Tenderize That Toughy Meat!

Okay now, let me refresh my memory.  How many times was it then that I fell victim of those delectable red meat  only to be able to get that to a manageable palatable state of tenderness after so many hours of cooking?   Hmmm... not once and not just twice I tell you.   One instance, a beef stew (nilagang baka) initially planned for lunch has made it to the table at dinnertime!   Really frustrating, I tell you.

Keep in mind that the amount of hours it takes to tenderize the meat depends upon the sizes of the cuts, the type and the quality of meat.   The prices of prime cut meat is way higher than the lesser qualities.   With the help of some tenderizing means, no need to spend so much for that prime cuts, rather, buy lesser quality cuts but still enjoy the porky taste or beefy goodness of them.   That means great savings.   Isn't that great?

Pressure Cook it!  

This is the first thing that will come to mind when tenderizing the meat especially for stews or with sauce.   Just long hours of slow cooking.

Just Pound or Hammer it away!

Remember the traditional way sa pagluluto ng Tagalog Bistek?   Sliced meat are pounded before frying.   You can use the meat mallet or your kitchen knife.   By pounding the meat in one direction from left to right and top to bottom.  Then turn it over and doing it again in the other side giving it a crosshatched appearance.

Marinating or braising it Naturally.   These natural tenderizers not only works but gives your meat a juicy, tasty and zippy taste.  Certain plant, enzymes and acids can break down muscles and connective proteins in meat.

1.   Calamansi or Lemon Juice

2,   Apple Cider Vinegar

3.   Apple Juice

4.   Tomato Juice

5.   Kiwi Fruit Juice

6.   Green Papaya Juice - make sure not to soak the meat for hours as it will turn the meat mushy.      If its for frying, just dip the meat several minutes before cooking.

Just a reminder when marinating with acid base.   Do not use aluminum or copper as it will react with acid.   To be on the safe side, use stainless steel or glass.

Break it down with Baking Soda.

Dissolve 1 teaspoon of baking soda in water for a 1 kilo meat.   Use that to soak the meat.  Leave it overnight and wash with water before cooking.   Don't overdo the quantity of baking soda as it will lessens the flavor and leave it with a starchy taste.

Cola is it!

Adding cola while cooking not only tenderize the meat but also gives a sweet and zesty flavor in it.

That commecially available Chemical Tenderizers.  

This tenderizer is available in powder form and composed mainly of Papain enzyme extracted from papaya.   Bromelain is another meat tenderizer composed of a number of protease enzymes and is extracted from the stems of pineapple.   I found one being sold at the shelves of supermarkets in Metro Manila made by a popular brand of food ingredients.

Image source:

spatulasama

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Salsang Itlog (Egg Sauce)

This salsang itlog (egg sauce) is recommended for steamed fish or vegetables that has less salt or seasonings.

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup evaporated milk
2. 2 eggs
3. 2 tablespoon flour
4. 2 tablespoon butter
5. pinch or salt
6. pinch of ground white pepper

Cooking Procedure:

1. Boil the eggs.
2. Cut into small pieces.   Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and ground pepper.  Set aside.
4. In a sauce pan, melt the butter in a low heat.  Stir constantly.
5. Add the flour mix.  Stir until the flour mix turn to liquid.
6. Slowly add the milk and continue stirring.
7. Add the eggs.
8. Continue mixing for 5 minutes before serving.

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Sopas na Itlog (Egg Drop Soup)

Sopas na itlog or egg drop soup is just perfect during cold or rainy days. Definitely one of the easiest to prepare and not time consuming. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1. 2 eggs

2. 1 cup evaporated milk

3. 1 medium sized onion

4. 3 cloves minced garlic

5. 2 cups chicken broth or pork broth

6. fish seasoning or salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:

1. Saute the garlic and onion.

2. Add the chicken or pork broth. Bring to boil.

3. Lower the heat then add the evaporated milk.

4. Beat the egg.

5. Using a small strainer, position it at about 8-10 inches above the soup. Pour the beaten egg to the boiling soup. Move the strainer back and forth so that the egg will drip like a miki noodle or thread-like. Don't mix until the eggs solidify.

6. Serve hot.

Happy cooking and enjoy your sopas or egg soup.

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Longganisa (Filipino sausage)

Longganisa, the filipino sausage comes in various flavors, colors and sizes depending on the region or ingredients. Usually, this food is eaten at breakfast time together with eggs, fried rice, tomatoes or vinegar and hot choco or coffee.   Here is the procedure on how to make Longganisa (Filipino sausage).

Ingredients:

1. 1 kilo ground pork

2. 300 grams diced pork (fatty portion)

3. 2/3 cups soy sauce

4. 3 tablespoon salt

5. 1 cup brown sugar

6. 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

7. 2 tablespoon minced onion

8. 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (optional)

9. 1 teaspoon paprika

10. sausage casings (if unavailable, substitute with plastic casings cut to desired length or have it just like a patty)

Dipping Sauce:

1. 2 cloves of crushed garlic

2. 2 tablespoon vinegar

3. a pinch of salt

4. fresh cayenne or bird pepper (siling labuyo) optional

How to Prepare:

Put the pork in a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Let it stand for about 2-3 hours in the refrigerator. Afterwards, put the mixture in the casings and tie up according to desired sizes. For a more flavorful taste, let it cure for 2 days.

For the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients and adjust to own taste.

Cooking procedure:

Turn the stove in medium fire. Put the desired number of longganisa in a frying pan and add 1/3 cup of water. Let it simmer and mix from time to time until the water evaporates. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and let it fry until brown. Serve.

Happy cooking and enjoy this Longganisa (Filipino sausage)!

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Batute - Palaka (Stuffed Frog)

Batute (Stuffed Frog) is one of the many exotic and popular food the Kapampangans are known for. It is being served as specialty dish in some Pampanga restaurants. Want to try this recipe?

Ingredients:

1. 8 big edible frogs (palakang bukid)

2. 1/4 kilos ground pork

3. 3 cloves of minced garlic

4. 1/2 teaspoon salt (for pork stuffing)

5. 1 tablespoon vinegar (for pork stuffing)

6. 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper (for pork stuffing)

7. 1 teaspoon of salt (for marinade)

8. 4 tablespoon of vinegar (for marinade)

9. 1 teaspoon ground pepper (for marinade)

10. 1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar (for marinade)

Cooking Procedure:

1. In a bowl, combine the ground pork, minced garlic, salt, vinegar and ground pepper. Set aside.

2. Clean the frog and remove the skin, head and cut the belly to remove the intestines.

3. Use the ground pork mixture as belly stuffings. Sew to prevent the stuffings from spilling out.

4. Mix the marinating mixture: salt, vinegar, ground pepper and brown sugar.

5. Pour into the stuffed frogs.

6. Let it stand for 30 minutes.

7. The let it sund-dried for another 30 minutes.

8. Deep fry until golden brown.

Serve with fried rice or steamed plain rice.

Image Source:
TIPT544

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Adobong Baboy at Manok (Pork and Chicken in Soy Sauce and Vinegar)

Adobo is one of the many popular Filipino food. So popular that even non-Filipinos appreciate this dish. Delicious and easy to prepare. Here is the recipe for cooking one of the variant of adobo... the Adobong Manok at Baboy (Pork and Chicken in Soy Sauce).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo chicken
• 1/2 kilo pork
• 100 grams liver (optional)
• 8 cloves of crushed garlic
• 1 piece bay leaf
• 10 pcs peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar
• 3 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 pieces medium sized potatoes (quartered)
• 3 hardboiled eggs (optional)
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

1. In a medium heat, put the oil in a cooking pot.
2. Stir fry the garlic until golden brown.
3. Add the pork and chicken.
4. Stir fry until golden brown.
5. Add soy sauce, water, bay leaf, peppercorns and ground pepper.
6. Let it simmer until the pork and chicken are tender.
7. Then add the liver and potatoes.
8. When the potatoes are already cooked, add the vinegar and let it simmer for 5 more minutes.
9. Add the hard boiled eggs and after 3 minutes, it's done.

Serve together with steamed rice or garlic rice.

Adobo is one of the most popular and easy to prepare filipino dish. Happy cooking and enjoy eating!

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Longsilog (Filipino Sausage + Fried Rice + Egg)

Breakfast time! For this morning, I am going to have Longsilog. Yummy! This set meal is popular among those people who go for a heavy meal at the start of the day and lighter at night or dinnertime. For those of you who are not Pinoy, it is shortened for:

• Long = Longganisa or Filipino sausage
• Si = Sinangag or fried rice
• Log= itLog or egg

Longsilog has been known to us as a breakfast meal but because of it's popularity, many eateries carried this in the menu as one of the short orders and is available all day long. Longganisa and eggs are available in meat marts, wet markets and supermarkets. But if you want to experience the joy of making some homemade longganisa, then, just look for the recipe I posted here. It's really easy. Also, fried rice is a pushover as long as you have that cold left-over rice.

Longsilog is best served with your favorite hot drinks like coffee, tea or hot choco. Enjoy!

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