Easy Tenderising Marinade for Beef?

[AnnieBee]

OK folks,

I am totally hopeless with cooking beef. I do ground beef stuff, very occasionally some decent steak, and I pot-roast alot of cheaper cuts, but I really don't know much about them.

Right now I have some...

Beef Loin Bottom Sirloin Steak (according to the package!)

So, I am wondering if I have any hope of marinading this well enough to cook it on the grill, or will I just have to throw it in the crock pot?

Any ideas? DH (who bought it) was talking about the recipes that include coke to tenderise the meat. Always sounds yucky to me, but I'd be willing to try it!

TIA...

 

[janetupnorth]

I usually mix 1/2 soy sauce with 1/2 italian dressing and soak for a few hours - makes it good and juicy and well-seasoned.So, if you have a lot of meat, use 3/4 cup of each...or whatever covers the meat to soak it.

 

[KellyTheChef]

The coke is supposed to tenderize it very well, but you don't taste "coke" in the end!

Try a search on AllRecipes.com it's my favorite non-PC recipe site! Just don't try anything unless it has LOTS of good reviews!

 

[AnnieBee]

Hey Kelly, I go to allrecipes ALOT too!!

Not finding mant recipes that talk about tenderising though...

Any more ideas from anyone out there? And Am I crazy for thinking about grilling this cut? (I could just braise it on the stove-top...).

 

[janetupnorth]

Hey Kelly, I go to allrecipes ALOT too!!

Not finding mant recipes that talk about tenderising though...

Any more ideas from anyone out there? And Am I crazy for thinking about grilling this cut? (I could just braise it on the stove-top...).

No, it is a good cut to grill.

Try my soy sauce/italian dressing combo - I really think you'll like it!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I just read about marinating meats in Cooks Illustrated.

According to that publication (it's a good one!) most marinades don't tenderize the meat, they just make it mushy.

To tenderize the meat, you need to let it rest with a salt rub on it. That is probably why our spice mixes don't have salt in them, but our rubs do!

I tried this while on vacation - I put a rub on our steaks and let them sit for about an hour in the cooler.....our friends who were camping with us had the same steaks, but didn't do the rub - they did some sort of bottled 30 minute marinade. Ours were so tender....and they were sawing through theirs!

Of course, we were using PC knives, and they weren't - so that may have made some of the difference too!

 

[janetupnorth]

That's interesting Becky. I was always taught for good grilled steak, don't salt it before grilling. Salting will inhibit the surface browning.You should also take it out of the fridge and allow to cool to room temperature before grilling.The best way to make them tender is INJECT them with saltwater...

 

[AnnieBee]

Uh-oh, are you telling me I have to pick sides!!

Thanks for all the info!

 

[janetupnorth]

Uh-oh, are you telling me I have to pick sides!!

Thanks for all the info!

Nope, not at all! Becky and I are on the same side.