For Perfectly Tender Kabobs, You Need To Grab This Kitchen Tool

Kabobs are one of the best foods to throw on the grill. They're full of flavor and easily customizable whether you're skewering dry-rubbed steak, marinated chicken, or tender and sweet summer squash. They're also ideal for feeding a crowd at a cookout. But as simple as they seem, it's all too easy to end up with dry and tough meat. That's why we spoke to Emily Massi, a registered retail dietitian at Giant Food, who shared her top tip for keeping kabob meat tender: using a meat tenderizer.

"A meat tenderizer can break up connective tissue and muscle fibers, resulting in a more tender texture," Massi told The Takeout. Cuts like chuck steak can quickly become chewy when cooked since they contain more collagen. Using a tenderizer essentially breaks down that collagen, yielding more tender kabob meat. Something like sirloin or lamb is quite lean, and the physical tenderizing literally softens the muscle. 

"Tenderize the full cut of meat before cutting into kabob cubes and seasoning," Massi advised. For mess-free meat tenderizing, it's best to place your meat between two layers of plastic wrap or wax paper before going to town. From there, gently pound the meat with the textured side of the mallet, working from the center outward. If you don't have a meat tenderizer on hand, use a rolling pin, a saucepan, a can of food, or any similar, heavy household item to pound the meat with. The aim is just to gently tenderize the meat, rather than flattening it completely.

Aside from physically tenderizing kabob meat, you can also marinate it to improve the texture. Acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and yogurt, or any enzyme-rich fruits like pineapple or papaya, will do this job well. They will similarly work to break down the proteins in the meat and give you a much more tender kabob. Just be sure not to marinate too long — two hours is plenty of time to soften the meat without making it mushy.

You can even use baking soda as a tenderizer in a technique similar to velveting meat for takeout-style stir-fries. The baking soda raises the pH level of the meat, which prevents the proteins from binding so tightly. Simply coat the meat with a thin, even layer of baking soda and let it sit for a few hours before rinsing it off and making your kabobs as usual. Whether you use a meat tenderizer or tenderizing ingredient, you'll be rewarded with kabobs that are soft, flavorful, and juicy every time.