Pronunciation: [tˈɛndɪɹˌa͡ɪzd] (IPA) 
The spelling of the word "tenderized" is made of three syllables: ten-der-ized. The first syllable, "ten," is pronounced as /tɛn/, the second syllable, "der," is pronounced as /dər/, and the final syllable, "ized," is pronounced as /aɪzd/. The word is commonly used in cooking and refers to a process of making meat tender by breaking down its fibers. To tenderize meat, one can either use a mallet, a marinade or a special machine.
Tenderized is an adjective that refers to the process of making meat or other food items more tender and easier to chew by applying methods or techniques that break down their muscle fibers. The main objective of tenderizing is to improve the overall eating experience by enhancing tenderness and softness.
To tenderize meat, various methods can be employed. One common technique involves physically pounding or mechanically piercing the meat with utensils, such as a meat mallet or a handheld tenderizer, to disrupt the muscle fibers and connective tissues. This helps to break down tough muscle fibers and reduce their resistance when bitten into.
Other tenderizing methods involve marinating the meat in acidic ingredients, such as lemon juice or vinegar, which help to break down tough protein strands through the process of denaturation. Enzymatic tenderization is another approach, where natural enzymes found in fruits like papaya or pineapple are used to help tenderize meat by breaking down the collagen present in connective tissues.
The tenderizing process can be applied to a wide range of meats, including beef, poultry, lamb, and pork, as well as to certain vegetables like octopus or calamari. Tenderized meat is often favored by chefs and consumers alike, as it enhances the tenderness, juiciness, and palatability of the final cooked dish.
Overall, tenderized refers to the act of physically or chemically treating food to break down tough muscle fibers or connective tissues, resulting in a more tender and enjoyable eating experience.
The word "tenderized" is derived from the base word "tender", which originated in the late 14th century from the Old French word "tendre", meaning "soft, delicate". The French term, in turn, can be traced back to the Latin word "tener", meaning "soft, delicate, tender".
The suffix "-ize" is a common English suffix used to form verbs, indicating "to make" or "to cause to become". So, when the suffix "-ize" is added to "tender", it creates the verb "tenderize", meaning "to make tender" or "to cause something to become tender".
Therefore, "tenderized" refers to the process of making something softer, usually in the context of meat where it is typically marinated or processed to enhance tenderness and make it easier to chew.
