Tenderize (verb)

To make meat or another food item softer and more easily chewed by breaking down the fibers.

Origin:

The word tenderize comes from the latin word "tener" which means "tender".

Examples:

1. The chef tenderized the steak by pounding it with a meat mallet.
2. Marinating the meat in acid can help to tenderize it.
3. The steak was tough, it needed to be tenderized.
4. Cooking meat at a low temperature for a long time can also help to tenderize it.
5. Some cooks use a meat tenderizer tool to break down the fibers and make the meat more tender.