Meat Tenderizer Needle

This is a solid SS, heavy (14.6 oz) meat tenderize. Surprisingly to me, neither the product page nor reviewers mentioned the mechanism of action, i.e., how it works. While it is true that the channels created by the blades will permit a greater penetration of marinades, blade tenderizers work by cutting the muscles fibers. This is especially effective for the outside round, top sirloin, strip loin, inside round, and chuck tender. Indeed, it can be used for any cut of meat, pork, or chicken.

Some commented on cleaning. The product page suggests soaking in warm soapy water or dishwasher. I clean it in the dishwasher with the blades pointing down into the spray.

DO NOT CLEAN WITH OR IMMERSE IN BLEACH as one reviewer does. Bleach is a powerful oxidizing agent that can, even when diluted, oxidize the chromium oxide protective layer of stainless steel and cause rust. If you have one that is large enough, placing this tenderizer in an ultrasonic cleaner will aid in removing dried on bits C which are preventable if you soak this tenderizer immediately after use.

I find this tenderizer to be far superior to a smooth or toothed hammer and a lot quieter. And, as is mentioned, the channels do allow for better penetration of marinades and spices.

Depending on their size, style, and design the price point for blade meat tenderizers is all over the place on Amazon. To me, given its heft and very sturdy SS construction, I think $30 is reasonable for this gadget.

Barbs do not go deep enough into meet if you are treating a thick piece or a roast. Otherwise a really solid tool and well worth the money. A word on cleaning, be aggressive and thorough. Spend extra time and use lots of dish liquid. I immerse unit in a dilute bleach bath after each use to sterilize. I do the same with any tool that comes in contact with raw meat.

This meat tenderizer is bigger than I expected, it is also fairly heavy. I have used this a couple of times now and it works well. The tenderizer's blades are pointed and sharp. Combining the sharp blades with the weight of the tenderizer and you have a quite aggressive tool. I am not saying aggressive in a bad way just a cautionary way, because if you are not careful when you use this tenderizer on thinner cuts of meat you will poke all the way though the meat and possibly damage your cutting board. on thicker cuts of meat this tenderizer can really get down inside of the meat and allow marinades to penetrate deeply. I will be using this tenderizer often to prep my meat for grilling, and I cannot wait to see what it does for the bark on the smoker.
The only thing I do not like about the tenderizer is that it is difficult to clean, with the blades so close together you need to depend on water pressure alone to clean it.

Listen, there are easy ways to tenderize meats. I think the biggest thing you can do is cut across the grain. In some cases, you can velvet the meat if you are familiar with that technique.

I had one of these years ago and it was great but got lost in a move. That one had a plastic handle, this one is all mirror-like stainless steel. Looks and feels fantastic.

I was worried this might be hard to clean so got one of those meat mallets first. It was fine for flatting meat with either side but unfortunately, that's all the spiked side did. The spikes were not sharp or long enough to really tenderize meat. This tenderizer has very sharp, long blades that go all the way through, they are much closer together than the spikes on the mallet so do a great job of tenderizing. It flattens the meat at the same time and also if I apply dry rub before using it, pushes the spices deep into the meat.

It seems to clean up well by holding it under running hot water and then soaking it for a while in hot, soapy water.