooked and overdried meat into another dish. To do this, it is necessary to prepare a multi-component dish in which the meat will be one of the ingredients of the filling and against the background of other products this drawback will not be noticeable. To do this, cut the meat into small pieces and cook pizza, enchilados, salads with vegetables, as well as a variety of pies and casseroles.
But in no case, overcooked meat should not be put in soup, another heat treatment adversely affect its taste.
If the meat turned out to be dry during baking, then use this advice ...
- Place the piece of meat in a colander set over a pot of boiling water.
- Cover and steam it for 15 minutes.
Dry meat can be reanimated and thus...
- Cut it into portions and put in a greased roasting pan.
- Pour a little salted broth, sauce or add sour cream, as well as fried onions.
- Cover tightly with a lid or foil and bake until done.
If your meat turned out to be undercooked or raw, then it can also be repurposed into another dish, where it will still be cooked for some time.
If you get tough beef, then add 0.5 tsp when stewing. sugar and/or some cream.
These simple tips will help you prepare delicious meat dishes.
The choice of meat is not the easiest task and not at all banal. This must be done wisely and with a fresh mind, coming early in the morning to the market and turning to a familiar seller. In a store with a choice of such a product, everything is much more complicated. And if you come across not at all young beef, consisting of veins, then make it tender dish will be extremely problematic. But problematic doesn't mean impossible., and cooks, and just experienced housewives can give a lot of valuable advice about how how can you improve all the indicators of such meat, and make a tender dish even from tough meat.
Mechanical impact
The use of force and simple manipulations in terms of physical impact on a piece of meat may well solve your problem. So, you can wrap the meat in polyethylene and tap it with a hammer on both sides. Such manipulation can soften even the oldest meat.
However, if you do not like chops, or are not going to cook them for one reason or another, then you can use old tough meat for minced meat. Pass it through a meat grinder, adding onions and bread, previously soaked in milk. It is also worth remembering that sometimes meat is perceived as tough due to the presence of tendons and films in it, which had to be removed during processing. If this is the case, just next time pay attention to such a moment and do not be lazy to delete the excess. But these techniques are far from exhaustive, because in fact there are many ways to improve problematic meat.
Tender Decisions
Tough meat marinade is the best solution when you need to make the meat more juicy and tender - in a word, more delicious. Not all of them are difficult - so, you can coat pieces of meat even with ordinary mustard, and then let them lie down for an hour, and fry - the result will be excellent. Pretty much anything can be used as a marinade, fruit in particular, which contains fruit acids that can soften the meat and make it delicious. You can take two kiwis, spices and salt for a fruit marinade, grind and cut it all, and let the meat lie in it. After half an hour, you can start preparing a wonderful roast. Just before frying, the marinade needs to get wet. Also good marinade made from pomegranate juice, it can withstand the meat for several hours. Lemon is also suitable - they cover the meat with slices, sometimes adding more a raw egg. As for the time, there are different options, but in general, a couple of hours is enough.
Even ordinary mustard can make tough meat more tender and enjoyable, you just need to coat a piece on both sides and let it lie down for about an hour.
Dairy products are also well suited for creating marinades, and with their help the product can be made tender and soft. It is a one-stop solution for any type of meat up to poultry. You can take kefir or yogurt without sweet additives, mix with salt and spices, and use. 2-4 hours for this pickling is enough. Many people also like meat with mayonnaise, but professionals do not accept this method.
Marinade can be created from beer or wine. This approach is ideal for both regular frying and for. A quick result can be achieved by adding mineral water to the wine. Being soaked in beer, the meat acquires a pleasant aroma. It is better to roll it in flour before cooking. Stronger drinks can also become the basis for the marinade - vodka is also used for this, with which the bird is marinated. So, in China, vodka is mixed for this with soy sauce and spices to marinate a duck or turkey, and keep the bird in this mixture for a maximum of 2 hours. At the same time, the smell of alcohol does not remain on the product, and most importantly, do not forget to dry the meat with a napkin before frying. If you want to experiment, you can try kvass with honey, tea leaves, tomato sauce mixed with adjika as a marinade.
By trying different marinade options from the ones suggested above, you are sure to be able to find the perfect solution for yourself and make the best choice according to your taste.
Tricks to cook tough meat
If you want to get juicy tender meat, it is necessary to ensure that during frying it does not lose its juice. This will be achieved both by breading and by “sealing” with a crust during sharp frying over high heat for a short time. Breading is done before frying starts - flour, crackers, an egg, a combination of these are suitable for this. The meat must be placed immediately in hot and boiling oil, and then the sealing will occur naturally, the meat will immediately begin to fry, and the juice will not come out.
You can achieve great results baking. Or you can use foil for this purpose. Then no additives will be needed, since the product will undergo excellent processing in its own juice. As for frying, you need to try to turn them over carefully so as not to damage them, otherwise the juice will flow out again. It is also important not to salt the meat prematurely, as salt easily draws out moisture.
If the meat still turned out tough and dry, then you can try to steam it in a water bath to achieve the desired result. There is always a way out.
Or a prescription!
Do you ever have a craving for a rare steak?
Buy meat, and not cheap. You look forward to opening a bottle of red wine after work in the evening, quickly frying a steak. This is the fastest and most delicious dinner You don't even need a side dish. Lovingly remove the meat from the refrigerator half an hour before cooking so that it is at the right temperature before plunging into the scalding heat of the pan. Salt, pepper, knife, fork, glass...
And the meat is tough! Zarraza! No, well, annoying??
I've had two such punctures in the last month. Either I forgot how to fry steaks, or such meat was often sold. Although ... Damn, I can fry steaks, I give a tooth
What to do if the meat is tough, but you urgently need to come up with something from it for dinner? Let's think together.
I'll show you what I have. The first batch is fried, the juices have not flowed out, the flight is normal 
I like it very much, while the meat rests for a couple of minutes before eating, quickly fry the onion in the same pan 
We serve. It would be very tasty if chewed.
We urgently need to come up with something. The best thing for me in this situation is to stew in onion-sour cream sauce. I always have onions and sour cream, but not this time. There was half a red onion, which I fried with meat. Really suddenly ran out of stock! There wasn't even a lemon.
In short, I cut this meat very finely, added a bit of balsamic, stewed for 40 (!) Minutes, until it softened a little. Then she made a sauce like bechamel, but instead of milk she added broth (I had frozen broth). Well, there is still grass, bay leaf, sweet paprika. And the whole thing went very well with potatoes. It took an hour.
Photo 
A week later I bought meat again, and again ... (Followed by curses).
I fried a piece for myself to try, and again it does not chew. This time I was prepared.
Schnitzel!
She beat off the beef, into its flour, then into the egg, followed by crackers 
And with puree. How I love mashed potatoes with butter! There would be more herring, you can even instead of meat 
It was cool.
I really began to doubt my ability to fry a steak, but then I bought normal meat and did it like this. Wonderful beef: tender, soft, juicy 
I calmed down, otherwise I thought that my hands were growing out of nowhere.
What would you do quickly with tough meat?
Happy New Year, everyone! Just a little bit left
Your © Helga
