Final answer:
To improve the tenderness of beef once it is cooked, options such as salt, vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice can be used. These substances affect the texture by altering pH levels or breaking down proteins. Specifically, vinegar reacts with baking soda to increase pH, aiding in tenderization when used in meat preparation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Another way to improve the tenderness of beef once it is cooked, other than using meat tenderizer, are options such as vinegar (A), salt (B), baking soda (C), and lemon juice (D). These substances can break down proteins or alter pH levels, thus affecting the texture of the meat. When vinegar, which contains acetic acid (CH3COOH), is mixed with baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, in bread preparation, a chemical reaction occurs that produces carbon dioxide gas, helping the bread rise.
During this process, the baking soda serves as a base that reacts with the acid in vinegar. This reaction not only helps with leavening in baked goods but can also tenderize meats by breaking down proteins. The mixture of vinegar and baking soda leads to an increase in the pH of the solution, making it more alkaline, which can also contribute to the tenderization process.
Meanwhile, lemon juice, like vinegar, is an acid that can denature proteins and make the meat more tender. This is similar to the way acids such as lemon juice and vinegar are used on cooked fish, which contain volatile amines (bases) that are neutralized to yield involatile ammonium salts, reducing fish odor and adding a sour flavor preferred by many people.