🌶️ 6 secret ways to tenderize and flavorize 🌶️

Hey,

Bold!! Spicy!! Sweet!! Tender!! At Kona, we love to try all those different flavors that will also tenderize your meats!! Adventurous is a great way to describe us!

We’ve put our heads together to come up with some of the best marinades we’ve used that tenderize, and some that we plan to use, so that we can share all these different tenderizing flavor treats with our friends.

Below are some of our favorite ways to tenderize and flavor your foods. There is more information available online for each tenderizing tip that will provide more exact amounts for each marinade. Try some of them out!

1. GET FRUITY! – Use your fruits for more than just eating! Some fruits are actually great for marinating your meats. The citric acid in lemon, lime, and orange juices will break down the muscle fibers in the meat, having a naturally occurring tenderizing effect.

The lemon and lime will add a bright, bold flavor to your meats, while orange juice will provide a sweeter taste.

Jamie's mentor Jesse from Missisippi always soaked his ribs in 1 cup of lemon juice to 1 gallon of water overnight before smoking (with hickory). He swore this helped him tout "No fat in our meat!"

2. GO HAWAIIAN! – Marinating in a little pineapple juice will also give a sweeter taste to your pork, seafood or beef. The bromelain in the pineapple helps to break down the collagen in your beef, making even cheaper cuts of meat more tender.

Nothing beats Salmon marinated in Orange juice, Teriyaki, Garlic and Olive Oil!

3. POP! or is it soda 😀 – The acid in cola soda pop will help to tenderize your meats. They will also add a unique sweet taste to your meats.

4. MORNING BREWS! – Strong, chilled coffee is another drink that will tenderize your meat. When using coffee, let the meat marinate for at least 24 hours. A strong, bold coffee will give your meat a nice, rich flavor. If you are more of a tea drinker, you can also use your favorite tea as a marinade.

The tannins in tea will break down the meat, tenderizing even the toughest cuts of meat. Add a little brown sugar or some spices to your marinade to give your meat a unique flavor!

5. WINE ANYONE? – Wine is not just for drinking any longer! Using wines as a marinade offers a wide variety of amazing flavors for your meats. Just as with tea, the tannins in the wine help to tenderize the meat.

Check it out here

There is a vast amount of information available online to help you determine which wines and spices to pair with the different meats. Be adventurous and try some of them out!

6. BOTTOMS UP! – Beer is also a superhero when it comes to meat tenderizers! Beer contains enzymes that help to break down the tough fibers in meat. Beer will make your meat more tender and more flavorful at the same time!