636458 Tue Jul 14 06:26:21 -0700 2009 18 31 Home Cooking 0 4856588 I am wondering if I am one of the few who does not have this item in the spice cabinet. I've never bought it before. However, a few weeks ago, I had some of the most tender and delicious London broil that my BIL made: he claims his secret was the meat tenderizer. He had purchased two London broils. One of them he marinated in Ken's Italian dressing to which he added meat tenderizer. The other piece he added no tenderizer to, but a teriyaki type marinade. We all agreed that the piece with the tenderizer added was far more tender and flavorful. The other piece was much chewier; both pieces were bought at the same store, same day. They were both marinated for several hours. So, I am curious as to whether others think the tenderizer was the key here; or was it just the choice of marinade that made the meat so tender. I'm going to the store later today, so should I pick up a container of tenderizer or not? Tue Jul 14 06:26:21 -0700 2009 95489 mschow 1 4856745 I hope someone replies to this, b/c I'd like to know, too. If it works that well, I'd start cooking flank steak again. Tue Jul 14 07:14:02 -0700 2009 4856588 253735 bayoucook 2 4858113 I was hoping to get some more replies as well...looks like it's just you and me! Tue Jul 14 12:52:07 -0700 2009 4856745 95489 mschow 1 4858133 I've never had it, and the only time I've used it was in the Dominican Republic when it was applied to my "coral reef wounds". Do you know what brand your BIL used? I do cook flank steak quite often, and usually marinate it for an hour or so in red wine, garlic, olive oil and whichever herbs I have on hand. I've never found the meat to be tough, and do like the flavour. I think that how one cuts the flank steak does affect the tenderness though. Tue Jul 14 12:56:32 -0700 2009 4856588 10985 MMRuth 2 4858946 I think my BIL just used a generic brand meat tenderizer. I have hesitated using one because I had heard that they were full of MSG. Don't know if that is true or not, but that's about all I know about them. Tue Jul 14 16:57:09 -0700 2009 4858133 95489 mschow 2 4860152 The only time I remember buying it was when my son was hit by a jelly fish. I think it stayed in the cabinet for years. I too cook flank steak often. We find it tender and flavorful as long as you cook and cut it appropriately Wed Jul 15 06:20:12 -0700 2009 4858133 89493 scubadoo97 1 4858238 No. I grew up w/Adolph's and Accent. Hate it. Tue Jul 14 13:19:09 -0700 2009 4856588 109905 laliz 1 4858782 London broil is a cooking method, not a cut of beef ---- “Bought at the same store, same day”. But maybe not from the same animal... depending on what cut he purchased. --- The “tenderizer” may have played a role if it was one of the Protease Enzymes --- bromelain, actinidin, ficin, papain.--- Marinades, of any type/kind have very little to no effects on tenderizing meat beyond the surface...So their role was very little, if any, to the degree that you state....Protease Enzymes do work in their own way, however, I do not recommend their use, due to their over use, which can cause mushy surfaces while having little effect on the interior portions. I do recommend, selecting the very best (quality) piece of meat that one can find and afford, and learning how to cook it properly. --- No, I do not use the product. --- HTH Tue Jul 14 15:56:14 -0700 2009 4856588 65057 Uncle Bob 2 4859561 Uncle Bob: Not sure what part of the US you live in, but here in the NE (PA, NJ, NY), there is a cut of meat sold at the grocery store called 'London Broil'. It is sold at all the local grocery store chains (Shop Rite, Giant, Acme, SuperFresh, Pathmark, etc) in packages that are simply labeled 'London Broil'. I grew up in a large family in NY, and 'London Broil' was a favorite meat that my mother regularly prepared, especially during the warmer months when we could cook outside. We typically marinated it for a long period of time and cooked it on a charcoal grill. I can tell you that we had it at least twice a week; even more often during the summer. I have also lived in the south, where I never saw a piece of meat labeled 'London Broil'. In fact, I don't even remember seeing that particular cut ever in the stores down south, under any other name. Perhaps in some areas of the US it is considered a cooking method, but up north, it is commonly a regular cut of meat, available just about everywhere. I did purchase a piece of London Broil yesterday, which I marinated in a Balsamic vinaigrette with rosemary from my garden. I did marinate it overnight, and while tasty, it still was a little bit tough. it might have just been the piece of meat...I find that I simply lack my mother's skill for picking out a great piece of meat! She's the absolute best person for picking out which piece of meat would be best for any meal. Guess that comes from cooking for 7 every night of the week! Thanks for your comments; I did wonder if putting tenderizer on the meat would make the outside mushy myself. Tue Jul 14 20:41:00 -0700 2009 4858782 95489 mschow 3 4860372 Labels on meat meat can be confusing...I have no doubt you have seen, purchased, and cooked pieces of meat LABELED as London Broil....However I assure you there is not a CUT of beef known as London Broil recognized by the North American Meat Processors Association. ---If you read the fine print on the label you may see that the piece of meat is from the Top Round, Flank, Shoulder, etc. Again London Broil is a method of cooking...Not a cut of beef. Here is just one link out of a plethora of links on the subject! http://bbq.about.com/od/steaks/a/aa101604a.htm Have Fun & Enjoy!! PS...If you really enjoy the London Broil method, you may want to try a piece of Top Sirloin. Wed Jul 15 07:25:34 -0700 2009 4859561 65057 Uncle Bob 4 4860435 UNC Bob - what you say is technically correct, but here in the NE US the flank steak has been called a london broil as long as i can remember. It's a local usage, and thus not incorrect. Wed Jul 15 07:44:30 -0700 2009 4860372 135229 thew 5 4860572 I did not say the usage of the term was incorrect...Only that it IS NOT a Cut of beef, but rather a cooking method. You are correct in saying the term is commonly applied to flank which IS a cut of beef.... Sometimes it is applied to other cuts of beef as well... namely, Top Round and Shoulder. The term London Broil (cooking method) is not just a "local" term applied to the Flank steak (Cut of beef) but is fairly common throughout the US. Bon Appetit. Wed Jul 15 08:21:42 -0700 2009 4860435 65057 Uncle Bob 5 4860703 I agree....it's been labeled London broil for so long where I shop, that it's now considered a cut of beef to most people. To a purist though, London broil is a cooking method. Wed Jul 15 08:57:23 -0700 2009 4860435 11222 Infomaniac 1 4859230 I like to prepare marinades using fresh pineapple (it contains enzymes - Bromelain - that tenderize meat very nicely) instead of commercial products. If you can find a somewhat green (not yet ripe) papaya, it will work just as well. Only real difference is that, instead of Bromelain, it contains Papain. Just remember to monitor your marinating meat closely. The enzymes in Pineapple and Papaya can act fairly quickly (depending on how much you introduce to the mix) and if you allow it to marinate too long your meat can get mushy. Tue Jul 14 18:33:15 -0700 2009 4856588 203621 todao 1 4860548 my mother used it when i was a kid...I'm not sure how. anyhow, i swiped her little shaker YEARS ago when I had a bee sting and this past weekend i finished off it off on some fire ant bites. The stuff works wonders! (it breaks down the protein in venom) so I think you should definitely pick up a container...i just hope I can remember to replace mine. and you might as well repeat the London broil test while you have it. btw, I live in the south and London Broil is quite common, and it is sold as a specific cut of meat. Wed Jul 15 08:15:46 -0700 2009 4856588 10471 danna 1 4860737 Yes, but not a chemical one, a mechanical one - a nice clean aluminum mallet! Wed Jul 15 09:08:58 -0700 2009 4856588 14386 BobB 1 4860799 The enzymes certainly do tenderize the meat but as already mentioned, can make the surface of the meat pasty or mushy while not getting to the interior. However, your relative mixed the tenderizer with Italian dressing and I'll bet that made a difference. In theory, the salt in the dressing would carry the tenderizing enzymes throughout the piece of meat, and the liquid would prevent the meat's surface from getting mushy. If you want to experiment, cut a London broil into 4 pieces. 1) plain 2) Ken's dressing only 3) meat tenderizer only 4) meat tenderizer + Ken's. Wed Jul 15 09:27:32 -0700 2009 4856588 159317 greygarious