How Club Soda Can Make Or Break Your Meat

Tenderizing meat is a great way to take a cheaper, lower-quality cut and make it supple and juicy. Just like the best affordable beef cuts can be zhuzhed up with proper treatment to give them that different, luxuriant taste that you find at steak restaurants, so can a humble chunk of beef, pork, bison, or lamb be handled thoughtfully and expertly to impart that oh-so desirable tenderness. The key to tenderizing meat easily might already be sitting in your fridge.

"Club soda is a surprisingly effective tenderizer due to its slight acidity and carbonation," explained Michael Taus, Executive Chef at La Grande Boucherie Chicago, in an exclusive conversation with Foodie. Not only do these qualities "help break down muscle fibers in tougher cuts. Additionally, the small amount of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in club soda contributes to this effect, gently altering the meat's pH and preventing proteins from binding too tightly." He mentioned that the mild flavors of 7UP soda can be used in a similarly effective way. Just tenderize with caution and keep an eye on the clock, as too much of a good thing is ... too much. More specifically, "too much time (especially over 12 hours) can make the meat mushy." Taus warned.

Club soda isn't the only liquid that can tenderize meat. Taus mentioned that "citrus, vinegar, or wine can help break down fibers," but adds the proviso that "over-marinating in acidic liquids" is a great way to irredeemably ruin your cut's texture. Nor is a marinade the sole way that you can take the act of tenderizing too far. "Using excessive mechanical tenderizing [by] over-pounding or scoring meat too deeply" is another danger to your meat's consistency.

Your best bet when it comes to preparing a tough piece of meat is to "balance these techniques with proper cooking methods rather than relying solely on tenderization," Taus said. For example, cooking meat low and slow is an excellent alternative to tenderization that will encourage the breakdown of muscle fibers. And while there are ways to thaw frozen meat quickly, these shortcuts can also play havoc with the texture of your meal. Proper defrosting and cooking are just as important to succulent meat as tenderizing can be, and smart chefs will use a combination of all of the above methods.