So youre ready for summer grilling. Youve purchased the perfect grill, and youve procured the latest, greatest cuts of steak.
Cut to you throwing that glorious piece of meat onto a blazing hot grill, all of your loved ones looking on in anticipation. A few minutes later, the steak is pulled off the grill. You slice into the meats thick crust to reveal perfectly medium-rare flesh.
It may seem counterintuitive to make like Mary Poppins and add a spoonful of the sweet stuff to your meat. But you dont add sugar for its flavor—you add it for its effect on texture. Some of the most popular cuts of beef (skirt steak, flank steak) are tough and chewy unless exposed to sugar, which is a natural tenderizer. So how do you get the sugar onto the steak? Two ways.
As a general rule, use one part sugar to two parts salt to tenderize your meat. (Be sure to add some black pepper in there too.) If you’re doing a dry rub, we recommend using granulated sugar or brown sugar (like in this recipe for Seared Steak-and-Field Pea Salad).
THROW TOGETHER A QUICK RUB
Make a large batch of this easy-to-remember rub to use on beef, poultry, or vegetables: Combine 4 parts salt, 3 parts brown sugar, 2 parts sweet paprika, and 1 part cayenne pepper. It sounds like a lot of sugar, but its not there just to tenderize—it also assists in giving your steak a caramelized crust.
How To Tenderize ANY Meat!
FAQ
Can you use brown sugar to tenderize meat?
Why do people put brown sugar on meat?
What is the best thing to use to tenderize meat?
What does brown sugar do in a marinade?
Do you use sugar to tenderize a steak?
It sounds like a lot of sugar, but it’s not there just to tenderize—it also assists in giving your steak a caramelized crust. If you’ve got extra time on your hands, tenderize whatever you’re cooking with an easy marinade.
What are the healthier substitutes for brown sugar?
Healthier substitutes for brown sugar are jaggery, palm sugar, honey, coconut sugar, date sugar, raw agave nectar. Brown sugar contains fewer calories than regular table sugar. It is much healthier than regular sugar because of its fewer calorie content. Palm sugar, coconut sugar also contains fewer calories that are beneficial for health.
How do you tenderize meat?
Using a dry brine, or rubbing the meat down with salt and dry spices and letting it air dry in the refrigerator, is also a popular method to gain the same results. Along with salt, however, there are other ways and kitchen staples that you can use if you want to tenderize meats.
Why do you put sugar on meat before cooking?
It’s a natural tenderizer. Sugar starts working on your cut of protein long before it hits the pan. It helps to keep the meat tender, especially the longer you let it sit before cooking but even with a much shorter rest time (a few minutes for these chops compared to a couple days for a turkey).