No Meat Tenderizer? No Problem, Use Your Mini Skillet Instead

Meat tenderizers (also known as meat mallets) are tricky to store in a utensil drawer because of their bulk, weight, and size. Luckily you can repurpose your cast iron mini skillet to do the same job! 

A regular meat mallet has two sides; one with a smooth flat surface, like a hammer, and one with pointy ridges. The flat side is used to flatten tough, thicker cuts of meat into thin, even pieces and the spiky side breaks up the connective tissue in the protein, resulting in a melt-in-the-mouth steak. A small cast iron skillet is perfect for mimicking these properties because of its significant weight and compact design.

To get started, cover your meat in plastic wrap and pound it with the back of your skillet, starting from the center and working your way out to the edges. The manageable diameter of the pan means you'll be able to lift it with ease, unlike a full sized skillet, and hone in on specific areas that need to be flattened out. Some mini skillets also have lettering, rings, or a cross-hatched design etched onto their base, which is ideal for making those small punctures in the meat that help it to absorb marinades, dry rubs, and seasonings. However, if your skillet has a smooth surface you can tilt it and use the edges to beat an irregular pattern into the meat, which will break up those long muscle fibers that are challenging to chew into shorter, softer spans.

Once you've pounded your cuts of meat with the back of your skillet and broken down their connective tissue, there are several ways to tenderize them further. For example, you can dry brine them in a coating of salt or cover them in freshly mashed papaya paste (all you need to do is wash the marinade off the surface and pat the meat dry before grilling or frying as usual). Papaya is a secret weapon for tenderizing steak because it contains an enzyme called papain that breaks down protein.

Acid-based marinades, containing common ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or buttermilk, work in a similar way by softening the protein fibers in tough cuts of meat. In fact, a surprising ingredient that can take your steak up a notch is a simple can of Coke because it contains phosphoric acid, which denatures animal protein until it become appetizingly tender. When the time comes to grill your favorite cuts of meat, from flat iron, skirt, or ribeye, you can use your mini cast iron skillet as a basting station for your grill so it can really earn its keep (just remember to wash it first to eliminate the risk of cross contamination and dry it thoroughly to prevent rust).