tenderize

Today’s Americans are fixated on food to a degree that would tenderize the minds of previous generations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Orlando used heavy pressure to tenderize Tullis-Joyce, totaling 12 shots overall in the first half, the keeper saving five before the break.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

They've forced the GoJo staff to watch a mind-numbing early cut of an upcoming theatrical release to tenderize them.

From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2023

Rather than marinate the chicken for hours, 30 minutes will boost flavor and tenderize the meat.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 17, 2023

The stuff tastes like something you’d use to tenderize pot roast.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Adding coffee to steak creates a robust flavor by replicating the tannins you find in wine and, once it’s cooked, the crust formed by the coffee tenderizes the steak by sealing in moisture.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 1, 2022

In that marination process, it absorbs all the perfume of the herbs and the tanginess, and it also tenderizes the chicken — and it's so delicious.

From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2021

The lactic acid in sour cream tenderizes chicken beautifully and also helps crunchy, savory coatings stick to the meat.

From New York Times ● Jun. 4, 2021

He has developed a custom brine that incorporates, among other ingredients, buttermilk and shio koji, the latter a fermented rice product that tenderizes his free-range, antibiotic-free chicken while bringing out its natural umami.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 28, 2020

Grillmasters use it at the base of marinades, where it tenderizes meat and its mildly tart and subtle flavor blends in with wood smoke.

From Slate ● Jul. 3, 2018

Thorough cooking is especially important for ground and tenderized meat, where pathogens can be mixed in.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 24, 2023

It contained a heap of tenderized steaks, piled alongside rings of white onions like unfolded laundry, drenched in vinegar and salt, waiting to be sizzled in a pan until saucy and browned.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 12, 2023

Will Smith can seem mad that somebody got him out here looking like this — all tenderized.

From New York Times ● Feb. 8, 2022

On the latter, Yates’ usual youth-crew yawp is tenderized by heartache and isolation — emotional realms he’s started to feel safe exploring.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2021

No one followed me into the yard where the late afternoon sun had tenderized the midday harshness.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

In a baking pan, cook a snug bed of sliced potatoes in a little water to get a head start on tenderizing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026

On special occasions, or the odd Friday, my dad would start the day by tenderizing cube steaks, pounding them with the prickly end of a meat mallet until their surfaces were quilted, back and front.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 12, 2023

Depending on the type of acid used and the protein or vegetable opted for, there is also a level of tenderizing that marinating imparts, in addition to more thoroughly flavored proteins and produce.

From Salon ● Jan. 1, 2023

It creates tenderizing effects by breaking down protein in meat or gluten when used in marinades or baking.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 28, 2021

The juices have no where to go, so instead they just stay inside, tenderizing and flavoring the meat.

From The Perdue Chicken Cookbook by Mitzi Perdue