We have been marinating meats for a hundred years already. In history, the process of marinating is believed to have originated in various locations. Soy sauce-based marinades have been long used in Asia. In Latin America, before the start of the expeditions of the Europeans, papaya was first used to tenderize cuts of meat. Various accounts of use marinates in other parts of the world have been document as well.

By the way, what were marinade originally used for?

A hundred years before the invention of the refrigerator, our ancestors used many ways to preserve food. In order to prolong the shelf life of the foods, they employed various preservation methods. They mostly used salting, smoking, drying, and even spicing.

And marinating actually falls under the salting method. Because back then, marinades were basically just salty soup used to preserve the meat. In fact, marinate literally means “pickle in sea salt brine”.

Today, we use marinades for two main reasons: to tenderize meat, and flavor our food (do actually they?)

You might also like: Should You Or Should You Not Wash The Meat?

How Marinades Tenderize Meat

Meat of animals is composed of proteins in the muscle fibers. Meat proteins have three classifications: connective tissues (collagens), myofibrillar (made up of myosin and actin), and sarcoplasmic (enzymes and myoglobin). The connective tissues act to support the bones during movement. The myofibrillar proteins perform muscle movement while the sarcoplasmic proteins are mainly responsible for metabolism.

The movement of the animal makes its meat tougher and harder to chew. The use of acids (usually citrus, and vinegar) and fruit enzymes make the meat softer by breaking down these proteins. Yes, some fruits are natural meat tenderizers because they contain enzymes that break down meat proteins. Most marinade recipes call for pineapples (for bromelain enzyme) and papayas (papain enzyme). Figs, mango, pears are also popular choices.

Fun fact: Ever wondered why eating pineapples give us a burning sensation in the tongue? It is because the bromelain is trying to breakdown the protein in the tongue. Thankfully, our tongue can regenerate pretty quickly.

Most marinade recipes today may include fat, oil, seasonings for flavor, acid and fruit enzymes. Some recipes may call for herbs and spices.

Does Marinating For Flavor Really Work?

Yes, marinades do flavor the meat. But contrary to popular belief, they only do their wonders on the surface up to a few millimetres (4 mm max) into the meat. Why? Most animal meat contains approximately 75% water, 18% protein, 5% fat, 1% carbohydrates, and 1% minerals. And most flavor molecules from marinades are too large to get through the meat tissue cells and find their way deep into the meat.

But salt do penetrate because it reacts with the water in the meat by drawing it out. It denatures the proteins when it draws back the water in the meat.

Careful though because the existence of salt in marinades is also a reason why meat should not be marinated for 24 hours. Longer than that will only cure meat on the outside. This will result in the mushy outer layer when cooked (who would want that, anyway?)

Half an hour of marinating will already give the meat aroma, and flavor while tenderizing the meat at the same time. As a rule, marinate meat in 30 minutes up to 24 hours.  It is also a better idea to go for thinner cuts of meat. This also shortens the cooking time.

Key Takeaways

• Add acid or fruit enzymes to marinade to tenderize meat.
• Marinades only works mostly on the surface of the meat up to a few millimetres deep.
• Marinade meat for 30 minutes-24 hours.

The post Meat Science: Does Marinating For Flavor Really Work? appeared first on The Food Untold.

In preparing meat, the food is tenderized for easy cooking because the collagen in the meat makes it tough to digest. Collagen is the most abundant protein in meat. But tenderizing break down the meat fibers, making the meat easier to chew and digest.

There are many ways of tenderizing in meat. Physically, the meat can be tenderized by pounding it using a meat mallet or pounder.  Usually made of wood or metal, the mallet softens the meat fibers and makes the meat tender.

Unlike using force, using fruit enzymes can also tenderize the meat. Yes, but how do fruits enzymes tenderize meat? Bromelain (found in pineapples) and Papain (green papaya) are enzymes that are effective in breaking these meat fibers for that tender and juicy meat.

How to use the fruit enzymes Papain and Bromelain

Use fresh raw papaya for tenderizing. Cut it into chunks, add a little water and turn it into a paste using a blender or food processor. You may use ripe papaya but it’s best to use raw papaya.

You might also like: French Fries And The Science Behind

Bromelain in pineapples is another excellent natural tenderizer.  When applied to meat, bromelain digests the meat protein and softens the tissue prior to cooking. To use pineapple, simply add it in the marinade and marinate the meat for an hour or two.

Though called for in many recipes found online, canned pineapple juice is not advisable for tenderizing meat. Bromelain is an enzyme that is easily destroyed during canning.

Like this post? Check out the Top 15 Food Science blogs on Feedspot.

When working with these fruits for tenderizing, it’s best to apply them at around 55°C (131°F) to °60C (140°F). These enzymes are very effective for thin cuts of meat.

Though can be prepared from scratch, you may also purchased commercially available enzymes in powder form. They can be added to marinade or directly sprinkled on raw meat. Though convenient, minimize the use of such as they are usually added with additives. Mono sodium glutamate (MSG), a controversial food additive that’s been reported to cause headaches and difficulty in breathing, is commonly used in commercial tenderizers.

The post How Do Fruit Enzymes Tenderize Meat? appeared first on The Food Untold.