discovering the meat tenderizer

My earliest memory of cooking was back when I was 5 or so and my grandma was teaching me how to cook rice.  You measured the water by sight and when in doubt, you used your fingers.  Measuring cups didn’t exist where I grew up.

So although I’ve been cooking for over three decades, a few months ago I used a meat tenderizer for the first time.  Wow!  What a discoveryJ

I made pork cutlets (or schnitzel or chicken fried pork or whatever you want to call them).  We buy these thick pork chops at Costco and my husband likes them grilled.  My guilty pleasure though is anything deep fried; if not deep, then fried will do as well.  Especially meat.  So I sliced the chops cross-wise and two chops yielded eight pieces and by the time I was done pounding them, there was enough for two meals!  I couldn’t believe what difference the tenderizer made.  I dried the pork slices first with paper towels before I pounded the hell out of them.  (Otherwise you’ll splash bacteria bombs all over your kitchen).

I used some sea salt, tons of black pepper and really rubbed them into the meat.  Then I beat one egg and that was enough to moisten all the pork. I used some Panko to bread them and then I fried them in some extra virgin olive oil.  Deep frying wasn’t necessary since they were so thin and will cook fast.  Medium heat.  I served the pork with cooked rice (water measured by sight!) and Asian greens with shitake mushrooms and oyster sauce.  Sweet chili sauce on the side for dipping.

My husband compliments the dinner and asks “So, what prompted this dinner?”

I simply replied, “I was craving something fried.” 

I am now inspired to attempt my first ever chicken fried steak.  I can’t wait.  It’s one of my favorites.

So if you own a meat tenderizer, I hope you’ve used it.  If not, use it soon!