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Optimal meat pounding set up?

preslove

preslove

Lifer
Been cooking more chicken on the grill and stove top & one technique that's popular is to pound the chicken flat, so that it cooks more evenly. This brings up questions, like: What is the best tool to use? Do I need to always put the meat in a plastic bag, or should I just clean the meat pounding thingy? I probably should use a separate surface to pound on than the cooking board I chop my veggies on, correct?

Give me your experience & wisdom, ATOT. How do you pound your meat?
 
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I usually use the plastic bag method myself but I hate the idea of contributing th plastic pollution, and I don't exactly want to put something contaminated like that in the recycle bin. I always thought it would be interesting to rig something that uses two rollers. The rollers would be relatively easy to remove so they can be put in the dishwasher. Could probably even just use wood, and change them once in a while. I think some types of wood even have antibacterial properties.

You don't want to be pounding it in the open as you'll be sending contaminates all over the place. It's the same reason they actually say not to wash chicken, you're never going to really "wash" it, all you're doing is splashing contaminates everywhere and in your sink.

I tend to buy a batch of chicken breasts then cook them all at once, then freeze them though, so only use one bag. Then when I need chicken for something it's already cooked and I just need to warm it up. Typically I'll pull it out of the freezer a day before. Sometimes I get lazy and don't even tenderize them at all but then they don't cook as nicely.
 
I use a mallet that I picked up at Walmart for a few bucks. Does the job. I use the flat side for pounding those monster chicken breasts nice and thin. If they're really huge, you should also use a good sharp knife to split their thickness.

I pound them on my large wood cutting board, placing a sheet of plastic wrap both underneath and on top. Mostly, it just keeps the counter and wall splatter to a minimum.

I'm not an anal germaphobe about keeping surfaces clean. I clean them after handling or cutting chicken and meat, but don't go to the extremes of using separate cutting boards or knives. I've gotten pretty good at using soap and water. Been doing it since I was 3.
 
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preslove said:
I like this idea, I've been wanting a nice cleaver. What kind do you have?



It would take way to much force to effectively use my hand to pound the meat hard enough.
Click to expand...

Chinese cleaver my mom brought from Taiwan. Rectangular in shape.

You could order one of these made from artillery shells :awe:

 
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Gallon ziploc bag + $15 marble rolling pin off Amazon.

Haven't found a cleaner, more efficient way. Saran wrap was too messy & the meat mallet didn't give as good results as a heavy rolling pin.
 
Ziploc bag with a tbsp or so of water for chicken breasts. The bag + water helps to prevent from tearing the meat.

I use a pot or an 8" cast iron pan. You just need a nice flat surface with some weight on it.
 
sdifox said:
Chinese cleaver my mom brought from Taiwan. Rectangular in shape.

You could order one of these made from artillery shells :awe:

Click to expand...

I still need a cleaver. I think it's the one tool that I'm missing, but I always figured a cheapo, heavyish one with a solid handle should be good enough. You only really need it to smash bones and separate body parts, right?
 
Saran wrap on cutting board, wax paper over meat, use a rolling pin. I've also used a mallet with good results.
 
zinfamous said:
I still need a cleaver. I think it's the one tool that I'm missing, but I always figured a cheapo, heavyish one with a solid handle should be good enough. You only really need it to smash bones and separate body parts, right?
Click to expand...

Well, they are good for chopping up carcasses. Chinese tend to use one light cleaver for everything in the kitchen unless you are going to chop up a chicken or ribs, then the heavy cleaver comes out.
 
I made one on a lathe like this out of stainless:

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I think they do a better job of not flinging meat juice all around and also I use saran wrap.
 
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