tenderize

American  

[ten-duh-rahyz] / ˈtɛn dəˌraɪz /

especially British, tenderise

verb (used with object)

tenderized, tenderizing

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

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tenderize British  

/ ˈtɛndəˌraɪz /

verb

1. (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

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Other Word Forms

• tenderization noun
• tenderizer noun
• untenderized adjective

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.

Example Sentences

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

Marinating sliced Brussels sprouts in a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice helps tenderize them, while a topping of pan-roasted pine nuts and honey mustard dressing complete the dish.

From Salon • Dec. 26, 2022

I added a fair amount of sugar and an egg, in addition to buttermilk to help tenderize the dough, so that the finished shortcakes aren’t too crisp and can be eaten entirely with a spoon.

From Washington Post • Jul. 29, 2022

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

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Related Words

• abate
• alleviate
• cushion
• diminish
• dissolve
• ease
• lessen
• lighten
• lower
• mellow
• melt
• mitigate
• moderate
• modify
• relax
• relent
• temper
• thaw
• tone down
• weaken