Looking for a recipe for extremely tender meat.

manyhats

Thu, Apr 24 2014, 10:27 pm

My Dad has trouble chewing meat. I would like to make a dish he will enjoy. So far I made a veal roast
which came out very tough. Today I made a goulash out of chunks of French roast: This too came out tough.

My wish list: A tried and true recipe for a flavorful easy to chew meat . Please, if possible, include clear and detailed instructions.

TIA

Dolly Welsh

Thu, Apr 24 2014, 10:32 pm

Maybe try a pressure cooker? I think that tenderizes more or less anything put into it.

Or maybe grind up the cooked meat finely in a food processor, such as a Cuisinart? Cube it first.

Veal gets tough easily.

I find "silver tip" cut beef comes out tender in the pressure cooker, or the slow-cooker overnight.

sneakermom

Thu, Apr 24 2014, 10:48 pm

A cheaper cut of meat. Maybe rib eye. Sear all sides with hot oil in frying pan. Add liquid of your choice to cover meat three quarters. Simmer for two to three hours. Let roast cool. Then slice.

momX4

Thu, Apr 24 2014, 10:52 pm

Minute steaks

optional - marinate in orange juice or wine overnight or a few hours for extra flavor.

Saute onion and garlic. Add minute steak without any juice. Lower flame to small. Simmer for 3 hours. Melts in your mouth.

mochacoffee

Thu, Apr 24 2014, 11:15 pm

A family secret we have to soft meat is ginger ale. Something about the ginger and carbonation makes meat very soft. I've never tried it in a stew type of dish.

I make either a top of the rib or brisket. Put the piece of meat on a bed of onions.
Mix together oil, onion powder, garlic powder, a little paprika, onion soup mix and crushed garlic. Shmear on meat.Depending on the crowd (like if I'm serving yeshiva guys) I put some bbq sauce on top of the shmear. Add ginger ale to the bottom of the pan - not too much enough that it just reaches up to the meat.
Cover the pan and cook for 2 1/2 hours on 350, then lower the temperature to 250 for another 1/2 hour-45 minutes. If you stick a fork through and its not as soft as you'd like cook longer on 250.

Simple1

Thu, Apr 24 2014, 11:19 pm

Why not do something with ground beef, such as meat loaf or meat balls? Sorry I don't have recipes off hand, but it should be easy to search one on imamother.

manyhats

Thu, Apr 24 2014, 11:20 pm

Thanks to all for your ideas.

The minute steak sounds like a possibility.

I have not made beef in ages, as my husband prefers poultry. I feel like I lost the art of cooking meat.

Any new ideas would be most welcome.

manyhats

Thu, Apr 24 2014, 11:38 pm

Just thinking:

Additions to meat which help tenderize: fresh ginger- chopped, tomatoes, pineapple, wine, searing

Different cuts of meat

Whole or chunks
and another one
Stove-top or oven.

I've already made 2 dishes which didn't turn out well. I want to really "chap" the technique and "understand why one recipe works and the other is disappointing.

I think of cooking as an Art and as a Science. I am the searching for the tenderest most flavorsome meat.

Lady Godiva

Thu, Apr 24 2014, 11:52 pm

Did you cook/bake your roasts for enough hours? Veal roast and french roast usually get soft after baking for many hours.

Dolly Welsh

Fri, Apr 25 2014, 12:13 am

If you put some beef into a crock pot with a large jar of sauce and water to a thumb-knuckle from the top, and anything else you have around, and come back tonight, or tomorrow morning, you will have beef. It will be very tender I think. It can even be frozen solid and in one large piece. A Smart Pot that turns itself down after four hours on High is useful.

"Anything else" might mean celery, onion, dried beans, carrots, potato, garlic bulb just rinsed, a few black peppercorns, that kind of thing. Or not. It doesn't matter. You can season the meat at the table if it's bland.

chaya35

Fri, Apr 25 2014, 7:34 am

Minute Steak Roast is always butter soft my 2yr old eats it with no problems. After cutting slices I dont even need a knife to make pieces for the little kids.

Tried now for Pesach a Chuck Eye Roast and was also butter soft.

33055

Fri, Apr 25 2014, 7:40 am

Using coke cola works even on tough cuts of meat. A can of coke and onion soup mix will tenderize the toughest cuts of meat. Some add two cans of mushroom soup mix. Bake for a few hours at 350°.

manyhats

Fri, Apr 25 2014, 8:49 am

I am so thankful for all your responses

I have heard about coke. I stay away from onion soup mix b/c of the high salt content. Tongue sounds like an excellent idea as does the crock pot.

Specific pointers are especially welcome. ( I know this can be tedious)

Due to time constraints of Erev Shabbos I will be returning to this post after Shabbos.

manyhats

Sat, Apr 26 2014, 10:59 pm

Hear Ye, Hear Ye,

I tried Dolly Walsh's suggestion and it was a real winner :cheer.

I pureed the meat and it came out tender and tasty.

3 cheers for Dolly!

Thank you to fellow Imamothers for your ideas. I look forward to trying them.

miami85

Sat, Apr 26 2014, 11:15 pm

I know that you found a solution for Shabbos, but for future reference, we made a brisket this Shabbos that came out REALLY soft and yummy. Let me know if you'd be interested.

miami85

Sun, Apr 27 2014, 5:41 pm

We used a 2nd cut brisket in this case:
The recipe calls for 3-4 lb brisket, but we usually use 1-2

Ingredients:
1 large onion chopped
1 whole garlic chopped
1 cup baby carrots
2 T margarine
2 T paprika
2 cups boiling water
the meat = 3-4 lb brisket

Wash and dry the meat, salt it (Kosher salt), wash it again

grease an oven-ready pot
brown both sides on the stove

place all ingredients in pot
cook on low heat for 2 hours

Serve with oven-brown potatoes:
oil
paprika
garlic
potatoes cubed
bake 1 hour 375
grease an oven-ready pot

rae gi

Sun, Apr 27 2014, 6:20 pm

Roast:

Place roast in a large pot
Add wine, water, seasonings, and DRIED FRUIT!

Cover, bring to a boil, then uncover, simmer on low for hours.

Will be tender and delicious. Guaranteed.