What You Need to Know
Tenderization relies on proteolysis of collagen and myofibrillar proteins, acid‑induced hydrolysis, salt‑driven denaturation, mechanical disruption, and controlled thermal gelatinization. Enzymes such as papain cleave peptide bonds in tropocollagen, acids lower pH to solubilize myofibrils, and NaCl promotes ionic unfolding, while sous‑vide temperatures (55–60 °C) allow collagen to convert to gelatin over extended periods.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Proteolysis of collagen and myofibrillar proteins followed by gelatinization of denatured collagen