Why you should ALWAYS slice meat against the grain: Video reveals the science behind keeping steaks tender
- Cutting against grain causes muscle and tissue fibers to be shortened
- This makes the steak tender and easier to chew, the video explains
- Flank steak cut against the grain took 383 grams of force to bite 5mm
- Flank carved with the grain required 1,729 grams to cut the same amount
Chefs have long been telling us to slice our meat 'against the grain'.
This is because it's not just the cut of meat that determines how tender it is, but also how the steak is cut.
Now, a new video has revealed just how much difference slicing technique can make to a meat's texture.
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Chefs have long been urging us to slice our meat 'against the grain'. A recent test found a slice of flank steak cut against the grain took on average 383 grams of force to cut 5mm into the meat
Grain refers to the direction that the muscle fibers are aligned.
In tougher cuts - like flank, hanger, and skirt steak - the grain is easier to spot than in lean cuts, like tenderloin.
The video, by Cooks Illustrated, explains how by cutting against the grain, muscle and tissue fibers are shortened making them easier to chew through.
But slicing meat with the grain - or in the same direction as the muscle fibers - leaves you with a tougher piece of steak.
Flank carved with the grain required on average 1,729 grams to travel the same distance. This means it took four times as much corce for the machine to cut with the grain as against it
'To quantify how much of an influence carving direction has on tenderness, we ran an experiment,' the video's narrator says.
'We cooked a flank steak, and for comparison purposes, a section of strip loin which features thin muscle fibers and little connective tissue.'
A 'CT3 texture analyser' was then used to test how much force was required to bite into each piece of meat, both when they were cut with the grain and against.
A slice of flank steak cut against the grain took on average 383 grams of force to bite 5mm into the meat
'When we compare both steaks sliced with the grain, we found that flank was 193 per cent tougher than strip loin,' the video says. 'When we compared the steaks cut against the grain, that number drops to 16 per cent'
By cutting against the grain, muscle and tissue fibers are shortened making them easier to chew through
Flank carved with the grain required on average 1,729 grams to travel the same distance
It took four times as much force for the machine to cut with the grain as against it.
'While most cooks would argue flank is much less tender than the expensive strip steak, that's not necessarily true,' the video says.
'When we compare both steaks sliced with the grain, we found that flank was 193 per cent tougher than strip loin.
'However, when we compared the steaks cut against the grain, that number drops to 16 per cent.
'That's why flank when properly prepared, can rival steaks that cost considerably more.'
THE 'MATHEMATICALLY CORRECT' WAY TO CUT A BAGEL REVEALED
Scientists have revealed a 'scientifically correct' way to cut a bagel so that they can be loaded with more filling
Scientists have revealed a 'scientifically correct' way to cut a bagel so that they can be loaded with more filling.
A recent video shows how to cut a bagel into something known as a Möbius strip, which a famous mathematical structure that only has one side.
The strip can be made by cutting a long strip of paper, putting a half twist in it, and gluing the ends together.
Dan Pashman first heard of the strange technique when he spoke to University of Sheffield mathematician Eugenia Cheng for an upcoming episode of The Sporkful podcast.
In her latest video , she slices a bagel along a Mobius strip. 'Because it's only got one side, I only have to put one swoop of cream cheese, and it's going to go all the way around,' she says.
In a tutorial on NPR , Pashman explains how he came up with his own technique, based on a video by Dr George Hart dubbed the 'Mathematically Correct Breakfast'.
First practice on a bagel by drawing a line on both 'sides' that touch, but without picking up your marker.
'The line needs to wrap around the outside and inside of the bagel, and end up connecting to the beginning,' Pashman writes.
'Then slice along the line using a small, nimble knife.'
He then slices a second Mobius strip, about a half-inch away from the first cut.
Not only does this create an architecturally impressive design, but also one that lets you load up on more cheese.
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