Can frozen meat taste better with jam?

When frozen meat is cooked, there are times when it becomes tough or has an odor. I had given up on this, thinking that to some extent it was inevitable, but according to Aohata, using jam to cook frozen meat makes the meat softer and the smell less noticeable. What's more, you can cook it frozen...really?

So I prepared some meat and jam and gave it a try. If it's true, isn't this revolutionary?


I

tried baking frozen meat with jam

. What I prepared this time was pork belly (thick cut) and marmalade jam. I bought Aohata's "Orange Mamalade" just in case, since I was referring to Aohata's information.


Frozen pork belly that I froze in the freezer tightly. Toss the frozen meat with the marmalade jam and cook in a lightly oiled pan.

How does the jam-tossed grilled meat taste?

Definitely tender! It has a plump freshness, as if the meat had been baked with a thin coating of potato starch, and the moisture (juice) of the meat is locked in. It is not shabby and moist when chewed.


The sweet and sour taste of the marmalade jam enhances the flavor of the meat, and at the same time, it refreshes the rich, fatty pork belly. The pork belly by itself is sweet, so if you combine it with soy sauce, salt and pepper to make a sweet and spicy sauce, it is already a great dish!

Also, I completely forgot about the smell. I didn't notice any smell at all.

Conclusion - Why jam tenderizes frozen

meat According to Aohata, the reason why jam tenderizes meat is because "the acid from the fruit loosens the muscle fibers of the meat" and "the pectin and sugar in the jam inhibit protein hardening during heating. The same trend is likely to be true not only for pork but also for beef and chicken.

It is much appreciated that a main side dish can be prepared simply by baking the meat with the jam while frozen! I accidentally forgot to defrost the meat! It is really helpful on busy days when you don't have to worry about seasoning. By the way, the same effect can be obtained even with meat that has not been frozen.

As for the flavor of the jam, we recommend a citrus jam like the orange marmalade we used this time. The citrus flavor also seems to eliminate the smell of the meat, so if you try this at home, please be sure to have citrus jam ready to go!