27 meat tenderizer recipes

Banquet meat loaves are a 50-serving, banquet-scale recipe for tender ground beef loaves bound with sauteed onion, celery, eggs and breadcrumbs moistened with beef stock. Bake-ahead, slice and reheat for caterers and large gatherings.

Pozole is a New Mexican holiday stew of pork shoulder simmered until tender with hominy and mild chili powder. The long cooking produces a rich broth and meat that falls into silky shreds. Serve it with warm corn tortillas for Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve.

Mennonite whole wheat bread sweetened with honey and molasses, made the traditional Pennsylvania way. Four hearty loaves with a tender crumb and rich, slightly sweet flavor that beats any store-bought wheat bread.

Whole wheat yogurt bread bakes up tender and tangy in the bread machine, with sesame seeds folded right into a soft crumb that beats any all-wheat brick. Dump, press start, walk away.

Therapeutic oatmeal cookies where you squeeze, smash, and beat the dough to release stress: brown sugar, margarine, oats, and flour become tender cookies through aggression.

Vintage 1930s special cocoa cake: a tender chocolate layer cake made with bloomed cocoa, brown sugar, and cake flour. Old-fashioned recipe that beats most modern boxed mixes.

Beaten biscuits, a historic Southern recipe made by beating dough with a rolling pin until it snaps. Crisp, tender, and shelf-stable for weeks. Makes about 100 small biscuits.

Jack's barbecue pintos: dried pinto beans slow-simmered until tender, then finished with sauteed bacon, onions, garlic, and green chilies. Smoky, hearty cookout side that beats anything from a can.

Crisp-tender carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms tossed with chicken in a glossy ginger-soy sauce, spooned over hot rice. A 30-minute stir-fry for two that beats takeout every time.

Moist bundt cake spiked with apple schnapps, applesauce, and warm spices. Raisins and nuts add texture. Beat for 4 minutes total for ultra-tender crumb. Great for fall gatherings or holiday gifting.

Soft homemade yeast buns with a tender crumb, shaped and baked fresh for burgers, pulled pork, or any barbecue sandwich. Two rises and a quick knead give you 20 golden buns that beat anything from the store.