Salt Or Oil To Bacon? 7 Tips To Soften Meat Ginger Puree And Olive Oil Are Super Easy To Use!

The key to cooking soft and tender meat is not only the heating temperature and time, but also seasonings play an important role in softening the meat. For example, even if the same meat is used, the difference in how hard or soft it becomes if the salt and sugar are used differently. In addition, using ingredients with enzymes that help break down proteins also has the effect of softening meat.

Schematic／

The following introduces several methods to change the meat quality, all of which will only work on the surface of the meat, but be careful, it is also possible that the taste is too heavy, the meat is too soft due to the addition of seasoning, and it becomes tattered and unshaped after heating and so on.

Sprinkling salt on the meat and letting it sit for a while will release the protein dissolved in the brine and coat the surface, thus increasing the water retention of the meat. Even when heated, the gravy is not lost, making the meat tender and tender.

Adding vinegar or lemon juice can improve the water retention of meat, and use the acidity of the meat itself to accelerate the activation of proteolytic enzymes and make the meat softer. Soaking in vinegar is also effective, but if the soaking time is not long enough, the meat will become hard.

Sugar has the effect of delaying protein coagulation after heating, and can improve water retention when combined with meat moisture and collagen. Rubbed with sugar in a pre-seasoned form before cooking, or sprinkled with sugar during cooking, such as when making sukiyaki.

In the grilled meatBefore, smear olive oil and other oils as a coating on the surface of the meat. This prevents the water from evaporating on the side that doesn't touch the pan, creating a juicy texture.

The proteolytic enzymes of ginger, onion and Maitake mushrooms can disassemble the tissue of the meat to soften the meat. Either way, it is recommended to use raw ingredients, chopped or pureed, and spread on the surface of the meat. Because once heated, the enzymes cannot function.

Miso and salt koji both contain the protease enzyme "protease", which not only breaks down protein and softens the meat, but also adds amino acids that make the meat more delicious.

As alcoholic beverages such as red wine are acidic, they soften the meat. The order of effect is red wine, white wine, and Japanese sake. Furthermore, these drinks also have a special smell that adds flavor to the meat and helps to complete a delicious meal. But it must be noted that if the immersion time is too short, less than 20 to 30 minutes, it will make the meat hard.

◎ This article is excerpted from / "The Science of Meat Cooking [Super Graphics]" ◎ Image source / Taiwan Guangsha Audio Book Co., Ltd. ‧ Dazhi Image / Shutterstock

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