Synonyms

tenderize

American

[ten-duh-rahyz] / ˈtɛn dəˌraɪz /

especially British, tenderise

verb (used with object)

to make (meat) tender, as by pounding or by a chemical process or treatment.

tenderize British

/ ˈtɛndəˌraɪz /

verb

(tr) to make (meat) tender by pounding it to break down the fibres, by steeping it in a marinade, or by treating it with a tenderizer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of tenderize

First recorded in 1725–35; tender ¹ + -ize

Explanation

In cooking, to tenderize is to prepare meat so it's more easily chewed, or tender. One way to tenderize meat is to roast it at a low temperature for a long time. There are many different techniques cooks use to tenderize meat. They might marinate it in an acidic liquid, pound it repeatedly before cooking, or brine it in a saltwater solution, for example. All of these methods result in a more tender piece of meat that can be cut and chewed easily. Any tool or substance used to tenderize meat is called a tenderizer.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Clean your octopus, tenderize it, cure it with kosher salt, and chop it into chunks, then add it to the colander and repeat the process.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2023

Orlando used heavy pressure to tenderize Tullis-Joyce, totaling 12 shots overall in the first half, the keeper saving five before the break.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 7, 2023

Rather than marinate the chicken for hours, 30 minutes will boost flavor and tenderize the meat.

From Washington Times • Apr. 17, 2023

NOTES: Cube steaks are typically sold already tenderized, but for more tender meat and a faster marinating time, it’s good to tenderize them again.

From Washington Post • Jan. 12, 2023

The stuff tastes like something you’d use to tenderize pot roast.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023