It is no secret that meat is the most nutritious and most important component of our diet. Not only that, but it is a chef’s paradise because it is so versatile. You can make so many different kinds of dishes with meat and one of those dishes that is beloved by a large number of people is steak.
To ensure that your meat is perfectly tender for the steak or whichever dish you are making, you will need the best meat tenderizer. Using a meat tenderizer will ensure you prepare your meat perfectly for the dish. To be able to do this, your meat tenderizer tool has to be strong and heavy enough to be able to tenderize the meat properly.
It should have a sturdy handle that ensures a good grip on the tool and should be effective enough that you don’t have to spend hours tenderizing the meat. Do you want the perfect meat tenderizer? Keep on reading because that is exactly what I am going to be guiding with today!
7 Best Meat Tenderizers and Why You Need Them
Are you someone who loves meat and it’s a staple in your and your family’s daily meals? Well, then you need a meat tenderizer. Trust me, it makes the meat so much tastier and just delicious. Tenderizing the meat before cooking will make sure that the meat is soft and tender. No matter which way you choose to cook the meat, your dish will come out wonderful every time.
With so many different kinds of tools on the market, you’re probably wondering which might be the best meat tenderizer. If you’ve been looking for a meat tenderizer on the market, look no further! I’ve handpicked seven of the best tools to tenderize your meat and I’m going to be giving you all the information you need. So let’s get started!
Comparison of 7 Best Meat Tenderizers in 2022
| IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | PRICE |
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KitchenAid |
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Checkered Chef |
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XSpecial |
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JY COOKMENT |
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Aliglow |
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AOMGD |
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Killer’s Instinct Outdoors |
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Top 7 Best Meat Tenderizers Review in 2022
1. Kitchen Aid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer
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While there are a few meat tenderizers in the market that pierce the meat deeply, most times, you just need something to pound the meat flat and then give it some texture. For this reason, this Kitchen Aid tool is the best meat tenderizer out of the bunch. I’m so partial to this tenderizer because it comes without extra features which are often unnecessary.
The two sides of the mallet-type tenderizer, in turn, flatten and then tenderize the meat. While it sounds too simple, the tenderizer does the job well. Do you need a batch of meat for cutlets? You can use the flat side of the mallet to thin out the cut of meat. On the contrary, if you need to tenderize the meat and make sure it soaks up seasonings and marinade well, use the grooved side.
The tenderizer is made of cast aluminum. Therefore, it’s lightweight enough to use and also rust-proof for a healthier experience in the kitchen. The Santoprene handle provides a comfortable and soft grip. All things considered, it’s one of my favorite choices in this list.
- Flat and grooved sides on the mallet
- Solid aluminum body
- Grippy santoprene handle
- multiple storage options
- Lightweight but still heavy enough for pounding meat
- Not dishwasher safe
2. Checkered Chef Meat Tenderizer
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This meat tenderizer is a mallet or hammer-like tool, which is more common. It is made of solid aluminum and is extremely sturdy. This tool is extremely easy to use and is double-sided, one being the flat side and the other being a textured side. The flat side enables you to flatten the meat very thinly, while the textured side will ensure that the marinade seeps deep into the meat and flavor it.
So you can choose which side is more suitable for the kind of meat you’re using and the dish you want to make. It is heavy enough to tenderize the meat without much effort and time, all the while being lightweight in your hands so your arm won’t get tired quickly.
The handle has a rubber coating, which allows for a strong grip and makes the tool very easy to hold in your hand. This top-quality best meat tenderizer is dishwasher safe, hence making it super easy to clean. It has a sleek, black look, which makes it quite pleasing to the eyes, and will look great in your kitchen toolset.
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- Completely dishwasher safe
- The rubber coating on the handle makes it easy to grip
- Double-sided
- Made out of sturdy aluminum
- The handle may detach with too much force
3. XSpecial Meat Tenderizer Tool
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This is one of the best-rated meat tenderizers that you can buy. This meat tenderizer has 48 needle blades that pierce into the meat and make sure that it cooks evenly and tenderly. The needles ensure that any marinade that you put on top of the meat seeps deep into it and you get the flavor in every bite throughout the piece of meat.
This is a different type of meat tenderizer than the normal hammer or mallet style and it offers a strong grip on the tool. This tenderizer has thin blades that won’t make your meat mushy or pulverize it to ensure the meat cooks perfectly. The tool is dishwasher safe so you can easily clean it without bothering to hand-wash the blades.
It is very simple to use and does the job in a very short amount of time so you won’t have to spend too much time on the preparation of the meat. It is high quality and makes sure that the blades are covered to avoid the risk of injury.
- Easy to clean – dishwasher safe
- Comes with a protective covering for the blades
- The blades are of good quality and sturdy
- The plastic handle may break if too much pressure is applied
4. JY COOKMENT Meat Tenderizer
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This tool is perhaps the best meat tenderizer, as it features 48 stainless steel needle blades that will make a tiny channel in the meat where the flavors can seep deep into the meat. The meat tenderizer has a very unique built, it has a sturdy, non-slip handle and the blades are covered with a protective cover.
Once you press down at the top, the blades are pushed down into the meat. This is extremely useful in avoiding cuts and injuries as the blades are only exposed once you press down onto the handle. The handle is also very durable and strong so it won’t break or crack under pressure.
The tenderizer can be cleaned easily by soaking in soapy water for a few minutes or in the dishwasher, as it is dishwasher safe. This requires a minimum amount of effort as all you have to do is press on top and the blades will do the rest. All the less effort required, the better right? Overall this meat tenderizer gives the most value for its price and is one of the greatest tools out on the market.
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- Easy to use
- Ultra-sharp blades
- Less risk of injuries due to innovative design
- Sturdy and easy to handle
- Can be a little difficult to clean
5. Aliglow Meat Tenderizer
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This meat tenderizer is perhaps the most traditional one on this list. It is made out of zinc alloy stainless steel and is a double-sided mallet/hammer-style tenderizer. One side has a smaller and larger number of spikes to flatten thin pieces of meat for cutlets or rollups, while the other side has larger and lesser spikes that are perfect for tenderizing large pieces of meat.
It is dishwasher safe and can also be hand washed; the material makes it super easy to clean with some warm water. It also features thin pieces of rubber on either side of the handle to ensure a better grip. It’s perfectly weighted to ensure that it doesn’t tire out your hand and does its job perfectly.
The compact size ensures that it fits into your drawers without taking up too much space and being too bulky. This meat tenderizer is also multi-purpose as you can use the smaller spike side to crush ice, crushing hard candies, and even nuts. If you’re looking for an inexpensive traditional mallet-style meat tenderizer, this will be perfect for you!
- Easy to use and store
- Easy to clean
- Made of sturdy stainless steel
- Double-sided
- Multi-purpose
- The steel can get rusty if not properly dried off
6. AOMGD Meat Tenderizer Tool
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This compact meat tenderizer is unique and provides a different experience to meat tenderizing. It features 21 blades in a round formation made from high-quality stainless steel, with a plastic body and handles. The blades are protected with a disc that has holes for the blades to slip through once the tenderizer is pressed onto the meat.
It is extremely lightweight and easy on the wrist, as it requires very little pressure for the blades to be able to pierce into the meat. This is the safest tenderizing tool since the blade needles are fully covered and there’s an extremely low risk of cuts or any kind of injury.
It can be cleaned easily using some warm water and a small brush to clean the needles. This best meat tenderizer works well enough to tenderize the meat without distorting the shape or structure of meat, ensuring that your steak looks delicious and juicy.
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- Lightweight and compact design
- Needles are covered, low risk of injury
- Requires less effort to operate
- Not dishwasher safe
7. Killer’s Instinct Outdoors Meat Tenderizer
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This unique meat tenderizer is for those who are looking for a tool that will do all the work for them. It features a clamp-on design through which you can easily attach this to your table or countertop, place a place below the main tenderizing part and you’re good to go.
This tenderizer requires no pounding or any kind of hammering which might be necessary when using a mallet-style tenderizer. The metal area flattens the meat and also punctures it to allow the marinade to seep deep into the meat. The tenderizing blades are covered with plastic, with one large opening at the top from where the meat is passed through.
Turning plastic handle is all you have to do to pass the meat through the blades and tenderize it. The body of the tenderizer is made up of good quality aluminum and is quite sturdy. It’s fast and easy to use and requires minimum effort from the user.
- Easy to use
- No pounding required
- Clamps onto countertops
- A thicker cut of meat cannot be tenderized easily
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What Exactly Does a Meat Tenderizer Do?
A: A meat tenderizer helps flatten the piece of meat, which majorly reduces its cooking time, primarily by around 40%. It also helps break the connective tissue in the meat, allowing the meat to be tender, soft, and easy to chew after cooking. A meat tenderizer also makes incisions in the meat that allows the marinade to be absorbed deeply and makes sure that you get a flavorful bite every time.
Q: Is a Meat Tenderizer Necessary to Cook a Steak?
A: It’s not necessary, but it helps majorly in your steak’s texture and flavor profile. Using a meat tenderizers to prepare your steak before cooking allows your steak to be soft enough to be cut using a fork. Additionally, it will make sure that your steak isn’t chewy and hard. If you’re looking to make a steak similar to the kind you may get in restaurants, using a meat tenderizer will be of great help!
Q: How Can I Tenderize Meat Quickly?
A: Using a meat tenderizing mallet is one of the quickest ways to tenderize meat. There are four ways to tenderize meat. The first way is to cook it on low heat for a long time, but that’s not quick by any means. The second way is to use a commercial meat tenderizer powder. This way is also pretty swift for tenderizing meat.
Using a natural meat tenderizer such as lemon juice or pineapple juice is a slower process, which takes a few hours. The last way is to go at the meat with a tenderizer tool, which will pound or piecer the meat and tenderize it. It is also an excellent way to tenderize the meat without changing its taste or flavor in any way.
Q: What Can I Use Instead of a Meat Mallet?
A: Anything heavy that you can use to pound meat comfortably can be used as a meat tenderizer mallet. You could use a rolling pin, an empty wine bottle, any other heavy and sturdy glassware, or even a heavy saucepan.
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Conclusion
Choosing a meat tenderizer tool may seem intimidating because of all the different varieties available. However, now that you know about all the best meat tenderizers out there in the market, you can easily choose which one appeals to you the most and add it to your kitchen essentials. These meat tenderizers are affordable, easy to use, and easily available. So hurry up and grab yours now and make the best steak you’ve ever had, right at home!
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