How do I cook tender meat?

Cafe Society
21

One doesn’t need to have the word “chef” in one’s user name to be knowledgeable about these things. Pulykamell has provided the definitive answer to the question. As for pork chops, I agree that an hour’s cooking is about 50 minutes overkill. Today’s pork chop is very lean; too lean, IMO. But it benefits from rapid cooking, opposed to slow cooking. Try this:

1" pork chops or thicker, fat trimmed
ground cinnamon
ground allspice
olive oil

Rub both sides of the chop with the spices. Heat a heavy skillet to medium-high. Add the oil and wait until it shimmers. Quickly add the chops and sear well on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium (lower, depending on your pan’s conductivity), cover tightly and continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes. Slice across the grain. The chop won’t be fork tender, but it won’t be shoe leather, either. If it’s too pink for you, toss it back in for a couple of minutes.

I also like to slice up a raw chop and marinate it for stirfry, as I think somebody already noted.

22

One thing we do to get meat to be tender is marinate it in something that breaks down connective tissue. Alcohol, or vinegar are favorites. I am not saying to submerge it in pure Jack Daniels, but rather a half shot or so added to a marinade will help make it tender.

23

anybody else getting hungry?

24

Agree with the slow cooker (crock pot) idea.

Every once in awhile, we will get a large roast, put it in the crock pot late on a Saturday night with some potatoes, carrots and a packet of dried onion soup, and the next day, wake up to the great aroma of a perfectly cooked roast.

Have never had it fail - meat falls apart with the mere touch of a fork and provides for great leftovers as well.