What Makes Meat Tender

There are many factors that affect tenderness in meat from its composition to its cut, from the age of the animal to the method you use to cook it. The more you know about each factor, the better you’ll know meat.

Muscle

The smaller the muscle, the more tender the meat. That’s why you’ll find that veal is generally more tender than beef.

Connective Tissue

The more connective tissue a cut of meat has the tougher it will be.

Fat

Flavor and tenderness is provided by fat, with exterior fat retaining the moisture within the muscle. These days, consumer demand for leaner meats has resulted in breeding of animals with reduced fat.

Age

Generally, the younger the animal the more tender the meat. That’s why veal and lamb are so tender. In this definition, age has nothing to do with “aging” meat after it’s cut.

Location of Cut

This is probably the best indicator of the tenderness of meat. It affects muscle size, connective tissue and fat content. The least used muscles, like the loin and rib, are the most tender. The more fully developed muscles are the less tender, like the neck, shoulder (chuck) and the hind end (round).

Cooking Temperatures

Very high temperatures or overcooking will toughen meat.

Grinding

Grinding breaks down muscle and connective tissue and makes the meat more tender. It’s ideal for chuck or round.

Cuts Of Meat And Their Tenderness

Sometimes the names used to identify particular cuts of meat make it confusing to select. For example, the chuck refers to cuts of beef that come from the shoulder of the animal. If you can associate the names of the cuts of meat with its location on the animal, you’ll know which cuts are tender and which are not. Generally, the meats that are known as tender are best cooked by dry methods, whereas less tender cuts require moist heat to tenderize.