Food - Drink
Why Pineapple Makes A
Good Meat Tenderizer
By HOPE NGO
Pineapple is so delicious on its own, as well as in so many dishes, that it might seem weird to think of using it for something so banal as grilling meat, but grill masters know it works wonders. Pineapple juice carries an enzyme called bromelain, which helps the meat become more tender as the dissolving collagen fibers help marinate it.
Bromelain affects your tongue through the same chemical process, which is why it may feel a bit funny if you've indulged in too much pineapple. The best way to use pineapple as a marinade is to take a fresh pineapple and extract the juice, since the pasteurization process used to make commercial juices can also do away with the enzyme that works with the meat.
Once you've juiced a fresh pineapple, put the meat in a shallow pan and pour the juice on top of it, but if the cut is too thick, turn the meat from time to time to ensure the juice reaches all sides. Because pineapple itself is also acidic, you can't keep the meat in the marinade for longer than 12 hours.