# Pineapple tenderized steak, big fail



## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

I was not happy with the result. I crushed some pineapple, let the NY strip sit in it for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Everything looked OK, but the steak would not form the usual crusty sear. It was tender, but in tasting it, though it didn't taste like pineapple, it didn't taste exactly like steak either, and didn't taste good at all.

Given this experience I have to wonder why this method would ever be suggested. Anyone ever had success with this, or anything similar?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

People buying cheap steak might like the tenderizing effect of the enzymes. 

To me, where steak is a milder cut of beef I think it's best left pretty simple and without marination.


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## sgsvirgil (Mar 1, 2017)

Yeah.....never use raw pineapple or raw pineapple juice to marinate meat, especially prime cuts like strip steak etc. 

Raw pineapple contains an enzyme called Bromelain that is used to make meat tenderizer. It rapidly breaks down the protein and muscle structure of the meat and turns it into a mush over time. The breakdown of the meat caused by the raw pineapple in the outer layers is probably why the meat wouldn't sear. Raw pineapple will also give the meat a bad flavor, as you've already noticed. 

You can use pineapple to marinade meats, just heat it up first. Heating neutralizes the bromelain and will prevent it from giving your proteins a bad flavor. Heat it to just under a boil and you should be fine.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

What was the goal? Tender steak? Taste like pineapple? Both?


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Personally would never marinate beef in something sweet... pork and chicken yes, beef no.

You started with a very tender cut, all it needed was salt and pepper to let the good beef flavor shine!


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

I was just looking for more tender. Got the idea from Gugafoods on youtube, an accidental stumble-upon. They claimed the pineapple marinated steak was better in their tests, just for the heck I thought I'd try. Last time I'll take them seriously.

I take it then that I should not try any sort of tenderizer on any steak I want good steak flavor and sear from?


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

rick alan said:


> I was just looking for more tender. Got the idea from Gugafoods on youtube, an accidental stumble-upon. They claimed the pineapple marinated steak was better in their tests, just for the heck I thought I'd try. Last time I'll take them seriously.
> 
> I take it then that I should not try any sort of tenderizer on any steak I want good steak flavor and sear from?


Did they use fresh or canned pineapple in the video? The canned stuff will only lend flavor to the dish, but fresh will do as stated above. It's the same reason you need to use canned pineapple in jello and not fresh. Fresh can stop the jello from setting due to the enzymes.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Oh yeh it was fresh, and it did tenderize, but it destroyed the steak, for what steak should be anyways. I mean it was such an abomination I can't for the life of me understand how they could think it any kind of improvement.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I had a similar situation once where I tried to make bulgogi and marinated the beef in pears. Won’t be doing that again lol. 

The only tenderizer I’ve ever used for beef is a dry brine. It can be used for large cuts of meat like rib roasts and smaller tougher cuts like bottom round and eye round. Just cover your roast will a 4-6 tbsp is salt, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day rinse thoroughly, pat dry and roast slowly.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

Yes, I always salt [and pepper also] my steaks ahead, typically 12-24 hours ahead of cooking, and I have heard it has a mild tenderizing affect. Different flavor profile if you season just an hour before cooking, sometimes I prefer it that way. No salt residue in the pan when you go 12+.

Funny KK, I heard asian pear, onion soy and honey is a pretty standard Korean marinade for beef, but as substitutes for the AP regular pears were not listed, rather kiwi, rice wine and one or two others.


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

rick alan said:


> Yes, I always salt [and pepper also] my steaks ahead, typically 12-24 hours ahead of cooking, and I have heard it has a mild tenderizing affect. Different flavor profile if you season just an hour before cooking, sometimes I prefer it that way. No salt residue in the pan when you go 12+.
> 
> Funny KK, I heard asian pear, onion soy and honey is a pretty standard Korean marinade for beef, but as substitutes for the AP regular pears were not listed, rather kiwi, rice wine and one or two others.


This is true for bulgogi, but I usually use thin sliced ribeye or beef short ribs. I've heard kiwi and pear can substitute Asian pear but have not tried it as I can get Asian pears here. I would also be curious how thick your strip steak was. Some recipes call for dabbing the marinade off the meat slightly before grilling to achieve a crust.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

It was close to 1". I rinsed and wiped, then seasoned and air dried to almost a pelicle before cooking, but the poor steak just wasn't itself anymore. I believe the same poor surface results would have been there even if limited to a half hour marinade.


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## jamesl (Apr 21, 2020)

Guga foods did a follow-up video where he marinated in raw pineapple for 24 hours and his steak turned into mush. He recommends 1 hour max, with 45 minutes or under recommended. Definitely seems like bromelain is a fast acting enzyme. (Note: I'm just another home chef/Guga foods viewer, not affiliated with the channel).


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## macymace (Mar 10, 2021)

rick alan said:


> I was not happy with the result. I crushed some pineapple, let the NY strip sit in it for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Everything looked OK, but the steak would not form the usual crusty sear. It was tender, but in tasting it, though it didn't taste like pineapple, it didn't taste exactly like steak either, and didn't taste good at all.
> 
> Given this experience I have to wonder why this method would ever be suggested. Anyone ever had success with this, or anything similar?


I had COMPLETE SUCCESS, and each and every time!!! How thick was your cut and how much pineapple did you use? I use fresh (I like to eat them so when I skin them, vertically, I am left with the skin out but a good size of the inside I use to smother my steak in - overnight - and it NEVER fails!!!! Best, natural and not salty, way to tenderize a meat! Not sure why the others failed at it??? And no, NO PINAPPLE taste residue left, at all!!! You must know your spices, maybe? It was the best thing I ever learned to tenderize meat!! (Better than the kiwi option because of the seeds that become annoying to remove?) BEST USED FOR stir fry and small cut but if you want your steak whole, if you marinate it in pinapple, you should grill it with a much much higher temperature to have the outside sear well (and stay firm) while the inside is tender? I tried both cuts and it's been a success!
Can't cook meat before a pineapple 'bath" anymore. What a difference! Success!


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