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Tenderizing Thai beef?


Kenny202

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Couple of questions. Buy beef occasionally to use in curries here. Doesn't seem to matter how long you cook it for ...and you need to cook it a long time to make tender but it seems the longer i stew it, it gets softer but also gets dry and stringy.... even submerged in soup. I couldn't tell you what cut I normally buy ( and I doubt the seller could either) but it's a lot leaner than we'd get back home. Any tips?

We also buy fillet sometimes. Good flavor And reasonably tender but would like to make more so. Any ideas?

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Not too sure about the scientific basis of this. A few months ago we had to butcher a cow that had managed to strangle itself overnight. We put a few bits into the deep freeze and left it for 5 or 6 weeks. It was definitely edible after that, in fact it was the first beef that I had actually enjoyed for a long time. Good old US beef goes into the deep freeze for a long time before being sold.

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Before cooking, sprinkle some baking soda (not baking powder) on the uncooked beef and mix it into the slices or chunks of beef. Let it sit for awhile before cooking. Comes out very tender even after stir frying. That what I do when using Thai beef in Thai curry dishes.

Edited by TallGuyJohninBKK
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Before cooking, sprinkle some baking soda (not baking powder) on the uncooked beef and mix it into the slices or chunks of beef. Let it sit for awhile before cooking. Comes out very tender even after stir frying. That what I do when using Thai beef in Thai curry dishes.

That I will try. Edited by siamcrut
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When I buy Thai beef, usually boneless sirloin, I buy a 1.5-2kg chunk. I wrap it in a clean cotton cloth and put it on the bottom shelf of the fridge for about 2 weeks to age it. I cut off the dark outside areas and slow roast it until it is rare and then slice the remainder on a neat slicer "paper thin" across the grain for sandwiches. Usually comes out okay. I also buy the same, trim out the gristle and grind it - definitely tender and okay for burger, meatloaf and tacos but not suitable for curry!

When you slow cook a tough cut of meat for a long time it will eventually fall apart, but the pieces will remain tough and dry since any moisture has been removed. I also buy a large chunk of brisket and wet cure it for about 2 weeks and then seal it in a plastic bag and cook it in the slow cooker for about 11 hours on low - 82 degrees. It's done, but not falling apart and I slice it "paper thin' across the grain on a meet slicer and make corned beef sandwiches.

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With beef it either needs to be cooked not-very-long or way-too-long. Cook your massaman or whatever in a wok in 3 minutes, or simmering over the lowest heat for several hours (braise). In between will be tough, especially if it isn't a premium cut. Should fall off the bone and be stringy but not dry with a long, slow braise.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

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Marinate in some papaya juice....its a natural tenderiser....and helps the body digest the meat better.

Marinate in some papaya juice....its a natural tenderiser....and helps the body digest the meat better.

Better late than never I suppose -----------See post 9 ! smile.png

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I got this tip from a thaivisa member a while back.

Soak in fresh cut pineapple for an hour or so... softens nicely.

this extract form google:' Fresh Pineapple Juice contains an enzyme bromelain, which is a natural meat tenderizer. It is used in many commercial meat tenderizers. This enzyme is destroyed in the canning process, so canned Pineapple Juice won't work. Frozen will work; powdered or bottled won't.'

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Try getting you beef from the Thai- French butchers, behind Villa on Sukumvit 33 or beside Zeer. They cut and grind the beef for me, I use chuck steak, have tender loins,T-Bones, anything you want. Burgers are juicey, even their flank steak I cook on grill has been great

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whistling.gif

Tenderizing Thai beef !! Bloody impossible.

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A 24 hour marinade soak in Vinegar and water will tenderize most Thai beef.

Vinegar is acidic and will break down the muscle fibers in the Beef leaving them tender and ready to slow cook in a Crock Pot before it is soaked in water for a few hours (to remove the Vinegar taste if you find that objectionable0 before you put it on the Grill.

Only fools (or Australians) would take a slab of meat out of the fridge and "just toss it on the barbby".

Add a bit of Beef stock or even Chicken stock to the marinade to improve the taste of the meat.

A decent marinade is the real cooks secret friend.

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Use a pressure cooker both with stews and "Roast".

A lump of about 2 kg for abou 40 minutes and it is tender but the outside is not like roast so I roll it in a hot frying pan to brown it. Fairly good but would not pass the 5 star hotel test for looks but it is tender and good to eat.

I usually put some fried onions under it and they break down and help make the juice sweet so a dash of balsamic and you have nice gravy too.

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If you slice the beef against the grain and put the slices between green papaya slices it will be quite tender in a day or two but unfortunately it still won't have much flavor. Beef needs marbled fat to have any flavor.

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Tenderizing Thai beef !! Bloody impossible.

try what i do C,i ask for the loin.dont say sirloin as they dont know.

season it well,some shallots,put it in a meat dish with a pint of water.cover with foil and cook on a 150-160deg.for 4hrs.

when done let it cool and cover it and leave it over night in the fridge.

you should have some nice beef stock from the cooking to make a gravy.

you will find the beef will slice easily [not stringy]

add the meat to the gravy and it will eat very well,roast tatties,carrots,peas and sprouts.thats what i had yesterday,and i just had 2beef and gravy rolls for breaki.

YUMMEE.

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