What can be Top 4 Ways to Tenderize a Round Steak?

Do you want to turn your tough round steak into succulent, juicy, tender bites? It’s’ pretty challenging to achieve, honestly. However, with a few techniques and tips up your sleeve, you can transform this economical cut of beef into a delicious centerpiece for your meal. In this blog post, we will share the best methods and techniques that we love to use to tenderize the round steak.

Keep reading, you’ll surely find the best method to work for you.

1. Mechanical Tenderizing–The Safest and Most Advisable Method

Mechanical tenderizing is the safest method to tenderize the round steak. Using no marinade, you can tenderize the tough meat cut. All you’ll need is only a few dollar meat tenderizer* that can poke into thick round steak—a lifetime investment.

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Mechanical tenderizing involves physically breaking down the muscle fibers of the round steak to increase tenderness. This method is commonly achieved using a meat mallet or a tenderizing tool with sharp blades known as a meat tenderizer.

 Prior to tenderizing, place the steak between two sheets of plastic wrap to prevent any mess. Gently pound the steak with the mallet or tenderizer, focusing on the thicker areas. 

This technique creates small channels in the meat, allowing faster and more even cooking while tenderizing the steak.

2. Brining – The Second Most Preferred Method

Often mistaken as a marinade, using salt is actually dry brining the meat to tenderize it. It’s also one of the safest and most effective methods to tenderize the round steak, but it requires patience. It’s because to penetrate 1 inch of meat, salt takes 24 hours, and when applied on both sides, it takes 12 hours. Hence, if you brine 1-inch thick meat steak, refrigerate it for 12 hours or overnight.

Here’s how you can use salt to tenderize the round steak.

1. Sprinkle the steak with rock salt on all sides.
2. Let the steak sit in the refrigerator for 12 hours for an inch thick.
3. Rinse the salt off the steak and cook it to your desired doneness.
4. Cook the steak to your desired doneness. Overcooking will make the steak tough.

Enjoy your tender and flavorful round steak!

Note: Do not over-salt the steak. A good rule of thumb is to use 1/2 teaspoon of rock salt per pound of steak and ¼ teaspoon of table salt per pound of meat.

3. Marinating—Techniques Ranked From Best to Average

Marinating is an excellent technique to tenderize round steak while adding flavor and enhancing its juiciness. To marinate, a mixture of acidic ingredients like citrus juices (lemon, lime, or orange), vinegar, or yogurt, combined with flavorful herbs, spices, and oils, is prepared, and then steak is soaked into it. It’s rested for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. The acidity in the marinade helps break down the tough muscle fibers, resulting in a tender steak. 

It’s always advisable to discard the wash of the steak and discard marinade before cooking the steak. Below, we’ve listed and explained the most effective methods to tenderize the round steak specifically–we’ve ranked these methods from best to acceptable (not worst).

1. Using pineapple to tenderize round steak

Pineapple is a good marinade to tenderize round steak. The reason is that pineapple has enzymes called bromelain that break down the meat’s proteins, making it more tender. The marinade also adds flavor to the steak.

Here are the steps on how to use pineapple to tenderize round steak:

1. Cut the round steak into thin slices.
2. Slice fresh pineapple in cubes without peeling and grind it—canned pineapple is a big “no.” 
3. Add the steak slices to the bowl and stir to coat the pineapple paste on them.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (if it’s pounded meat, then rest for 30 minutes only).
5. When you’re ready to cook, remove the steak from the marinade and wash the steak to discard the marinade.
6.  Season and cook the steak to your desired doneness.

YOUR ROUND STEAK WILL BE TRULY FORK-TENDER WITH NO OVERPOWERING SWEETNESS.

2. Using baking soda for tenderizing round steak

Baking soda is a natural meat tenderizer that can tenderize tough meat cut pretty effectively without altering the flavor if used correctly. It raises the meat’s pH, making it more difficult for the proteins to bond.

To use baking soda to tenderize round steak, simply follow these steps:

1. Cut the steak into thin slices.
2. Place the steaks in a tray, and dust the baking soda over both sides in a very thin layer as you see in the image below.
3. Leave the steak in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
4. When you’re ready to cook, wash the steak to remove the baking soda, otherwise, the taste will be terrible. 
5. Then season the steak with your favorite seasoning, e.g., salt, pepper, etc.
6. Cook the steak to your desired doneness.

The steak will taste nice besides being tender. 

3. Velveting to tenderize round steak for stir-frying or stewing

Velveting is a Chinese method of marinating meat that makes it incredibly tender and flavorful. It is often used for tougher cuts of meat, such as beef, pork, and chicken. So, you can also use it to tenderize thin slices of round steak if you’re going to stir-fry the round steak.

The velveting process involves coating the meat in a mixture of cornstarch, egg white, and oil. The cornstarch helps to create a protective barrier around the meat, which prevents it from drying out during cooking. While the egg white helps to tenderize the meat, and the oil helps to keep the meat moist.

To velvet round steak slices, simply follow these steps:

1. Cut the meat into thin strips.
2. In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 egg white, and 1 tablespoon of oil.
3. Add the meat to the bowl and stir to coat.
4. Marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
5. When you’re ready to cook, remove the meat from the marinade and discard the marinade.
6. Cook the meat to your desired doneness.

The velveting process can be used to cook a variety of dishes, such as stir-fries, noodle dishes, and fried rice. It is a great way to make tough cuts of meat more tender and flavorful.

Get your taste buds ready for a tender, lip-smacking round steak that’s pure heaven!

4. Using Italian marinade to tenderize round steak.

Italian marinade is a flavorful mixture of olive oil, vinegar, herbs, and spices used to tenderize and flavor meats before cooking. It is a versatile marinade that can be used to tenderize round steak.

Here are the steps on how you can use Italian marinade to tenderize round steak:

1. Cut the round steak into thin slices.
2. In a bowl, combine the following ingredients:
   • 1/4 cup olive oil
   • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
   • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
   • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
   • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
   • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3. Add the steak slices to the bowl and stir to coat.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or 12 hours.
5. When you’re ready to cook, remove the steak from the marinade and wash the meat to discard the marinade.
6. Cook the steak to your desired doneness.

Brace yourself for a tender and flavor-packed round steak that’ll blow your mind!

5. Using soy sauce marinade to tenderize a round steak.

Soy sauce is a good tenderizer for meats that are intended to be stir-fried. It contains enzymes and acids that break down the meat’s proteins and make it more tender. Soy sauce also adds flavor to the meat. 

Here are the steps on how to use soy sauce marinade to tenderize round steak:

1. Cut the round steak into thin slices, then pound it using a meat tenderizer tool or a fork.
2. In a bowl, combine the following ingredients:
   • 1/4 cup soy sauce
   • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
   • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
   • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
   • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
   • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3. Add the steak slices to the bowl and stir to coat.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. When you’re ready to cook, remove the steak from the marinade and wash it to remove all the marinade.
6. Cook the steak using your preferred method.

Dig into that juicy and flavorful round steak, my friend!

6. An innovative method of Using sparkling water to tenderize the round steak?

Using sparkling water to marinate meats can help to tenderize them. Here are a few reasons why:

• Sparkling water is slightly acidic, which can help to break down the tough muscle fibers in meat, making it more tender. The carbonation in sparkling water also helps to loosen the proteins in meat, which can help to improve the absorption of marinade flavors. 
• Sparkling water can add a subtle flavor to meat without overpowering the natural flavors of the meat.
• The carbonation in sparkling water helps to create a barrier between the meat and the heat, which can help to prevent the meat from drying out.

Here are the steps on how to use sparkling water to tenderize round steak:

1. Cut the round steak into thin slices.
2. In a bowl, combine the following ingredients:
   • 1 cup of some excellent quality sparkling water
   • 1 teaspoon salt
   • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3. Add the steak slices to the bowl and stir to coat.
4. Marinate the steak for at least half an hour or 12 hours for the max.
5. To cook it, remove the steak from the marinade and discard the marinade.
6. Cook the steak according to your recipe.

Get ready to indulge in a round steak that’s tender and full of incredible flavor!

REMEMBER

No matter what marinade you use for tenderizing the round steak, you should be careful about a few things:

• Use fresh ingredients, not canned or pre-made marinades. Canned or pre-made marinades may contain preservatives that can toughen the meat.
• Don’t over-marinate the steak. Marinating for too long can make the steak mushy.
• Always remove the marinade or brine before cooking the steak. First, wash off the marinade and then season to cook the steak, or follow the recipe.

4. Slow Cooking

Round steak can be tenderized using slow cooking methods such as braising or stewing if you don’t want to use other methods like marinating, brining or mechanical tenderization. 

Slow cooking lets you cook the meat at low temperatures for a prolonged period, which allows the connective tissues to break down and render the meat tender and flavorful. 

To braise round steak, sear it on both sides to develop a rich crust, then transfer it to a pot or slow cooker with flavorful liquid (broth, wine, or a combination). Cook the steak on low heat for several hours until it becomes tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.

Conclusion

Tenderizing round steak is essential to ensure a succulent and enjoyable dining experience. Whether you opt for marinating, mechanical tenderizing, salting, slow cooking, or using meat tenderizers, each method has its own unique benefits. 

Feel free to experiment with these techniques and find the one that best suits your preferences. With a little effort, you can transform round steak into a melt-in-your-mouth delight that will impress your family and guests alike.