tenderize

Today’s Americans are fixated on food to a degree that would tenderize the minds of previous generations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Clean your octopus, tenderize it, cure it with kosher salt, and chop it into chunks, then add it to the colander and repeat the process.

From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2023

Orlando used heavy pressure to tenderize Tullis-Joyce, totaling 12 shots overall in the first half, the keeper saving five before the break.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

Rather than marinate the chicken for hours, 30 minutes will boost flavor and tenderize the meat.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 17, 2023

The result didn’t taste as good as salt, but it was better than nothing, and the same residue could be used to tenderize tough leaves or meat.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Parsley stems are puréed in a bold and garlicky buttermilk marinade that tenderizes the meat, then the leaves and their tender stems are sautéed like spinach and spritzed with fresh lemon.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 16, 2022

"I was a bit obsessed with making a marron glacé that wasn't too sweet, which isn't easy because the sugar tenderizes and conserves the marron."

From Salon ● Dec. 23, 2021

In meat marinades, it tenderizes and produces better browning.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 17, 2021

The lactic acid in sour cream tenderizes chicken beautifully and also helps crunchy, savory coatings stick to the meat.

From New York Times ● Jun. 4, 2021

Grillmasters use it at the base of marinades, where it tenderizes meat and its mildly tart and subtle flavor blends in with wood smoke.

From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2018

This tenderized duck is served with bulgar wheat and carrot ragu, sweetcorn purée and orange jus.

From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026

Thorough cooking is especially important for ground and tenderized meat, where pathogens can be mixed in.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 24, 2023

NOTES: Cube steaks are typically sold already tenderized, but for more tender meat and a faster marinating time, it’s good to tenderize them again.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 12, 2023

On the latter, Yates’ usual youth-crew yawp is tenderized by heartache and isolation — emotional realms he’s started to feel safe exploring.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2021

No one followed me into the yard where the late afternoon sun had tenderized the midday harshness.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

In a baking pan, cook a snug bed of sliced potatoes in a little water to get a head start on tenderizing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026

On special occasions, or the odd Friday, my dad would start the day by tenderizing cube steaks, pounding them with the prickly end of a meat mallet until their surfaces were quilted, back and front.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 12, 2023

Depending on the type of acid used and the protein or vegetable opted for, there is also a level of tenderizing that marinating imparts, in addition to more thoroughly flavored proteins and produce.

From Salon ● Jan. 1, 2023

It creates tenderizing effects by breaking down protein in meat or gluten when used in marinades or baking.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 28, 2021

The juices have no where to go, so instead they just stay inside, tenderizing and flavoring the meat.

From The Perdue Chicken Cookbook by Mitzi Perdue