Ask the Test Kitchen
I have a recipe that requires knocking down fowl breasts to at least one/4-inch thickness. After I’m finished with them, they seem like they had been via the shredder. What am I doing wrong? —S.F., Green Bay, WisconsinFlattening or pounding meat can serve several purposes. It is generally achieved for quicker, more even cooking and to provide an attractive look. When tender cuts of meat or chicken are flattened, it’s best to place them inner a heavy-responsibility resealable plastic bag or between two sheets of heavy plastic wrap to save you messy splatters. Use best the smooth side of a meat mallet to softly pound them to the preferred thickness. This will save you the meat from shredding. When tougher cuts of meat need tenderizing, they may be pounded with the ridged aspect of a meat mallet to interrupt up the connective tissue.
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