Tenderizing cheap cuts of steak with Baking soda

earth_moon, Aug 8, 7:30am
Has anyone tried this? I read that this is possible, but have never tried it. Anyone know how much to add, and if it tastes awful?

Thanks in advance.
245sam, Aug 8, 7:45am
earth_moon, I personally have not done so but others here on the Recipes MB have certainly done so. Here is the advice from 'fisher' who was a regular here on the Recipes MB.

"Tenderising Meat
Sprinkle BAKING SODA on each side of meat and leave in the refrigerator for an hour or two.
WIPE or WASH the baking soda off and cook meat as per normal."

Hope that helps. :-))
paora-tm, Aug 8, 8:14am
Something chinese takeaways do to tenderise thinly sliced meat.
fifie, Aug 8, 8:36am
I do it with some home kill beef I use up in srirfrys sometimes. Sprinkle thin meat slices with baking soda, leave for a while sitting in fridge to tenderise meat and rinse off baking soda with cold running water otherwise it tastes bitter. Pat dry with paper towel before cooking. it does work.
malcovy, Aug 8, 5:43pm
This method is fantastic and you do not rinse off. You do not notice the taste of the baking soda.
Mix 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 clove of crushed garlic. Brush this mixture over steak and leave for at least 2 hours. You can use it on good quality steak although the maximum time to leave it on would be 15 minutes. It adds a great flavour as well as tenderness.
happychappy50, Aug 8, 7:18pm
Layering sliced kiwifruit over your meat will also tenderise it . hmmm sounds rude
lythande1, Aug 8, 8:02pm
How Acid Changes Meat

The theory is that certain ingredients, particularly acidic ones like lemon juice, vinegar, or wine, do something to the proteins in meat, causing it to become more tender.

And the theory is partly true. The acid in those ingredients does do something to meat — but it's making it firmer, not more tender.

Look no further than your nearest ceviche for proof. The whole principle behind ceviche is that marinating raw fish in acid, such as lime juice, causes the proteins to coagulate and become firm, almost as if it had been cooked with heat.

Another example: The acid in the lemon juice causes the milk proteins to become firm, coagulating into little lumps called curds. These curds are then squeezed and pressed to make cheese.

Again, acid is causing proteins to become firm, not more tender.

While a basic experiment will reveal that the ability of baking soda to dissolve meat is merely a myth.
retired, Aug 8, 9:20pm
I have read somewhere that you can rub kiwifruit on meat to tenderise?
groomingtools, Aug 8, 9:30pm
Always kiwifruit - specially on squid
nauru, Aug 9, 4:53am
Agree about using kiwifruit but don't leave it on too long or the meat breaks down.
malcovy, Aug 9, 9:03am
A load of rubbish.
panicky, Aug 9, 10:21am
Isn't baking Soda an Alkaline?
punkinthefirst, Aug 10, 9:24am
Sure is.
Why not accept the meat for what it is, a flavourful cut that needs long, slow, moist cooking? You can cook it the night before you need it and refrigerate and reheat, if time is a problem. Just my two cents worth.
I once marinaded a tough piece of beef with kiwifruit for a couple of hours. ruined our dinner. the whole thing was pretty-much pre-digested!
smallwoods, Aug 10, 10:15am
Pineapple juice
autumnwinds, Aug 10, 11:31am
Kiwifruit or tamarilloes, here.
But don't leave the slices on for more than fifteen minutes or so.

I left some steak with kiwifu=ruit slices on one day, forgot about them, went out. several hours later there was a slushy mess on the plate.

And it's not so much the acids in the fruit, as the enzymes - which would be why pineapple works in the same way.
earth_moon, Aug 12, 10:45pm
thanks a lot folks for the above suggestions for tenderizing steak. In the interest of fair research, I am trying all the suggestions, and will report back here once I have results to report on.
Cheers!
glasshalfull, Jan 6, 3:43pm
Yes I have used BS to tenderise thinly sliced beef for a Chinese Stir fry recipe. I think it was in an Australian Woman's weekly Cook Book. It was called sizzling steak and served in one of those hot caste iron plates. Works fine and there's no taste.