To poke holes or not in a steak

[venture]

Are you kidding me?

Good luck and good smoking.

Good grilling, too.

 

[nozzleman]

The "juccartti thing" works great when used on a cheap cut of meat like sirloin. It takes a little bit of getting used to using it,  you can over do it and ruin any texture but after a time or two you get the hang of it and can make a great steak out of sirloin. When I have a high quality steak I don't poke it. 

 

[venture]

You might be talking about a Jaccard?  With a decent piece of steak, there is no need for that. For cheaper cuts, who knows?

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I have had a Jaccard for 20 years and can count the number of times I used it on one hand!   Money cuts dont need it. Flank Steak or Round, cut into London Broil, if not cooked beyond Medium and sliced Thinly on a Biase of 45*, will produce tender good eats.  Flank is the Number One most requested Steak in my house, eaten twice a month at a minimum.  Other than a Commercial Meat Cubing Machine, the average tenderizing tool doesn't make much difference...JJ

 

[venture]

Don't listen to Chef JJ.

He has a nasty East Coast attitude.

Use Adolphs or another papain based tenderizer to turn your meat to mush!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[venture]

OK.  Unless anybody is taking this seriously?

No need to tenderize a decent steak.

In the old days, the housewives would hit a skirt or flank steak with the edge of a plate.  Probably not a bad way to go?

Today we pound down a piece of veal or even a chix breast with a mallet.  That is nice to shape it.  How much does it do to tenderize it?  I will let JJ answer that.  LOL

I cant help but think the old housewives had the clue.  When the tough piece of meat was a little mangled mechanically, there might have been some tenderizing going on there.  We do it with abalone, don't we?

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Pounding meat MAY break up some of the connective tissue binding Muscle Cells but then so does Freezing to tenderize, some West Coast theory no doubt! (Those Guys eat Pizza with a Knife and Fork! Fa-get-a-bout-it!)

Bottom line," You can't make a Silk Purse from a Sow's Ear!"...JJ

 

[venture]

Nope.  It is the deep dish guys in Chicago that need the knife and fork?

Gotta go.  Got black helicopters from Washington overhead. 

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[chadinclw]

I do nothing to good steak like strip, rib-eye, etc. But, since I usually wind up with bottom round I break out he Jaccard. I'd just like to point out that steak, since it's sliced, has already had the integrity of the fibers violated!! I have never noticed the tenderized steaks dripping juice all over the place since the tenderizing is done prior to cooking.

 

[onewondershow]

I only poke cheaper cuts like london broil which I then marinade in the fridge before throwing on a very hot grill i use a meat tenderizer I bought at costco with a ton of little needles in it and it works great. If I'm grilling a better cut like a rib eye just a salt/pepper rub and on the grill it goes.

 

[mountainhawg]

I love to marinade steaks. Start them in the marinade in the morning, bring them out of the fridge and place covered on the counter at noon, grill at 5:15 PM. Found this recipe I've used twice now, tasty and has a bit of tenderizing action to it:  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/113616/marinated-flank-steak-w-recipe

NO HOLES IN A RIB EYE OR PORTER HOUSE! Just the tougher cuts, maybe.

 

[asfastasitgets]

I never poke, but will punch them lying on the counter. It's like therapy, just make sure you use quality zipper bags. lol :)

As far as marinade goes, I came across this on Google, and it's divine: Mix equal parts soy, Worchestershire, and balsamic vinegar. I usually use 1/4 cup as my 'part' measure, and will add about a tablespoon of Louisiana-style hot sauce depending on who I'm feeding. A couple hours in the fridge, minimum; I've let them go for 48 hrs before, and wound up with ribeyes cooked to medium that you could cut with a fork. Remove from marinade, dry with paper towels, add seasoning (if desired, but watch the salt), and grill/somke as normal. The marinade really adds to the color of the sear. :) Always get rave reviews. As always, ymmv.

Note: If you're worried about salt, add 2 parts (in my case, 1/2 cup) of water, especially for thinner cuts. I usually have my ribeyes cut at 1 1/2 inches or so.