We Tested the Best Meat Beaters for Chefs of All Levels (2023)

Advantages:It has a comfortable grip and its balance allows for precise swings.

Opposites:Flesh is easier to tear with this hammer, and the slightly tilted head can do you good or bad.

The Good Grips performed almost perfectly in our tests. With both smooth and serrated surfaces and an angled head, it smashed chicken breasts and pork chops in under a minute, although the chicken breast tore a little. The head and shaft are very well balanced, with a comfortable grip that allows for a smooth and powerful swing. This rotation allows the meat to be precisely pressed from the center outwards, resulting in an evenly thin cut of meat. It also made quick work of a stack of graham crackers, and the design efficiently targeted the largest bits that needed to be crushed. The Good Grips are dishwasher safe, making cleaning an easy task.

Price at time of publication: $12

• Weight:13 ounces
• head width:2.5 inches
• Material:ABS plastic with solid steel core
• Dishwasher safe:And

Advantages:With great precision, it is very effective for such a light tool.

Opposites:The tapered teeth can work for you or against you and are not dishwasher safe.

No one wants to exhaust themselves by hitting in one shot. The Aliglow takes this idea and makes quick work of chicken and pork thanks to its user-friendly design. Although there were some minor punctures and tears, the Aliglow performed reasonably well in all of our tests. While many hammers feature a pyramidal design on their serrated side, this one features tapered teeth that reach down to the needle tip, which we think can work for you or against you. Cleaning is a simple clean with soap and water as it is not dishwasher safe.

Price at time of publication: $9

• Weight:10 ounces
• head width:2 inches
• Material:zinc alloy
• Dishwasher safe:NO

Advantages:It's lightweight and produces consistent chops without breaking.

Opposites:The silicone grip could be more comfortable and allows dirt to collect in the grooves.

This pickguard features a more traditional design than those previously tested, with updates. First up is the lightweight aluminum construction, followed by a non-slip silicone grip for the grip. It also features tapered teeth for powerful softening. In fact, it performed better than our top pick in the yield category, leaving no tears or chops in the flesh. The silicone grip is a nice touch for stability, but it has some ridges that could catch stray bits of protein if not cleaned properly. It's not as comfortable in the hands as the OXO, but it's anything but uncomfortable.

Price at time of publication: $17

• Weight:10 ounces
• head width:3 inches
• Material:Aluminium, Silikongriff
• Dishwasher safe:NO

Advantages:It is efficient and aesthetically pleasing.

Opposites:It is heavy and must be disassembled to clean.

We're definitely going old school with this setup, but there's a reason some designs stand the test of time. This hammer's design, unlike the mallet models we tested, calls for straight up and down shots—literally slams. It's also quite heavy compared to the other models, almost two pounds. But this weight and design combine to create a smooth surface with no cracks or gouges. It also has smooth and serrated surfaces, with the teeth being conical and very sharp to the point of softening. Due to the structure of the design, you need to unscrew the handle, flip the main disc, and reattach the handle when you switch sides. This handle arrangement also helps with the cleaning work, but the mode is dishwasher safe.

Price at time of publication: $20

• Weight:1 pound, 14 ounces
• head width:3 ⅛ inches
• Material:chrome zinc
• Dishwasher safe:And

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the difference between a meat tenderizer and a meat grinder?

  "There are two main categories of meat tenderizers: the hammer type and the needle type," says Gifford. The needle type is for tenderizing meat, while the hammer type flattens meat on scallops and the like. Needle beaters shorten muscle fibers, tendons and ribs quickly and easily and make meat more tender. "Even the New York stripes are getting softened," says Gifford. At the loin end of a tenderloin fillet, a large chunk of tough rib curves through the eye of the steak. A quick treatment with a needle softener will disrupt that nerve and tenderize a tough piece.

  
  The serrated side of the meat grinders reviewed here emulates a needle beater that shreds tough areas of meat. This side should be reserved for tough cuts as it will poke holes through softer proteins like chicken breast or pork loin. "If you're flattening a piece of meat for stuffing, you want to make sure there aren't any cracks so the stuffing doesn't fall out," says Gifford. It's also worth noting that holes and indentations contribute to uneven cooking and are generally aesthetically unappealing.

• Why does pounding tenderize meat?

  Pounding meat destroys and shortens the strands of muscle that make up a piece of meat. The ideal way to cut a piece of meat before cooking is to cut along the visible grain of the muscle fibers to shorten them. By shortening these fibers, the meat becomes easier to chew, and by further breaking up a previously tough piece, such as a beef, is easier to chew. B. a tenderloin or tenderloin, now very supple and easy to chew.

• How long do you pound the meat to soften it?

  Thinking of a piece of meat as the face of a watch, Gifford recommends hitting two or three times, from the center, in each of the 12, 3, 6, and 9 positions. Overall, this should take less than a minute since you want to avoid rollovers.

• What is the best technique for pounding meat?

  Gifford puts a lot of prep work into the process before he hits the sledgehammer. He recommends laying a layer of plastic wrap on your work surface. Then lightly oil the plastic (you can use cooking spray) to reduce friction when spreading the meat. After placing the meat on the oiled plastic, lubricate the surface of the meat. Place a piece of parchment paper over the oiled meat and a layer of plastic wrap over the parchment.

  
  After this is accomplished, he works clockwise from the center, striking the meat two to three times at each of the 12, 3, 6, and 9 positions, for a total of eight to 12 strikes in each piece. Overusing the meat will flatten it too much, resulting in a mushy texture, or it will become so thin that the meat cooks on one side before you can flip it to cook the other, resulting in dry, overcooked meat.