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Never serve tough steak again with my guide on How to Tenderize Steak! No matter what cut of meat you're working with, this guide gives you easy and delicious methods of making even the most budget-cut restaurant-worthy and totally juicy.
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Tenderize Steak
There's no such thing as a low-quality cut of steak when you know how to tenderize beef! With proper tenderizing, even the most budget cut of steak will turn out tender, juicy, and restaurant-quality.
It's all about knowing what kind of steak you're working with, and how much time you have to prep. The secret about steak is, the fattier, the more flavorful it will be! That means that cuts that are typically sold for lower prices can make for the very best steaks!
So never be afraid of tough steak again! With my guide on tenderizing steak, even the cheapest cuts you can find will turn out juicy, tender, and totally showstopping.
How to Make a Steak Tender
Tenderizing Steak with a Mallet
Using a meat mallet is one of the most well-known methods and definitely the fastest way to tenderize steak! It only takes a few minutes and can be cooked immediately after tenderizing, perfect for making dinner on the fly.
It's also so easy- all you need is a mallet (or other heavy object like a pan or rolling pin) and wax paper or plastic wrap. Mallet tenderizing is the perfect way to tenderize steak that needs to be cooked quickly and should be thin.
- Lay the steak flat on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, butterfly the knife by cutting it in half but stopping just before it's cut all the way through. Then open the steak and flatten it out.
- Using a meat mallet, pound out the edges of the steak, moving slowly inward. It doesn't need to be paper thin- just until it starts to feel softened. Once one side is softened, flip the steak and repeat the process.
- Season, salt, and cook!
For a perfect recipe to use thin-pounded steak, try out my Carne Alla Pizzaiola! Super-thin steak strips are cooked in flavorful tomato sauce for a meal that's too good to pass up.
Or, try out my Grilled Strip Steak- a combination of pounding flat and marinating for fall-apart tender steak!
Tenderizing Steak Marinade
If time is on your side, marinating steak is the best way to tenderize meat. Marinades are quick and easy to make, and with proper preparation, make for the most flavorful, fully tenderized steak that you could ever imagine!
There are tons of amazing recipes for marinades for any flavor combination you can imagine. Just make sure not to let a strong marinade sit too long- when using strong acids like pineapple juice, marinating too long will make the meat mushy. Only let it sit overnight, then promptly cook the meat!
- Prepare the marinade in a dish and mix well. Then place the steaks in a shallow dish or plastic bag, and pour the marinade over, turning the steaks to cover them.
- Seal the bag or cover the dish in plastic, then let it sit in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
- Remove, shake off the excess marinade, and cook!
Ready to try marinating steak? Try out some of my favorite marinade recipes!
- London Broil Marinade - This same recipe makes one of my favorite Sauces for Meat Recipes!
- Classic Steak Marinade
- Asian Steak Marinade
- Short Ribs Marinade
Or, try out one of my great marinated steak recipes, such as my ultra-flavorful, ultra-tender Marinated Chuck Steak!
Steak Rubs
Beef Seasonings are a great way to tenderize beef. I recommend giving the steak a good rub and leaving them overnight to tenderize. You will be amazed at how tender your steaks will become when dry brining.
Here are some of my all-time favorite rubs. Feel free to try them all and mix them up with different cuts. They all provide such diverse flavor profiles.
Tenderizing Steak with Salt
Salt is the perfect way to tenderize steak quickly without flattening the meat! This method is ideal when you want to preserve the flavor of the meat without any alterations. Salt seeps into the meat to draw out the moisture and create its own brine, tenderizing the meat in as little as 30 minutes.
- Using sea salt, kosher salt, or another large flake table salt, liberally salt all sides of the steaks.
- Let the steaks rest for a minimum of 30 minutes in the fridge, uncovered.
- Remove, and cook!
Follow my step-by-step guide on How to Salt Steak properly.
Slow Cooking Steak
Of course, any steak will become totally tender when slow-cooked! This method of cooking takes multiple hours to break down all the connective tissue in a cut of meat, leaving it so tender it can shred with a fork! Braising low and slow is a great way to tenderize meat.
You can also use a smoker, which slow-cooks without turning the steak to shreds!
- Try out my Smoked Tri-tip for incredibly tender steak slow-cooked to perfection!
- Smoked Brisket
- Smoked Prime Rib
- Smoked Steak
- Check out all my favorite Smoked Beef Recipes
Scoring Steak
A super-fast, but slightly less effective way of tenderizing steak, especially those tough cuts with long connecting muscle fibers like flank steak, is to score the surface of the meat. By scoring the surface, you're cutting some of the connective fibers to make them shorter and easier to chew.
Ideally, this method is best used paired with another, such as marinating. Just score the top of the steak lightly (no deeper than ¼th of an inch) and you're all set!
Cut Steak Against the Grain
Cutting steak against the grain is essential for achieving a more tender steak. When you cut against the grain, you're slicing through the muscle fibers, making them shorter and easier to chew. Here's how to do it:
- Prepare Your Steak: Start by cooking your steak to your desired level of doneness. This can be done by pan-searing steak, grilling steak, oven-cooked steak or any other preferred method.
- Rest the Steak: Allow the steak to rest for a few minutes before slicing. This helps redistribute the juices within the meat, making it juicier when you cut into it.
- Identify the Grain: Examine the steak to determine the direction of the muscle fibers (grain). The grain will run parallel lines along the steak's surface. You'll want to cut perpendicular to these lines.
- Use a Sharp Knife: A sharp knife is crucial for clean and effortless slicing. A chef's knife or carving knife with a long, thin blade works best for this task.
- Slice Across the Grain: Position your knife perpendicular to the grain of the steak.
- Begin slicing the steak into thin strips, cutting across the grain. Make each slice about ¼ to ½ inch thick, depending on your preference.
Remember that the direction of the grain can vary across different cuts of steak, so be sure to assess each piece individually and adjust your slicing direction accordingly. Cutting against the grain is especially important for tougher cuts of meat, like flank steak or skirt steak, to maximize tenderness.
What steaks need tenderizing?
When it comes to steaks, there are tons of options for different cuts, and all of them require slightly different preparation! For a super-tender cut like filet mignon, tenderizing the steak is completely unnecessary- the beef is already so tender, it could damage the fibers.
Cuts with a lot of connective tissue should be tenderized! Beef cuts from the shoulders and legs will have a ton of flavor, but are so often used as muscles that they tend to be tough. These include:
Try marinating these cuts to tenderize them, if you have time. If not, pounding the meat down with a meat mallet and salting it before cooking could be your best bet! My guide to cuts of steak gives some great tips!
Tips to Tenderize Beef
- A little marinating is better than none at all! Adding a marinade for even 30 minutes can help tenderize the meat, especially when combined with scoring and mallet tenderizing.
- When using a mallet, be careful not to flatten the meat too much- it still needs some thickness to keep moisture.
- Keep in mind with mallet-tenderized beef that a thinner steak will cook faster! Be sure to keep a close eye on the internal temperature. Remember to always check my Steak Temperature Chart and use a Meat Thermometer!
Tenderizing Steak FAQs
Cheap steak is easy to tenderize in so many ways! My favorite way to tenderize a cheap steak is by letting it marinate in an acidic marinade. This adds a ton of flavor while also serving to tenderize the steak! If you're short on time, you can also tenderize the steak by pounding it thin with a meat mallet.
If you've ever wondered how restaurants manage to make their steaks so tender, it's all in the marinade. By preparing steaks in marinade while they're being stored, restaurants can essentially wet-age beef to perfection before you ever pick it off the menu. The good news is, with a good marinade, you can do this, too!
For tender steaks that don't need to marinate for hours, try salting the beef for 30 minutes before cooking it! This process draws out the moisture which then dissolves the salt, forming a natural brine. Another great option is using a meat tenderizer or other heavy tool to pound the meat thin!
Steak Cooking Guides
- What to Serve with Steak
- How to Cook Steak in the Oven
- How to Grill Steak
- How to Cook Steak in a Pan
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📋 Recipe
Tenderizing Steak
Equipment
- 1 Meat tenderizer or heavy implement such as a pan or rolling pin
See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!
Instructions
- Lay the steak flat on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, butterfly the knife by cutting it in half but stopping just before it's cut all the way through. Then open the steak and flatten it out.4 Steaks
- Using a meat mallet, pound out the edges of the steak, moving slowly inward. It doesn't need to be paper thin- just until it starts to feel softened. Once one side is softened, flip the steak and repeat the process.
- Season, salt, and cook!½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Pepper
Notes
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- A little marinating is better than none at all! Adding a marinade for even 30 minutes can help tenderize the meat, especially when combined with scoring and mallet tenderizing.
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- When using a mallet, be careful not to flatten the meat too much- it still needs some thickness to keep moisture.
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- Keep in mind with mallet-tenderized beef that a thinner steak will cook faster! Be sure to keep a close eye on the internal temperature. Remember to always check my Steak Temperature Chart!
- Try using this guide for cuts such as:
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- Chuck steak
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- Brisket
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- Bottom round steak
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- Flank steak
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- Hanger steak
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- London Broil
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- Skirt Steak
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- Tri-Tip
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Nutrition
» About Me
- London Broil on the Grill - September 16, 2023
- Steak Seasoning - September 16, 2023
- Prime Rib Rub - September 15, 2023
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