Has anybody used a Jaccard/Deni/MrBBQ 48-blade tenderizer...

[tender loins]

Has anybody used a Jaccard/Deni/MrBBQ 48-blade tenderizer on their brisket? The general principle is that it breaks up the fibrous tissue/muscle/fibers making them more tender.

Here's a typical 48-blade tenderizer:

http://www.amazon.com/Jaccard-200348...ref=pd_sim_k_6

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...tpwwwridist-20

I have used it many times on flank steaks & chops & boneless chicken & things, but I wonder if it would help or hurt on a brisket. I think Alton Brown uses it to make cube steak or on tougher strandy type steaks too.

On one hand, it would allow marinade to penetrate the meat much deeper--I think the blades extend over an inch at full extension. On the other hand, with such long cooking times for brisket, maybe it would let the juices escape?

What about after trimming some of the fat cap, use it only on the top thru the fat so when smoked fat side up, the fat drips down into the meat pores/holes?

I think it's great marinating in a vacuum bag where the vacuum forces the marinade into the holes.

Any comments or experiences with it? Thanks.

 

[ronp]

I have one for years but haven't used it on a brisket.
We used it in the restaurant.

 

[wildflower]

better than GOOD, use it on anything I can, well worth the $$$$

 

[rbranstner]

I like your idea of using it on a brisket. I may have to try that out. If anyone has tried it let us know how it works.

 

[tender loins]

Would you do it all over or just on the top?

 

[tender loins]

Ron, what kind of meats or cuts did you use it on? I think for grilled stuff, it should be no problem because of the short times, just wasn't sure for long smokes. Of course, the rub and smoke may penetrate further too.

 

[ronp]

We used it mostly on tougher steaks like butt steaks. I would think that it would push your rub in also.

 

[bassman]

I also use one on most steaks and chops. Never felt the need to use it on my smoked meats since they cook low and slow and get plenty tender that way. Let us know if you try it and how it turns out.

 

[coyote]

what bassman said, but, it would help marinades get into the meat faster and deeper if you are not injecting. and after applying rubs it would push the rubs into the meat.(that sure can not hurt anything.)
and to answer your question where on the meat would you use it? all over. top to bottom front to back.
I have two, one like you have the link to and another style.,

 

[tender loins]

OK, I am trying it on a 9lb brisket tonight/tomorrow. I have used a marinade and my own rub on it & it's been in the fridge since last night. I just need to get my timing down and this will be the first time using chunks instead of chips. So I figure if I can put it on by 2am it should have plenty of daylight hours to fiddle with spritzes & turnings. I'll trey starting a new thread for my remaining questions. Thanks!

 

[meateater]

I have a Jaccard and forget that I have it. This post just gave me an idea using it for jerky.

 

[bbally]

I use a 48 blade jaccard.... mostly on Chicken Thighs. But I take it to a round steak often enough.

 

[eddisabledvet]

Ok, yes, I am reviving another zombie thread.  Seems to be my thing lately, but that is what I get for using the forum search.  lol

I am thinking about buying a meat tenderizer and I see on amazon that they have several different ones by Jaccard and Deni.  Simply better even makes one.  There are prices from 13.24 for a Mr. Bar-b-q 16 blade, all the way up to 100.99 for a Jaccard Simply Better Meat Tenderizer Knife 45 Blade stainless steel.  MD:200345NS.  There is even a Deni MT45 for 105.19. 


The one's I am looking at are the one's around 20.00 as I cannot afford to pay 100 dollars for a tenderizer. 





http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008GV9MSG/?tag=smokingmeatforums-20

These are the 100.00 plus one's and I do not see a difference...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GE9E4EE/?tag=smokingmeatforums-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GE9E3M2/?tag=smokingmeatforums-20

Any advice as to which tenderizer would be the best for one, tenderizing the meat of course, but two, helping to push some of the dry rub down into the meat or tenderizing before placing in brine or marinade.

Thanks

 

[bigwheel]

I was the proud owner of one of those punching gizmos for many moons. Found it totally worthless for much of anything. Maybe I had bad experiences..lol. To tenderize a tough steak turn me loose with the sharp edge of an Old Hickory butcher knife and stand back. That can do the trick. What good it does to poke holes in briskets..not quite sure. Makes it hard to hold the injection.

 

[eddisabledvet]

thanks bigwheel

I don't want to buy anything that I will not use or will make me a worse smoker

 

[tender loins]

Ed, I use the 48-blade one, for $22.99 & free shipping (but you now need to buy $35 from Amazon to get the free shipping.

It works great on steaks too, I always use it on flank & skirt/hanger steaks, especially tough, fibrous cuts.

I don't know if you can actually prove 1 steak is better than another without it, but in theory, it cuts long fibers of the meat into smaller strands. It works on the same principle as cubed steak but without the flimsiness, because the blades are close & narrow

This also allows marinades and rubs to get deeper into the meat. I use it on boneless skinless chicken breasts and marinade them and put them in vacuum style bags like from ziploc or food saver--the vacuum sucks out the air and pushes the marinade into the meat.

I think they are "Alton Brown approved" too.

Here are a couple good write-ups, one has a video on using it too.

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?26970-48-blade-meat-tenderizer

http://eatsandmeats.com/2012/01/29/jaccard-meat-tenderizer/  (from a blog; with video)

The 45 & 48 teeth (3 rows of either 15 or 16 teeth, check brands) are razor sharp.

Hope this helps.

 

[eddisabledvet]

Thanks for the info tender loins.  I am an amazon prime member so I get free 2 day shipping.  I think I will put this on my wish list and things to watch.  But definitely something I will get when I have the must haves bought. 

 

[bregent]

I picked up a Jaccard recently and I'm sold. Here's the deal. A few months back I bought a whole New York strip and a 3-pack of tri-tip from Cash and Carry - both choice if I recall. Portioned out the NY's and vacuum sealed and froze everything. A few weeks later I took out a few steaks to grill. The flavor was very good but they were definitely on the chewy side. I did the same with the tri-tip (but cooked low and slow) and had similar results - great flavor but tough. So I popped for the Jaccard 48-blade from Amazon. Defrosted 4 more steaks from the same pack and used the Jaccard and the difference in tenderness was amazing. Same thing for the tri-tip a few weeks later. Fast forward to last weekend.....

I've cooked dozens of briskets and have never been happy with any - they're always too dry. I've tried wrapped, unwrapped, injected, water in the bowl, without water, low, medium and higher temps, and they are always disappointing. So I picked up a 12lb whole angus choice brisket from Cash and Carry and figured I try again but use the Jaccard. First of all, it wasn't easy - that's one tough cut of beef. My arms were sore by the time I finished!

Coated with yellow mustard and rubbed with bbq rub. Put in the smoker at 225F and cooked 14 hours, unwrapped. Pulled at 190F, wrapped in foil and parked in the cooler for 5 hours. Took it out and sliced it up and it was by far the best I've ever done. It wasn't juicy, but it was plenty moist throughout.  One possible reason it may work is that the connective tissues contract at first when heated, shrinking the meat and squeezing out the juices. When you cut the connective tissue, you get less shrinkage. Seems plausible. 

I will add that the only other difference with this cook was that it was the first time I've coated with mustard - so that may have also had an influence on the results.

I know most folks don't need to use the Jaccard with brisket to get great results, but I can't seem to figure out what going wrong with mine so I will definitely be using it again.

Also, I think it's important that you sanitize the Jaccard before use when doing a brisket as it's going to be in the danger zone for quite a while. I used a solution of Star-san, but any other sanitizing technique should be fine.

 

[natdiamond]

The best brisket I ever made was with the Jaccard. The trick with brisket is the way to hold the Jaccard. They aren't needles. They are blades.So there is a thin side and a wide side. If the grain of the brisket is running right to left, then the wide edge of the Jaccard needs to be running top to bottom. Cutting AGAINST the grain. Otherwise it won't be as effective. Truth be told, I hit it, and other meats in an up, down, left, right and criss cross pattern on BOTH sides. But it's most important on brisket to emphasize cutting across the grain.