14 Canned Foods And Drinks You Should Be Using To Tenderize Meat

When it comes to inexpensive cuts of meat, tenderization is a necessary step to transform them into something edible. Though there are a number of mistakes people make when tenderizing meat – from over-marinating to not scoring the protein before applying a marinade — it's an especially common mistake to not know that you can use canned foods and beverages to tenderize meat.

Canned foods and beverages can be an extremely affordable, quick, and effective way of converting a hanger steak or boneless chicken breast into a delicacy when used properly. The key is knowing which ones can do the job, why, and how to use them for the best results.

As a professional chef, I have pounded and bathed many roasts and steaks into buttery submission during my lengthy career. In some cases, I rely on the natural enzymes and acids in certain fruits or beverages to do the work for me. In others, I employ the transformative properties of bacteria to help break down some of those dense protein fibers. Read on to discover which canned foods and drinks you should be adding to your culinary meat-cooking arsenal.

When it comes to tenderizing meat, acidic ingredients with a PH of below 5 are a great way to go. Acids work by denaturing, or dissolving, the amino acids within the muscle fibers of a cut of meat. One such acid that is a standout in the kitchen is soda. While you can use any kind of soda, Coca-Cola happens to be a common one, because of its distinctive flavor. Others that perform well include ginger ale and root beer.

The primary acid present in soda is phosphoric acid, and its PH ranges between 2.5 and 3.5. This makes it similar to other common tangy marinade ingredients, like lemon juice, which has a PH of about 2, and vinegar, which comes in at a PH of 2 to 3.

When marinating with soda to tenderize meat, time is of the essence as the flesh will become mealy if allowed to soak for too long. This sweet spot will depend on the type of meat as well as the thickness of the cut. Typically a chicken breast needs no longer than 30 minutes in an acidic marinade for maximum flavor and texture, while a steak will benefit from a slightly longer soak.

Another canned beverage that happens to be a great meat tenderizer is sweet tea. This Southern staple may seem like an unexpected key to producing ultra-tender fried chicken or a succulent ham, but it is not without precedent. There are plenty of recipes that call for sweet tea to be added to either a wet brine or as a component in a marinade.

Sweet tea has one primary thing going for it — It is loaded with tannins. These chemical compounds, known as polyphenols, are naturally occurring in tea leaves and they lend a hint of astringency to the tea, which is often tamed by adding sugar. In terms of producing a flavorful steak or turkey, tannins have the ability to adhere to protein fibers and break them apart. Additionally, they can behave as an adhesive, binding liquid to the meat so that it remains moist.

For best results, opt for a Southern-style sweet tea that is also flavored with a hint of lemon, like this one from Liquid Death. The acid from the lemons will act as an additional element to help tenderize the meat. Just be careful not to overdo it marinade, otherwise the meat will become mushy.

Anyone who grew up in an Eastern European household, like I did, most likely got accustomed to a steady stream of cans of B & G Sauerkraut lining the pantry shelves. We used sauerkraut as a condiment, a side dish, and an ingredient in myriad recipes. Nothing ever went to waste, least of all the liquid in a can of sauerkraut.

The liquid in a can of sauerkraut not only has flavor, but it also has the transformative potential of softening tough pieces of meat. We often utilized it as a marinade for things like pork roasts or poultry. The key ingredient in zingy sauerkraut juice that makes it so useful as a marinade is the lactic acid left behind from the fermentation process. This acid disrupts the protein in meat, busting it apart and yielding a much more supple finished product.

Again, restraint needs to be used when marinating meat in sauerkraut juices. For comparison, the PH of the juice in a can of sauerkraut is usually around 3.5. While this may be higher than a can of soda or lemon juice, it is still low enough to completely disintegrate the proteins if allowed to marinate longer than 8 to 12 hours.

Beer contains a number of compounds that will help with tenderization, including alpha acids, beta acids, and tannins. Most of the tannins in beer are a byproduct of the grain and hops used in the beer-making process. The alpha and beta acids are yielded by the resin in the cones of the hops added. Alpha acids are known for adding distinct bitter notes to beer and for acting as an antimicrobial agent to help extend its shelf-life. Beta acids are responsible for the wide range of other flavor and aromatic characteristics in beer, like earthy, fruity, and floral notes. Combined, the alpha acids, beta acids, and tannins make for a powerhouse trio to break down tightly wound protein fibers.

When deciding on a beer to use for tenderizing meat, avoid dark beers and those that have a lot of hops, as these will drown out any other flavors and produce a lingering bitterness. You should also marinate meat for no longer than 6 hours, or it will become mucilaginous and overly boozy. Lastly, it is important to note that not all of the alcohol will cook out of the meat, so this type of tenderizer may not be suitable for some audiences.

Pomegranates have earned them the moniker "superfruit" owing to their many purported health benefits. What some may not know is that among this fruit's superpowers is that it can help tenderize a tough cut of meat. While fresh pomegranates are wonderful, they are a pain to deal with, which means a can of juice is a far easier delivery method for consuming them.

In a study published in the Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science, turkey breasts that were marinated for 24-48 hours in tannic pomegranate juice were far more tender than those soaked in other types of fruit and vegetable juices. Additionally, many cultures throughout history have relied on pomegranates for flavor and a moist texture in meat, as is evidenced by the classic Persian recipe fesenjān, which stews meat in a paste made from pomegranate molasses and ground walnuts.

When using canned pomegranate juice to marinate meat, keep in mind that the juice has a vibrant hue and an intense flavor that can be on the tart side. These will impact the color and taste of the cooked meat. It can be beneficial to cut pomegranate juice with a sweet element, like honey or maple syrup, to balance out the sourness.

Citrus is one of the most common ingredients used in marinades for steaks, poultry, and fish. They add bright flavor and help to denature dense protein fibers with their high acidity levels. While orange, lemon, and lime juices are perhaps more well-known citrus fruits for marinades, canned grapefruit can be equally as effective.

According to research published in the Journal of Muscle Foods, 100% of grapefruit juice was even more potent than citric acid in enhancing succulence in marinated turkey breasts. Grapefruit juice typically has an acidity level ranging between 2.9 and 3.3, which is comparable to soda, but a little higher than that of lemon juice or vinegar. That said, it is still below the magical PH of 5, which makes it ideal for softening tougher pieces of meat.

When marinating with grapefruit, you will want to avoid one key mistake, namely over-marinating. Citrus fruits are notorious for rendering meat into a pile of goo if allowed to soak for too long. If you are concerned about the meat being fully penetrated, I recommend scoring it with a knife or puncturing it with the tines of a fork before submerging it in the marinade to help the solution permeate deeper into the flesh of the meat.

Giving your steak or pork roast a rub or soak in coffee is a surefire way to infuse it with flavor and moisture. The key is to know what kind and how to use it. Coffee's moderate acidity, which ranges between a PH of 4.8 and 6, and a fair amount of tannins, give it meat tenderizing properties that are well-documented. That said, not all coffees are alike. Typically, Arabica beans have a higher acidity than Robusta ones, as do those that are grown in higher altitudes, such as ones from Guatemala, Kenya, and Costa Rica.

Other factors that impact acidity include the roast and the grind. Light roast coffee beans contain higher acidity and tannin levels because these tend to be broken down when heated. And, beans that are ground more coarsely retain a higher acidity than finely ground ones.

For a quality coffee marinade, try popping open a can of High Brew coffee and soaking the meat for at least 2 hours, but no longer than overnight. When considering a coffee rub, something like the Donut Shop blend from Chock Full o'Nuts is a great option. A coffee rub should be left on the meat for no longer than 30 minutes before it is ready to cook.

Coconut is a staple ingredient in the cuisines of cultures across the globe, partly because of its abundant availability and because it is so versatile. Its flesh and water have been transformed in various ways for use in a diverse cross-section of recipes. One common iteration is coconut milk, which is often featured in meat marinades from Southeast Asia to Latin America.

Coconut milk is valued for its nutty flavor and its capacity to tenderize meat, though perhaps not in the way you might anticipate. While it is not high in acid, nor does it contain bacteria or enzymes that help to break down dense protein fibers in meat, it is high in fat content. This fat coats meat, helping to seal in juices when it is given a chance to soak in all of that creamy goodness.

The key to using canned coconut milk in marinades is to opt for the unsweetened, full-fat variety. If possible, choose one that doesn't contain any stabilizers or emulsifiers, such as guar gum, and those that are higher in calories and fat, which equals better flavor and texture. If you notice the coconut milk has separated in the can, simply stir it together before use.

Canned wine is a fantastic addition to a meat marinade because of its high acidity levels and abundant tannins, both of which can help to denature tough protein fibers. The key is using the right kind for the appropriate amount of time.

The acidity of wine can vary depending on the grape and the winemaking process, ranging in PH from 2.9 to 3.9. Generally speaking, white wines tend to have higher acidity levels than red wines, though this is not always the case. Grapes grown in cooler climates are also typically more acidic than those sourced from warmer ones.

While it would seem that choosing a wine with higher acidity is always the right way to go for a marinade, there are other factors to consider. When cooking with wine, it is important to look at flavor. Bold red wines that are highly tannic, like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, tend to be more well-suited to beef, lamb, or wild game, while crisp, acidic white wines, like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc, work best with poultry. Again, time is of the essence. Wine does its best work on meat in the 2 to 24-hour window, depending upon the type.

When it comes to acidic ingredients, few are as potent as canned tomato paste or sauce, which makes them an ideal ingredient to use for tenderizing tough cuts of meat. When transformed into a sauce or paste, the tomato pulp itself is concentrated, which also enhances acidity levels. While raw tomatoes tend to hover between a PH of 4.42-4.65, tomato sauce ranges from 4.30-4.47, and tomato paste from 3.50-4.70.

If you decide to use tomatoes as a meat tenderizer, keep in mind that their bold flavor will change the taste of the meat. Ideally, tomato paste or sauce should be left on meat for 30 minutes to a couple of hours for the best results before cooking it. To enhance the tenderizing capacity of tomato paste or sauce beyond the surface of the meat, consider scoring it with a knife or piercing it with the tines of a fork to allow the acidic marinade to permeate further into the center of the cut.

If you haven't heard, that bottle of kombucha sitting around in your refrigerator is a powerhouse ingredient that can be used to tenderize a tough cut of meat. Kombucha is essentially a fermented sweet tea that is produced using what is known as a scoby, or starter. This scoby infuses kombucha with bacteria and yeast, which, after a time, creates a beverage with a light effervescence and distinctive, tangy flavor.

The bacteria and yeast in this fermented drink are its superpowers. They can tenderize meat by effectively pre-digesting the dense protein fibers within the muscle tissue. And, with so many different varieties to choose from, you get a double whammy with an ingredient that can not only soften meat, but infuse it with bold flavor.

Again, timing is of the essence. A mere 30 minutes to a couple of hours is all that is needed for kombucha to do its magic. When deciding which kombucha to purchase, you will want to use one that has no added sugar and contains active cultures, like Health-Ade Kombucha or Humm Probiotic Kombucha.

Are you a Moscow mule fan? If so, that ginger beer you have been stockpiling for your favorite libation may have more use than just mixing up a dynamite cocktail. Adding ginger beer to your meat marinades is the next way to level up your meat game.

While fresh ginger is frequently added to meat marinades because it contains the enzyme zingibain, this is rendered inert when heated, as it is in the canning process, making it no longer effective as a meat tenderizer. That said, ginger beer contains a high level of acidity. Like other carbonated beverages, it clocks in at a PH between 3.0 and 3.5, which makes it a great candidate for a meat marinade that can effectively denature tough protein fibers.

Ginger beer is far more desirable as a marinade than ale because it is made from fermented ginger, which has a unique, almost spicy, flavor-profile that can really amplify the savoriness of meat. When choosing ginger beer, opt for a high-quality one, like the one from the Old Jamaica brand.

If you are trying to reduce food waste and come up with a way of transforming a tough cut of meat into something tender and juicy, look no further than that can of olives or pickles sitting in your pantry. Adding olive or pickle brine to a marinade is a fantastic hack for tenderizing chicken breasts, pork chops, or even a hanger steak.

The liquid used to preserve olives and pickles is made from a solution of salt, vinegar, and water. These are the primary ingredients you might find in a wet brine recipe for a Thanksgiving turkey. A wet brine helps to tenderize meat through the process of osmosis. As the meat sits in the saltwater solution, the liquid is absorbed. This helps to plump up the flesh while also distributing salt throughout the meat. The salt reacts with the protein fibers within the meat and helps to unfurl them, which equals a more supple texture.

That said, this brine won't work with all types of meat. Some cuts are already injected with a brine-like solution, which means they will not readily absorb more liquid. Additionally, this kind of brine should only be employed for a limited amount of time. Approximately an hour per pound of meat is a good rule of thumb to keep in mind for best flavor and texture.

One of the most effective techniques for tenderizing meat that gets the job done without being too harsh to leave the meat in the marinade long enough to permeate beyond the exterior of a cut is to soak it in milk. Dairy products are frequently used in Southern recipes for fried chicken, particularly fermented ones, like buttermilk and yogurt.

While you can use that gallon of milk sitting around in the refrigerator, an alternative that is more potent and shelf-stable is a can of evaporated milk. Evaporated milk is made by heating milk until 60% of its water has been eliminated. The resulting liquid is concentrated in flavor and has a thick, luscious texture. It is also rife with nutrients, including calcium, lactic acid, and phosphates, which are primarily responsible for the tenderizing capacity of this dairy product.

When using evaporated milk to tenderize meat, always opt for full-fat varieties. While you can soak the meat in evaporated milk for a longer period of time than other tenderizers, overnight should be enough to produce a juicy texture and enhance the flavor of the meat.