Does Vinegar Make Meat More Tender?

Vinegar can contribute to tenderness in some marinades and its acidity affects the outer layers of the meat, but the effect depends on the cut of meat, the vinegar concentration, the marinating time, and the rest of the recipe. Too much vinegar or an excessively long marinade can make the outer surface soft, mushy, or stringy rather than pleasantly tender. In fact, the USDA’s food-safety guidance also warns that too much vinegar or hot sauce can have the opposite effect, making poultry stringy and tough.

What Vinegar Does For Meat

• Lower the pH at the meat’s surface.
• Alter some surface proteins.
• Affect the texture of the outer layer.
• Add brightness and flavor.
• Work together with oil, salt, herbs, spices, and other ingredients in a marinade.

What Vinegar Does Not Do

• It does not deeply tenderize every cut.
• It does not replace slow cooking for collagen-rich cuts.
• It does not guarantee tender meat.
• It does not make raw meat safe to eat.
• It does not eliminate the need for proper cooking.