Meat tenderizers are a must-have especially if you consider yourself a meat lover. With it, meat products-turned-sumptuous-entrees are made more palatable and easier-to-prepare. It also cuts down the cooking time, so you can relish the tender and juicy taste of meals, such as steaks, menudo, or caldereta in no time.
We know that choosing a meat tenderizer is not something you leave to chance. Read our buying guide, fact-checked by Chef Terence Fereday Jr., to learn more about which variables to think of when purchasing this useful tool for your kitchen. Also, check out the 10 best meat tenderizers we found online that might suit your meal preparation and eating habits.
Quick List - Top Meat Tenderizers
Chef Terrence has 30 years of experience working in the professional kitchen. He graduated from the Professional Culinary Institute in California, USA, and he was a former Culinary Instructor, Corporate Chef, and Executive Chef. He also won several awards in culinary competitions and is the founder and owner of Zilla Pizza.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
As a general rule, different meat cuts and products call for a corresponding meat tenderizer. The goal of tenderizers is to break up the heavy protein tissues in the chicken, roast, or steak to allow moisture and marinade to penetrate thoroughly into the food.
The most traditional yet versatile is the meat tenderizer mallet. It tenderizes thick slices of poultry, pork, and beef using the dual surfaces of the hammerーone having a spiked (textured) side that punctures deeper into the meat surface; the other with a flat side to help for even cooking and heating.
Using a meat tenderizer hammer can be a bit messy as you'd have to swing the tool often and hard until the meat parts have softened. For easier cleanup, check out "pounders." These are mallet tenderizers that are designed like a stamp. Since it doesn't require swinging, it causes lesser splatter and strain on your wrist and hands.
Tip: Cover the meat you are tenderizing with cling wrap to avoid messy splatters.
As opposed to the flat and spiked surfaces of the mallet types, this one has piercing blades to tear into the tissues of the meat. The cuts create more avenues for rubbing any seasoning into the product. Blade types are ideal for tenderizing extra-thick chunks of meat.
As the blades run through the meat, it also creates heat channels which help minimize cooking time. Do note that you are dealing with multiple blades at a time, so you better be extra cautious when using this. For safety, choose the ones with blade locks, so you can conceal the sharp edges when not in use.
Meat tenderizer needle usually consists of not less than 48 stainless steel needle-like blades. It pierces the meat with a depth of 1.5 to 2 inches, and most times it can be adjusted. Note that needle tenderizer is best for thicker meat cuts, as using it on thinly sliced ones can tear the meat apart quickly when cooked.
As the needles puncture into thick cuts of meat, it reduces the cooking time and promotes heat distribution. With it, the meat retains its juicy and flavorful taste. Since every needle of this type is meant to be razor-sharp, pick out the ones with adjustable or retractable features and a non-slip handle to prevent accidents.
Needle tenderizers help the marinade penetrate the meat faster.
If dealing with needles, blades, and mallets for softening meat products is not your cup of tea, try marinating the meat in a tenderizing powder. Powder solutions allow you to tenderize any meat without brute force. Usually consisting of salt, cornstarch, or sugar, a tenderizing powder has protease, an enzyme that breaks apart the tissue proteins.
Protease is a naturally-occurring ingredient derived from kiwis, pineapples, and papaya. Not only are you saving your strength when rubbing the powder on, but the waiting time for tenderizing is also shorter than ever. It only takes less than 10 minutes to tenderize even a thick chunk of meat.
When dealing with either heavy or sharp kitchen tools, it's better to be safe than sorry. Meat tenderizers are kitchen tools that have to be handled with utmost care. Any mishandling of this item will cause damage or injury, not only to the food you are preparing but to you as well. Here are some things to consider to prevent this:
Maintaining a tenderizer requires that you wash it safely either by hand or through a dishwasher. Oftentimes, mallets can be handled by manual washing, especially when you have to scrub off the spikes and crevices for meat residue. However, manufacturers suggest that needle and blade tenderizers be washed in a dishwasher to prevent injury.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Eurochef Heavy-Duty Meat Tenderizer Hammer | ![]() | A Wood-and-Plastic Twist to Pounding Food Items | |
2 | Migecon Meat Tenderizer Mallet | ![]() | A Trusty Mallet for Tough Food Items | |
3 | McCormick Meat Tenderizer Non-Seasoned | ![]() | Achieve Tender and Juicy Meat Effortlessly | |
4 | Ibili Meat Tenderizer | ![]() | Say Goodbye to Wrist-Straining Swinging and Pounding | |
5 | 2 in 1 Meat Tenderizer Flavor Injector | ![]() | Multi-Purpose Tenderizer for a More Flavorful Meat | |
6 | Wood Meat Hammer | ![]() | A Budget- and Eco-Friendly Answer to Tenderizing Woes | |
7 | Knorr Meat Tenderizer | ![]() | All-Natural Blend to Heighten the Meaty Taste | |
8 | Royal King Nylon Meat Tenderizer | ![]() | A Stainless Steel and Plastic Duo For Juicier Meals | |
9 | Masflex Stainless Steel Rolling Meat Tenderizer | ![]() | Speed Up the Softening Process Through This Roller | |
10 | Homesix Stainless Steel Blade Meat Tenderizer | ![]() | Reducing Your Normal Cooking Time in Half |
With a handle made from durable wooden material, this mallet gives a twist to the usual stainless steel and rubber combo. Its mallet head has double-sided spiked surfaces, one with smaller spikes and the other larger ones. The wooden handle allows for a firm grip on the mallet itself as you swing the plastic head into the meat.
This hammer has been proven to tenderize not only poultry products but also pork and steak. On top of it, its aqua blue color can accentuate your kitchen space. Giving you enough weight to work with spices, vegetables, and fruits, this tenderizer is certainly more than what meets the eye and is ideal for every user!
This mallet has revolutionized the design of mallet meat tenderizers itself. Its head has two-spiked surfacesーone with 14 large textured spikes, and the other with 34 smaller needles. Made from aluminum alloy, this double-sided meat tenderizer is wider on the handle and tapers to the head for that even weight distribution.
The handle is covered in a non-slip material and has ample room for comfortably positioning your hand on the mallet as you pound in on your meat products. Most importantly, it is certified and guaranteed by the FDA as safe to use. Because of these, reviewers of this item can't help but praise it for its durability and effectiveness.
Bring out the naturally juicy, meaty taste of your food items with this unseasoned powdered meat tenderizer from McCormick! Pooling the natural tenderizing properties of sugar and salt, your meals are not only tenderized but are also made tastier, minus the pounding from manual meat tenderizers.
It contains zero percent calories, fat, and cholesterol, so you won't have to worry about meat tenderizer powder side effects. This product is perfect for when you have a lot on your plate as you just leave the powder on the meat for less than 10 minutes, and it will soften meat parts, even the thicker and chunkier cuts. That's zero hard work on your part!
This manual multi-blade unit is a hybrid of the needle and blade types of meat tenderizer. It is ergonomically designed to lessen hand and wrist strain from the usual swing-and-pound motion when using the mallet. And with its stamp-like mechanism, you can expect a more precise and cleaner tenderizing process.
Not only can you use it on common meat products, such as beef or poultry, but it's also been found to work well with fish products. Its 24 stainless steel blades are strongly attached to an FDA-approved ABS plastic. And for added safety, it has also been fitted with a stopper so as not to overexert the blade.
For those who want a multi-purpose tool, this one's a good addition to your kitchen. It has the essentials that you need for more tender and flavorful meat. Aside from softening meat, this product is also a flavor injector. Using it will make meat preparation more efficient and cleaner.
This innovative tool is made from environmentally friendly materials, making it safe to use. The needles are made from stainless steel needles to effectively soften and inject flavor into the meat. Switching functions is also easy by rotating its body. With its uses, this will be a practical buy for meat lovers.
Here is a hammer tenderizer with a handle made of wood. Compared to others made of plastic and its other variants, this definitely is more eco-friendly and provides for an easier grip when pounding on the meat product. And with its budget-friendly price, this will be ideal for everyone, especially those who are new to meat tenderizers.
With two blade types, you can easily switch the hammer depending on the meat product you're preparing. This handy tenderizer has indeed embodied the utilitarian feel that most amateur and even professional chefs prefer when dealing with tougher meat items.
A household name in food-loving Filipino homes, Knorr has given us its version of a meat tenderizer in powder form. This 450-gram bottle of powder meat tenderizer is filled not only with softening properties but also flavor-heightening qualities for every cut of meat.
With a unique blend of turmeric and pineapple fruit extract, the tenderizing process is guaranteed to be all-natural. With it, you can tenderize even the toughest meat item you have, minus exerting brute force. This lessens the preparation time, making you more relaxed in the cooking process.
This tenderizer is unlike the others, with its nylon material incorporated into the mallet head and handle. This allows for forceful pounding with no slippage, even when your hands are greasy. Not only is the handle made of non-slip material, but it is also designed to fit the contours of your hand for a comfortable grip.
Mainly made of stainless steel, this mallet has enough weight to soften and tenderize your meat products even without exerting too much force. Proven by avid users and reviewers as a durable item, this purchase will certainly give you the best bang for your buck.
Another innovation in the kitchen is this meat tenderizer with needles. The needle parts are raised spikes shaped to have a sharp edge, which prick the meat as it rolls into it. With its roller form, tenderizing meat is more manageable and less straining on your hands.
This tenderizer has been proven to be solid and firm, plus it's guaranteed to be corrosion-resistant and environmentally friendly. Another huge bonus is that it's easy to clean, and its handle makes for safe and easy storage. We're sure this roller will be a good addition to make your meals tastier and more tender!
Guaranteed to reduce your cooking time by 40%, this blade tenderizer enables the marinade to penetrate deeper into thick meat products, making it savory and tasty. Made from high-quality materials, the blades of this tenderizer have been strongly attached to the ergonomic handle for holding the blade tool securely.
While its 48 individual stainless-steel blades look daunting, you need not worry about storing it safely after use. The blades are engineered to be retractable and guarded by retraction columns. Aside from its collapsible functionality, a plastic cover can also be fitted into the tool to conceal the sharp blades and ensure safety.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by the mybest team.
Mechanical meat tenderizers are safe provided that they are used accordingly. The same applies to seasoning tenderizers or tenderizing salts as they are mainly composed of salt and protease.
The taste will depend on the brand and variant (seasoned or non-seasoned) of the product. If you want to preserve the innate taste of the meat, a non-seasoned meat tenderizer is best. Note that too much tenderizer powder can affect the texture and result in unwanted mushiness.
Yes, meat tenderizers can be used on chicken. Chicken meat will become softer and juicier with both mechanical and powder meat tenderizers.
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Author: A. Ugay
Re-editor: J Ausa
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
No. 1: Eurochef|Heavy-Duty Meat Tenderizer Hammer
No. 2: Migecon|Meat Tenderizer Mallet
No. 3: McCormick|Meat Tenderizer Non-Seasoned
No. 4: Ibili|Meat Tenderizer
No. 5: |2 in 1 Meat Tenderizer Flavor Injector
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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