Meat, fish, seafood and other such ingredients have been staples to the food habits of human beings for centuries. They come with distinct flavors and provide you with a joyous meal. However, it takes a lot of preparation to provide you with the tastiest dish. One of such processes is tenderizing the meat. It breaks down the connecting tissues and tough exteriors. Thus, it allows proper absorption of spices and marinates which adds to the taste. To tenderize the meat, you require a good meat tenderizer. A tenderizer makes the meat tender and perfect for cooking.
By now you may have known that you definitely need a tenderizer in your kitchen. So, check these affordable meat tenderizer options and start prepping up for a wholesome dinner.
List of Best Meat Tenderizers Review
10. ZXZ Meat Tenderizer
Unlike the hammer-shaped tools, this product will take up much less place in your kitchen, making it ideal for places with a space crunch. Moreover, the product can be used for a number of different kinds of meat and fish. Hence, you can take care of almost any tenderizing with this item. Further, the handle of the tenderizer has been thoughtfully given ridges resembling that of the fingers. So, it molds to the shape of your hand, giving you a comfortable grip.
The item works by creating small heat channels throughout the meat. This cuts down the time required to marinate the meat to as much as 30 minutes.
Key Features
- Because of the heat channels, the meat is tenderized without changing its original shape.
- The heat channels give an advantage of making the heat travel evenly through varying thickness along with the meat.
- You can use it to tenderize veal, chicken, pork, steak and different other items without losing the natural juices.
9. KitchenAid Meat Tenderizer
Although this may not be the Hulk’s Hammer, it will be more than sufficient to take care of any piece of meat in your kitchen. More than that, this product comes with double benefits. The tool is double-sided. On the flat side, you will be able to pound the meat. On the other hand, the grooved side will tenderize your meat in almost no time.
Also, this product makes use of aluminum for the metal used for the tenderizer. For this reason, while the tenderizer is sturdy enough to take care of the meat, it will feel really light on your hands. Hence, you can move it easily without pulling a muscle.
Key Features
- For the ones who look for a bit more than just functionality, the handle is available in 4 colors.
- The hole on the handle makes storing the item even more convenient.
- It gives you a one year warranty for replacing the tenderizer, which speaks for its high quality.
8. Aomgd Meat Tenderizer
The primary aim of this tenderizer is quality. Hence, the product makes use of none other than stainless steel for the prongs of the item. Steel is known widely for its durability. Evidently, this tenderizer will provide you with complain about free service for a really long time. Further, because of the steel, you do not have to worry about any rust deposits getting into your food either.
Besides, with this product, you will be able to escape the smashed look of the meat. And it comes with pounding with hammers. The item doubles as a flavor enhancer, by making the spices reach deep through the thickness of the meat.
Key Features
- Because of the spring action system of the tenderizer, you hardly have to put in any effort.
- The item adds a cap to the design, so any accidents can be avoided with the sharp prongs.
- It comprises 21 blades that in much more in number.
7. New Oxo Good Grips Meat Tenderizer
This product has been carefully designed keeping various practical necessities in mind. The product gives equal weightage to functionality and comfort. The handle of the tool is smooth and soft, so your hand does not get easily strained. Besides, if you are a little clumsy, the handle proves to have a non-slip grip as well. Hence, provides good traction even when the handle is wet.
Most importantly, with this item, you do not have to worry about any health hazards. The product is completely free from any BPA that gives an edge over other products.
Key Features
- With this item, no need to fuss about the cleaning. The item is dishwasher safe, saving you valuable time and effort.
- Since the product has impact resistance, it turns out to be very durable.
- Both the angle and head weight of the tool has been created to deliver the best efficiency during flattening.
6. Norpro Meat Tenderizer
Putting much thought into the product, you will achieve praiseworthy results every single time with this. Even if you are not much skilled in cooking, this will let you be one. The tenderizer has a cap at the end of the prongs. This can be penetrated through to work on the meat. Hence makes sure the prongs enter straight down, without slipping and slashing through the meat, giving it an uneven appearance.
The item proves to be a great option for those who cannot apply much muscle effort to the meat. With the availability of the spring action, all the muscle power required is taken care of, by the item.
Key Features
- The prongs are not only sharp but really long, to tackle thick pieces of meat with ease.
- This is a professional grade item, meant to last you for ages.
- Certainly, it features 24 stainless steel prongs. So, it can easily break down tough meat.
5. XSpecial Meat Tenderizer
With the efficient design of this item, you will be able to take different types of meat from red meat to white meat with precision. The product boasts as many as 48 blades, not requiring you to beat down your piece of meat anymore. When consumables are concerned, no risks can be afforded when it comes to interfering with toxins.
Keeping that in mind, this tenderizer is made sure to be free from the presence of any BPA. For the people suffering from an arthritis problem, you will be glad to know that this item is arthritis-friendly as well.
Key Features
- As far as safety goes, you can take relief in knowing that this product is FDA approved.
- Since the bottom of the product is detachable, it makes cleaning much easier.
- With the top plastic cover, your hand stays safely aside from coming in contact with all those blades.
4. Spring Chef Meat Tenderizer
While some hammers might need a lot of effort causing your hands to easily get tired, this meat tenderizer stands apart from those. The product has a unique weighted head, which takes advantage of gravity to get most of the job done. Owing to the soft-grip handle of the item, you can keep working for a long time. And that also without feeling any added strain on your hand even if you have arthritis.
Besides, because of the chrome plating, this item can be even washed in hot water without any worry. Forgiving the right texture and grip, this has aluminum construction.
Key Features
- In case you do not have time to bother with all the tedious cleaning, this item is also dishwasher safe.
- The hammer makes the meat even juicier, so you can enjoy an amazing dinner.
- The item is dual-headed for obtaining the fine texture.
3. HIC Meat Tenderizer
This product is truly one of its kind among the meat tenderizers. Instead of the hammer side heads, this product allows you to alternate between both the heads, which makes controlling the tenderizer much more user friendly. This tenderizer has zinc with chrome plating. This gives the tool sufficient sturdiness to last for being age without any problem.
The smooth side takes care of any flattening job, so you can enjoy some delicious cutlets. Besides, being the owner of the title of Amazon’s Choice, this product lets the performance do the talking.
Key Features
- This weighs no more than 2 pounds, making it really lightweight to handle.
- The tenderizer is non-porous, increasing the longevity of the product.
2. Aliglow Meat Tenderizer
This product puts great emphasis on comfort while designing the product. The tool makes use of silicone for the handle of the item. While the silicone has a smooth and soft surface for gripping which gives ergonomic comfort. Plus, it also turns out to be reliable when it comes to durability.
Because of the great strength of the item, this tool can handle much more than just taking care of the meat. From crushing ice to nuts, or even tough crabs, this tenderizer will serve as an all-rounder around your kitchen.
Key Features
- Because of the hole at the end of the tenderizer, you can suspend it from anywhere to occupy the minimal room.
- Whether you like to use the dishwasher or hand washing, this tenderizer is flexible with both.
- To make it easy on your arm, the balanced weight makes use of gravity to do the work.
1. Lasting Charm Meat Tenderizer
If you want to escape any possible manual labor required for tenderizing, this will be the ideal option for you. This product gets the task done with the mere press of a switch. Because of this reason, the tenderizer also pays extra attention to safety. The tool has a built-in safety lock, which can save you from any unwanted mishaps.
Not only that, but the tenderizer also comes with a protective cap. As a result, you do not run any chances of getting your skin cut on the sharp blades of the product. Besides, with this product, the meat will not be destroyed, as the tissues are not damaged while the tool works its magic.
Key Features
- Having effective tenderizing, you do not have to worry if you forgot to marinate the meat last night.
- The ABS plastic used adds to makes the structure even more strong.
- Since the item is detachable, the cleaning barely takes any time.
What are the different types of meat tenderizers available?
When looked at from a broad perspective, there are mainly 3 different types of tenderizers. The first one will be the most common and old type of meat tenderizer, that in the shape of a hammer. These often have two different textures on two sides or have similar texture on both sides, so you have all the privilege to choose. On the smoother side, these tenderizers work to flatten your meat. While the textured side does all the tenderizing you need on your piece. If you are going for this hammer kind, you have to choose the ones which have a weighted head. These capitalize on the force of gravity to do half the work so that you do not have to put too much of your muscle into the job. These tend to have a soft non-slip handle for added comfort.
The next two types of tenderizers both have prongs in them as the most important component, although they differ when it comes to handling them. The first kind has a more flat, elongated shape, where you have to apply the manual effort, to pierce through the meat. These generally have a molded comfort grip, so you can work on pieces of meat without any strain on the muscle.
For the other and last type, while the design is more of a round shape, the application is a tad bit more different. These items have a spring action within them. Hence, the tenderizer can be the best choice for people with arthritis or other such physical problems, since you have to exert minimal physical effort on such tenderizers.
While all three do a great job, the last two definitely have their own benefits. If you slash through or smash the connective tissues of the meat, the piece of meat might go dry and not be as juicy. To prevent this, the prong style cuts in a precise manner, so the juices will be retained inside while the meat is tenderized. Besides, because of the prongs, the flavor is able to travel through the piece of meat much better, no matter even if the piece has an uneven thickness, and gets cooked to perfection, enhancing the entire taste of the dish.
What material is best for the meat tenderizer?
Undoubtedly, as far as the prongs, or metal surface goes, nothing beats the reliability of stainless steel. Stainless steel will provide the product with the required strength so that it can battle against any thick piece of meat effectively without getting deformed. Besides, stainless steel also makes sure of significant criteria. It frees you of the trouble of requiring to worry about rusting, which may get mixed with the meat if it were any other metal like iron. In order to make sure the material is safe for your health, you should definitely make sure the item is free from any BPA, or other harmful toxins as well.
Final Verdict
Make the meat ready for your culinary delicacies. The heavy-duty meat tenderizer will help to obtain the right consistency and texture.
