Does marinating a steak in Pineapple juice help or hurt the texture and flavor of a steak?
To answer that question we need to look into the science of both the Steak and the Pineapple.
First lets talk about the steak. How are Steaks Graded?
Per the USDA Website “The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service is the agency responsible for grading beef. Grading for quality means evaluation of traits related to tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. USDA-graded beef sold at the retail level is Prime, Choice, and Select.” In addition to this you Wagyu and Kobe Beef. This are not graded by the USDA but have their own industry standards.
Normally your Prime cut will have not need to be marinated to break down the protein in the meat to make it more tender. And Wagyu or Kobe is never marinated, my opinion. But what about Select or Choice Grades. These grade do tend to me a Tougher Cut and marinating them can be beneficial.
Now lets talk about Pineapple and how it can be used as a marinate.
Pineapple juice is a great marinade because of it’s acidity, enzymes and sweetness. The acidity and a proteolytic enzyme called Bromelain found in the pineapple juice breaks down the proteins in the meat and this makes it more tender. In addition to this the sweetness helps balance that effect on the meat and prevents it from having a gamey. (Also a great marinate for wildgame recipes)
In addition, Pineapple juice can be paired with other juices, vinegars, wines or herbs to add additional flavor to the meat. This opens up endless possibilities when marinating meats for different recipes.
So could this be the Secret to turning a Choice Grade Steak into a Wagyu Steak? No, but it is something that you need to try the next time you are grilling a ribeye steak. We followed this technique when grilling a ribeye steak, and the results were absolutely amazing. We turned a Choice Bone-in Ribeye into a Fork Tender Steak that I will be cooking again.
We hope that you watch these videos and that it helps you. Please know that if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me and I will be happy to help. Good luck and hope to see you at a BBQ competition somewhere.
Pineapple Marinate Bone-In Ribeye Steak
Equipment
- Grill / Smoker
Ingredients
- Bone-in Ribeye Steak
- Pineapple
Instructions
- Make the Pineapple Marinade by grinding up a whole pineapple
- Place the Bone-in Ribeye steak in a zip-lock bag and pour the marinade over the steak
- Marinate the Bone-in Ribeye steak in the refrigerator for 1-hour
- Remove and rinse off the pineapple marinade
- Season with the Rufus Teague Steak rub
- Preheat the Recteq Pellet Smoker to 450°
- Grilling the steaks till you get the doneness you are looking for. For a medium Rare, go with 122° internal temperature with your Thermopen.
- Slice and enjoy.
- Let us know how they turned out and Tag #EliteBBQSmokers in your social media post.