Ever had a meal where the meat was too tough? It’s probably more times than you care to remember. There are a few reasons why meat comes out tough, but one main cause is large individual muscle fibers. This happens with muscles that get exercised a lot. While these cuts of meat are less expensive, they may need some tenderizing. The goal of tenderizing is to break down the big fibers in the muscle. This results in more tender and flavorful cuts of meat.
Let’s find out about some of the best and most popular meat tenderizers available on the market today.
1. Editor’s Choice: KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer KO119OHOBA
The KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer is a very affordable, traditional hammer style device. On one side is a spiked face and on the other, a flat face. This device is made of lightweight aluminum construction, and yet it is strong and durable. It measures 11 inches in length.
The spiked side is great for tenderizing. It tears the connective tissue in meat, breaks fiber bonds, and in the process makes your meat softer and easier to marinade. The flat side is handy for flattening out your cutlets, making them very thin so you have a shorter cooking time. You can also use this tool for cracking shellfish, nuts, hard candy, peppercorns, spices, and other foods.
The soft, ergonomic, silicone rubber handle has a hole, so you can hang up the tenderizer for storage.
This tenderizer is easy to clean, although the spiked face requires a more work to get the pieces of meat out. Simply wash by hand using a dish sponge and soapy water.
One drawback is the handle is quite thick, which makes it somewhat uncomfortable. Also, this tenderizer is lightweight, so it requires a lot of power when pounding your meat.
Pros
- Affordable
- Spiked face on one side and flat face on other
- Versatile
- Soft, ergonomic, silicone handle
- Easy to clean with soapy water
Cons
- Handle is thick and can be uncomfortable
- Lightweight so requires a lot of power when pounding your meat
- Hand wash only
2. Runner Up: OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer 11285000
The OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer is a very affordable hammer-style device. It is a two-in-one tool with a flat side and a spiked side for flattening or tenderizing your chicken, pork, and beef.
The spiked side has pyramid-style teeth that help break down the strong fibers in your meat, to prepare it for marinating and cooking. The smooth, flat side has a large surface area which allows you to flatten your meat quickly for even cooking.
It is made from impact-resistant plastic that is free of BPA, and measures 9.5 x 2.5 x 2 inches.
It has a strong, sturdy handle that is easy to grip, soft, comfortable, and safe to use. The handle is non-slip, which is great when you are using it with wet hands. It is angled so that you can wield maximum force without becoming tired. The head is heavy enough to do a good job of tenderizing your meat.
This handy gadget is easy to clean and washes up nicely. It is also dishwasher safe for sanitizing.
One drawback is some users find the teeth in the spiked side of the tenderizer are too small and tend to accumulate little bits of meat. Also, the angled head makes this device a bit awkward when trying to control where to strike.
Pros
- Affordable
- Two-in-one tenderizer and flattener
- Spiked side has pyramid-style teeth to break down fibers and prepare for marinating
- Made of impact-resistant, BPA-free plastic
- Handle is strong and sturdy yet soft and easy to grip; also, non-slip
- Easy to clean, dishwasher safe
Cons
- Some users find the teeth are too small and accumulate bits of meat
- Angled head may make it awkward to use
3. Customer Choice: Spring Chef Meat Tenderizer
The Spring Chef Meat Tenderizer is an affordable tool shaped like a hammer, with a spiked side and a flat side. It measures 11.4 x 3.3 x 1.5 inches.
The spikes on one side of the device penetrate meat well with their pointy tips. They break up the fibers of the muscle quite well, resulting in a tender, juicy, and flavorful cut of meat. Say good bye to dry chicken breasts!
The other side helps you flatten out your meat so it cooks evenly and quickly.
You can do all sorts of other things with tool, such as crush garlic, hard candy, and nuts. You can also loosen garlic skin, make bread crumbs, and break up ice cubes with it.
The handle is easy to grip and quite comfortable to use.
Although it has a weighted head, overall this device is lightweight with its chrome plated aluminum construction. This poses a challenge in that you need to wield considerable force in order for it to tenderize properly. However, the light weight makes this tool easy to control.
This tool is easy to clean once you remove all the meat from the spikes. It is safe to use in the dishwasher.
One drawback of this device is the spikes tend to accumulate pieces of meat while you are pounding, so you need to clean it out every once in a while during your tenderizing session. Also, when using the flat side, the edges may tear off pieces of meat when you actually want it to smooth out and flatten.
Pros
- Affordable
- Hammer-like with spiked side and flat side
- Spiked side breaks up muscle fibers well, making meat tender and juicy
- Handle is comfortable and easy to grip
- Light weight makes this tool easy to control
- Easy to clean, dishwasher safe
Cons
- Bits of meat may accumulate in the spikes while you are pounding
- When using flat side, the edges may tear off pieces of meat
5. Best Disk: Norpro Meat Pounder 6211
The Norpro Meat Pounder is a flat, heavy disk with an offset handle. The flat shape is used to flatten out cuts of meat like chicken breasts, for faster and easier cooking. You can use it to flatten your cutlets into uniform thickness which makes it simpler to cook your food evenly. It is made of a durable, chrome-plated zinc alloy.
It has a nice mirror finish but can be prone to scratches so take good care of this tool. It has a professional style and looks like a piece of art.
The head is heavy. In fact, if you have weak wrists, this tool could cause them to become sore. If you hold the handle at the end, the head of this tenderizer will come down hard on your meat without you having to extend much effort. This tenderizer is quite affordable and offers great value.
The flattened disk on the head is large and round. This spreads out the force of the hammering on your meat, which leads to less tearing.
Its handle extends to the side to make the pounding easier on your knuckles. The handle keeps your hands away from the meat and cutting board. The handle is large, though, and may be difficult to hold and grip if you have small hands.
It is easy to clean. Simply hand wash with soapy water. There is one spot on the underside where the handle meets the flat head where food can accumulate so make sure to pay close attention to that area when cleaning.
Pros
- Attractive, made of chrome-plated zinc alloy
- Heavy, flat, disk-shaped head flattens out meat effortlessly for easier cooking
- Large round shape of disk spreads out force of hammering on meat
- Handle keeps your hands away from the meat and cutting board
- Easy to clean, simply hand wash in soapy water
Cons
- Heavy head could cause strain to wrists
- Large handle may be hard to grip if you have small hands
5. Best Unique Design: Jaccard 48-Blade Meat Tenderizer 200348
The Jaccard 48-Blade Meat Tenderizer is a different type of tenderizer. It is a handheld tenderizer with 48 needle-like blades. They are arranged in three rows of 16. The blades are double sided, razor sharp, and made of stainless steel. They cut effortlessly through muscle fibers and connective tissue to make the meat less tough. You can use this device on any type of meat.
With the large handle at the top, you can push the device down into your meat in order to tenderize it.
This high quality, durable device is lauded by professionals and home cooks alike as it reduces cooking time almost in half and allows the absorption of marinades more deeply than with other tenderizers. The meat will retain its natural juices and flavor very well.
It is easy to control both positioning and depth with this tool. Needless to say, its users have given rave reviews about its performance as a tenderizer.
This tool is easy to clean. It is dishwasher safe on the top rack for sanitizing, especially if you have been tenderizing raw meat.
One drawback it is seems to come with no instructions, causing confusion for some new users. It is quite simple and intuitive to use, though. Some users have found the blades get stuck in the meat. Also, some find the spring action makes it hard to push down the handle.
Pros
- High quality and durable
- Hand held tenderizer with 48 needle-like blades in three rows
- Blades are double sided, razor sharp stainless steel
- Cuts effortlessly through all kinds of meat, making them absorb marinades beautifully
- Easy to control both positioning and depth
- Easy to clean, dishwasher safe on top rack
Cons
- Blades may get stuck in the meat
- Spring action makes it hard to push down the handle
6. Best Stainless Steel: RÖSLE Meat Tenderizer
ROSLE’s meat tenderizer is as sturdy as it is beautiful in its simplicity. The ROSLE is made entirely of 18/10 stainless-steel. This refers primarily to the nickel content being higher, which leads to both a long-lasting and durable product.
We also liked how the handle has a satin finish, improving grip. This is backed up by a meaty counterweight in the handle to really give you some extra oomf in your swing. At about 11-inches in length we found ROSLE’s meat tenderizer to be a well-balanced, not to mention well-built, kitchen tool.
The only downside mentioned by consumers it the fact that this item is made in China. With that said, quality control standards are derived from German best practices and quality – regardless of manufacturing location – remains high. Otherwise Sous Vide Guy had no outstanding issues with this meat tenderizer.
Pros
- Entirely 18/10 stainless-steel
- Satin finished handle
- Well balanced with counterweighted handle
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- No significant concerns
7. Honorable Mention: Norpro Meat Tenderizer
The Norpro Meat Tenderizer is a smartly built addition to the war on tough cuts. Unlike many other items on this list the Nopro is really best for those with strength or grip issues – especially arthritis in the wrist. The Nopro uses a spring-loaded mechanism to make tenderizing non-fatty cuts easy. To do so it uses 24 stainless-steel prongs.
This process exposes more of the meat’s surface area to any marinades or the like. As a result you’ll get even more flavorful results. If you marinade your cut for two or three days in the fridge you’ll only get better results.
In terms of build quality we were, overall, impressed with the plastic shelling and stainless-steel prongs. With that said, this is definitely a lightweight kitchen tool and needs to be treated as such. This also means that tenderizing fatty cuts like pork belly can be challenging. Finally, a word of warning. There have been a number of knock-offs sold through Amazon so make sure that the supplier that you purchase from is Norpro rather than a reseller.
Pros
- Uses 24 stainless-steel prongs to tenderizer meat
- Spring-loaded tenderizing mechanism – great for anyone with grip or strength issues
- 7-inches long
- Lightweight at about 1/4 of a pound
Cons
- Not dishwasher safe
- Puncturing fat like pork belly is possible, but the low weight makes it challenging
What to look for when choosing a meat tenderizer
Now that you have seen some of the most popular brands of meat tenderizers on the market today, let’s find out what to look for when purchasing this tool for your kitchen.
Price
To a large extent, your budget will determine which type of tenderizer you buy. Choose one that meets your needs but stays within your price range.
Style
There are a few different styles of meat tenderizer to choose from.
The spiked pounder is the traditional tenderizer. It is often a hammer shaped tool with a head that contains spikes. When you strike your meat with the spiked end of the tool, it breaks up the muscle fibers and enhances marinade absorption. This leads to more juicy and flavorful meat.
A flat pounder is sometimes included as part of the meat tenderizer. A flat pounder is used to flatten out your meat so it can be cooked faster and more evenly. A flat pounder is also handy to have around to crush ice, smash garlic, or shell nuts.
A crank tenderizer clamps to your table. You push your meat through the crank. The spikes cut the meat fibers and rollers crush them. This type of machine works fast. It is quite popular with people who hunt.
A needle tenderizer has many small blades all attached to a spring loaded handle. The blades break up the muscle fibers by making dozens of small cuts all over it. This is not the type of tenderizer you can bring on a camping trip, as you will need a dishwasher in order to properly clean it.
Handle
Pay attention to the handle. It should fit well in your hand. Look for a handle that is ergonomic and non-slip. This will make the tenderizing process so much easier.
Safety
Some meat tenderizers have razor sharp blades. Keep this in mind, especially if you have small children. Some needle tenderizers have a protective safety guard which fits over the blades to help prevent accidents.
By taking into account the various types of tenderizers, their price points and reviews that examine their features, you will be sure to find the tool that is right for you and your family.
FAQs
What is a meat tenderizer? How do they work?
Meat tenderizer are used in cooking for two primary reasons. First they can be used to flatten out cuts of meat leading to quicker cooking times and a better sear. Second, as the name suggests, meat tenderizers can be used to soften up tough cuts before cooking. This will elevate the overall consistency and flavour of the dish. This is in part due to the knubs on the end of each hammer-end, which increase the overall surface area of your cut.
How should I use a meat tenderizer?
Meat tenderizers are essentially hammers, so get to swinging. More seriously, tenderizers can be used either directly on the meat or through parchment paper. We don’t recommend saran wrap for this as it can tear during the tenderization process.
Are there other ways to tenderize meat?
Absolutely! The number on way to tenderize meat – even if you have a dedicated tenderizer – is through marinating. Flank steak is an especially good example. Using a touch of lime juice (an acid) with something that has high salt content (soy sauce) can lead to melt-in-your-mouth results after a day or two of sitting in the fridge. If you’d prefer to stick to the mallet method then you can somewhat replicate your results by using a rolling pin, wine bottle, heavy sauce pan, or other weighty household items.