Add a Multi-Use Meat Tenderizer to Your Kitchen

A meat tenderizer is a surprisingly versatile food prep tool, one that is well worth adding to your kitchen arsenal. As the name suggests, the primary function of this handy chef's tool is tenderizing -- many cuts of meat, from chicken cutlets to flank steak, will benefit from a little time with a tenderizer. In addition, depending on the type of tenderizer that you select, you may find that this heavy mallet-like implement can be used to pulverize whole spices, crush cookies for a gingersnap crust, and much more.

The Options

Meat tenderizers work in a couple of different ways. First, they help to even out oddly shaped or uneven cuts of meat, and ensuring a uniform thickness is key to avoiding meat that is dry in some places and raw in others. Likewise, meat tenderizers can be used to pound meat into the thin, wide shape required when making things like schnitzel. Secondly, tenderizers help break down the tough fibers in less expensive and leaner cuts of meat. Skipping this step in your process can result in meat that is tough and overly chewy. Williams Sonoma carries a range of different tenderizers, so you'll have no trouble picking out something that's perfect for your needs. Here are two of the available choices:

• Reversible Meat Tenderizer - This versatile, dishwasher-safe tool features a triple-plated-chrome construction over a zinc core, which provides added heft. The disk on the end of this weighty tenderizer is reversible -- use the smooth side for flattening and the textured side for tenderizing. An ergonomic handle provides leverage and a secure grip.
• OXO Meat Tenderizer - OXO's double-sided tenderizer is perfect for pounding, flattening and tenderizing boneless meats. The head of this heavy aluminum mallet has a flat side for pounding meat to a uniform thickness and a textured side for breaking down tough meat fibers. The soft-grip handle provides cushioning for your hand.

More Cooking Essentials for Meat Lovers

In addition to meat tenderizers, Williams Sonoma offers a wide range of meat and poultry tools that would make thoughtful gifts for the meat-loving chefs in your life. From burger presses to smoking guns, you'll find a range of unique specialty tools and a wide variety of gourmet rubs in the Williams Sonoma collection. Read on for more info about a few great gift ideas:

• Butcher's Blend Rub - Available exclusively at Williams Sonoma, this savory blend of spices adds mouthwatering seasoning to beef, lamb, pork and poultry. This signature rub recipe combines salt, pepper and garlic with mustard seed, paprika, chili flakes and a dash of Worcestershire for an aromatic, complex flavor profile.
• Breville Pro Smoking Gun - Designed for professional kitchens, this ingenious tool makes it possible to add a distinctly smoky flavor to food and drinks without introducing extra heat. Smoking wood chips are placed in a fully contained burn chamber so that only cool smoke is released, making this tool gentle enough to use on delicate fruit and raw fish without changing their texture or temperature.
• Grillight GrillClaws Shredder - These deceptively simple shredder claws are indispensable when making any kind of pulled or shredded meat. Sharp, heat-safe and ergonomically shaped, these handles are perfect for quickly shredding chicken for chilis and soups, pulling pork for sandwiches, and shredding beef for tacos.