purified and powdered for the shaker, diluted
in salt and sugar. (Despite lore to the contrary,
wine corks do not contain active enzymes and
don’t tenderize octopus or other tough meats!)
The enzymes act slowly at refrigerator or
room temperature, and some five times faster
between 140 and 160ºF/60–70ºC, so nearly all
the tenderizing action takes place during
cooking. The problem with tenderizers is that
they penetrate into meat even more slowly
than acids, a few millimeters per day, so that
the meat surface tends to accumulate too
much and get overly mealy, while the interior
remains unaffected. The distribution can be
improved by injecting the tenderizer into the
meat.
Brining The tendency of modern meats to dry
out led cooks to rediscover light brining, a
traditional method in Scandinavia and
elsewhere. The meats, typically poultry or
pork, are immersed in a brine containing 3 to