Before I go any further, I want to be sure to mention a couple of things. The first is that the meat pounder is mainly known as a meat tenderizer, or sometimes it's called a meat mallet.

When you search "meat tenderizer" online, though, you'll see results for both the pounding type tenderizer, and mixes or marinades that will break down the meat through food and other chemical reactions.

So, instead of calling it a meat tenderizer, I'll call it a meat pounder or mallet.

The other thing is that it's important to keep the meat pounder very, very clean, just as you do any cutting board that you cut meat on. After using soap and water, and scrubbing any toothed surfaces, wet the pounder or mallet down with vinegar and set it aside to air dry. Vinegar is an excellent and very handy kitchen disinfectant, and would work fine for keeping your cutting board sanitary, too.



OK, on to the good stuff.

I'm not a big fan of kitchen utensils that have only one purpose. I think that's one reason why I like to watch Alton Brown's TV cooking show, even if he is a little goofy; we feel the same way about cluttering up the kitchen with specialized gadgets.

The metal meat pounder or mallet (don't use one made of wood) is a good example of a multi-purpose utensil. There are several different types of meat pounders, and they all do a great job on the meat. (While some mallets have a side with large teeth, and small teeth on the other side, I'm talking about pounders or mallets that have a toothed side and a smooth side.)

For pounding, I tend to like the heavy meat pounder that is gripped in the fist like a big rubber stamp and has interchangeable heads. I like it mostly because it's easy on my wrist and has enough weight to do the job well.

However, most people prefer the mallet style meat pounder, which is held like a hammer. Some have said that the mallet style is easier on the wrist. So I guess it depends on the wrist.

An offset style of metal meat pounder is also offered for sale, but I have never used one or seen one used. (Pictures of all three main styles are shown below in the Amazon section.)