My Tenderizer Experiment: A Mixed Bag

I'll be the first to admit, I had no idea what to expect from a tenderizer a few weeks ago. But now I'm hooked. It all started when I stumbled upon Borner's products, which are actually available in my city through Wildberries online store.

I've already written reviews about some of their other great products, like the Borner Vegetable Slicer Set of 10 items, the Borner Vegetable Slicer - Turbo Chopper for delicate veggies with a 5-in-1 function, and the ROKO (Korean-style carrot).

After trying out all sorts of graters, I started paying attention to other products. Tenderizers kept popping up on my radar, but I just couldn't seem to notice them until a farm-to-table store opened near my place, claiming to sell 'eco-meat' right next to the Wildberries pickup point.

I'm not a big pork fan, to be honest. My go-to protein sources are chicken and fish. If I do buy pork, it's usually for slow-cooked dishes in a Dutch oven or oven-baked in a foil packet, as I'm not a fan of pan-frying – it makes me clench my jaw.

My husband suggested we should cook more meat now that the store is nearby.

Easy for him to say, but I decided to take action. I ordered a tenderizer and, while picking it up, I popped into the farm store.

I chose the loin part, as the salesperson assured me it's less tough than the round cut and less fatty than the neck.

Naturally, I started examining it and taking photos.

It came wrapped in transparent plastic:

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The instructions were on a single sheet:

Here's the product description:

And this is the manufacturer's info on the reverse:

And here's a shot of it from the side:

There's a little 'lock' to prevent accidental presses:

I tried pressing it a few times to get a closer look at the blades.

It's got 7 rows of 8 blades:

And, by the way, they're super sharp – like a scalpel:

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I used it to chop up some ingredients and started 'massaging' them with this tool. First, I did it on one side, then flipped it over, added some more spices, and did it again:

I have to say, the aroma of sizzling meat was a pleasant surprise – it's been a while since I've smelled something like that. I'm talking 15 years or so. My partner was already getting excited. We were expecting it to be tender, juicy, and just melt in your mouth, like some reviewers described. But that didn't exactly happen. It did become easier to chew, but saying it's 'melt-in-your-mouth' or 'tender' just doesn't cut it. So, I guess our expectations were a bit too high. For myself, I've learned a thing or two. To get a tasty roast pork, you need to buy the most expensive and high-quality one. And if you're buying the most expensive and high-quality one, you probably won't need a tenderizer. At the end of the day, I don't regret the purchase. I think you just need to get used to it.

Maybe I should try poking it more often? I'll definitely be experimenting.