Mango Meat Tenderizer & Marinade
Raw fruits are one of the best natural meat tenderizers because of the enzymes they contain. Enzymes speed up the breakdown of proteins into amino acids making the meat less chewy. Fruit enzymes like the ones in mangoes work best in mild temperatures. The fruit enzymes are deactivated once the meat hits high heat. It’s important to note that when using mango as an additive in a marinade on raw meat or fish dishes such as ceviche or beef tartar, the dish needs to be consumed relatively quickly or the enzymes in the mango will over tenderize the fish meat, changing the cellular make up of it and leading to a very mushy piece of meat or fish.
This is our “house mango” marinade, perfect for all meats and fish and quite lovely just drizzled over grilled or steamed vegetables as well. This recipe shows the powerful versatility of a mango as both an exceptional tenderizer and a flavorful ingredient to meat and fish.
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Mango Meat Tenderizer & Marinade
Mangoes have an incredible amount of enzymes in them
Makes 2 cups of marinadeMakes 2 cups of marinade
Ingredients
1 ripe mango, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil
1 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon champagne, rice or white vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger ( optional)
1 fresh red chili, deseeded and chopped (optional)
Spices of choice- cumin, coriander, chili powder etc)
Method
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and purée until totally smooth.
To use as a meat tenderizer, place all your meat in a large bowl, and cover with the marinade, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours prior to cooking. For beef and pork and no longer than 30 minutes for fish. For seriously tough meats let the marinade work over night.
