Beef is a key ingredient in many delicious dishes. To ensure your beef turns out tender and flavorful, you can apply several simple yet effective techniques. Here are the best tips to help you achieve perfectly soft and juicy beef every time.

Tenderize the Beef Before Cooking

If you want softer beef, don’t skip the tenderizing step. Use a meat mallet to gently pound the beef after cutting it into appropriately sized pieces. Lightly pounding the meat helps break down the muscle fibers, reducing toughness and making the texture noticeably softer once cooked.

Additionally, tenderizing helps the beef absorb seasonings more effectively, enhancing the overall flavor of the dish. For easier cleanup and to prevent the meat from losing its shape, place the beef between two sheets of plastic wrap before pounding. Remember to use gentle, even pressure—overpounding can cause the meat to break apart and lose its natural structure.

Marinate with Vinegar, Oil, or Alcohol

Marinating beef in ingredients such as vinegar, cooking oil, or alcohol is another excellent way to soften the meat and enrich its taste.

• Cooking oil helps the beef retain moisture, giving each bite a smooth, tender texture. For best results, marinate the beef for about 30 minutes.

• Vinegar and alcohol (such as rice wine or white wine) contain acids that break down muscle fibers, resulting in softer beef. However, these ingredients should only be used briefly—around 15 minutes—to avoid making the beef overly sour.

As a general guideline, one kilogram of beef can be marinated with 2–3 tablespoons of alcohol or 1 tablespoon of vinegar, though you can adjust the amount based on the cut of beef you are using.

Use Salt as a Natural Tenderizer

Salting beef is another highly effective method for softening the meat. Simply apply a thin, even layer of salt to both sides of the beef. Salt not only enhances flavor but also helps break down protein structures, improving tenderness.

For the best results, place the salted beef in the refrigerator for about one hour. This allows the salt to penetrate deeply, locking in moisture and giving the beef a more succulent texture once cooked.

Before cooking, rinse off the excess salt under cold water and pat the beef dry with paper towels. This prevents the meat from becoming too salty and ensures even cooking.

Tenderize Beef with Baking Soda

Baking soda is a cost-effective and reliable tenderizer widely used in cooking. For 340g of beef, use about 10g of baking soda. Sprinkle it evenly over the meat, then gently rub to ensure the surface is fully coated.

Let the beef rest in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes, or up to 3 hours if you prefer a more pronounced tenderizing effect. Be careful not to leave it for too long—excessive time can cause the beef to become overly soft or mushy.

Before cooking, thoroughly rinse the beef under cold water to remove any remaining baking soda, preventing any unwanted aftertaste in your dish.