There 're mechanical tenderizers (by multiple piercings) but they are not used in this kinda cut. Low and slow cooking will break muscle fibers and conective tissues in a way no tenderizers achieve.
Yeah what are you trying to do exactly? I often grill pork butt high and fast, using one of two methods:
1) I completely remove all fat from the meat, then cut the meat in 1/2" cubes, dry rub, skewer, and grill over high heat for a few minutes.
2) I start with rather thin slices of pork butt, marinate in olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbes de provence then grill over high heat for a few minutes.
2) I start with rather thin slices of pork butt, marinate in olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbes de provence then grill over high heat for a few minutes.
Thanks, I'm doing something similar to #2, except for the marinade I did, beer, orange juice, garlic, Mexican oregano and onion. (not sure if the beer was a good idea). And I stabbed each piece about 50 times with a tenderizer.
I used one recently on chicken breast. Not 50 times though! Maybe 10. Possibly it's different because the strands in chicken breast run much longer than many meats but it was the best grilled chicken breast I've made to date. I also butterflied them so they would cook evenly without drying out so I am sure that helped.
It's basically a bunch of little knives that start cutting the meat for you. The more you do it the more you meat starts feeling like ground meat. Personally I don't like what they do to the texture of meat and I wouldn't recommend them.
Before you buy one, next time you go to your butcher, ask him to tenderize something for you and see how you like it?
Edit: I can understand one not liking the texture. To me though, it's the same concept as cutting against the grain. They aren't really designed to puree your meat. If you're getting a texture of pre-chewed food I'd say you're either over doing it or using it on a meat that probably didn't need it to start with. Chef Masaharu Morimoto uses them often on Iron Chef for tougher cuts of meat. That's why I tried it in the first place.
Anyway, tenderizing meat is intended to soften the meat so it's easy to chew, yes? If you poke it with needles all you are doing is cutting up the fibers. May as well just use ground pork?
Even if you cut thin and cook at high heat, you're still getting a chewy piece of meat - especially if you are using pork butt. It's not meant for high and fast cooking. Well. Unless of course you like it that way.
Even if you cut thin and cook at high heat, you're still getting a chewy piece of meat - especially if you are using pork butt. It's not meant for high and fast cooking. Well. Unless of course you like it that way.
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