Wayne Boatwright wrote:

> "Bob (this one)" > wrote in
> :
>
>>If tenderizing is your intent, this is rather a strange way to go
>>about it. Do keep in mind that any sort of tenderizing, whether
>>mechanical or chemical, causes cellular leakage. Cellular leakage
>>means that the meat will consist largely of cell walls. They carry no
>>flavor or moisture. It means dead-flavored and textured meats.
>>
>>Pastorio
>
> What about meat preparation for Swiss steak and chicken fried steak where
> pounding the meat considerably is requisite to the end product? In fact,
> meat put through a tenderizer is also a common practice for chicken fried
> steak. I don't notice a problem with the meat in those cases.

It's not a problem, just a fact of nature. The meat will lose a lot of
juice with rough mechanical tenderizing. Check out what Harold McGee
says about it in "On Food and Cooking."

Neither Swiss steak nor CFS are judged on their juiciness. Swiss steak
is usually braised in highly seasoned, thickened liquids which serve
as a presentation gravy. CFS is also routinely slathered with peppered
gravy. and usually deep fried so that step adds a luscious sense of
fat moisture.

If you were to take a thick rib eye, run it through a tenderizer and
broil it, it would be dry to the bite. Ask me how I know...

BTW, McGee has just released a newly edited version of OFAC and I've
heard (not seen) that it's even better than the original. Hard to
imagine it.

Pastorio