A man on TikTok went viral after posting a video of himself chewing on a steak. The reason why? He made a pairing recommendation to his audience that struck a chord.
“Always remember when you eat steak or meat to eat pineapple with it so it breaks it down quicker,” said Adam Haney (@adamhaney43), a TikToker whose post received more than 2 million views.
Does eating pineapple with steak actually help break down the meat? Here’s what the facts say.
The Science Behind Pineapple With Steak
Cows have a large amount of muscle and connective tissue, which can make certain cuts of meat more firm than others. A tough beef shank, for instance, isn’t typically used for a steak and is instead frequently reserved for slow cooking. This is because of the large amount of connective tissue and muscle in the cut.
Cooking and maceration can help break down the fibers of a meat source, but there are other ways to tenderize meat: Cue pineapple.
Pineapple has a chemical inside of it called bromelain, which naturally breaks down meat. Bromelain is technically a combination of two protein-digesting enzymes (proteases), which can easily break down the peptide bonds in protein sources. When paired with a steak, it can naturally and effectively work through tough cuts.
Delish, for instance, recommends using the fruit to marinate meats such as pork shoulder, which are notably tough.
Bromelain, however, isn’t a miracle chemical. Eating raw pineapple with a fully cooked steak unfortunately won’t fully tenderize it in a person’s mouth. It’s more likely to tenderize a person’s tongue than break through every bit of a particularly chewy meat. It can, however, help with digestion afterward.
Commenters Weigh In
While a few commenters jokingly expressed their desire to pair a pineapple margarita with steaks, others said the advice can make steaks feel less heavy.
“I actually needed this advice,” one commenter said.
“Look at me cooking steak for dinner tonight,” another commenter added.
BroBible reached out to Haney via TikTok direct message and comment.