A simple recipe for a steak marinade, concocted after investigating the constituents of a commercial meat tenderiser. It was discovered that papaya was the active ingredient, and voila!¹.

A Little Bit About Papaya

Papaya (Carica papaya), or Paw Paw, is a pear-shaped fruit with a bright golden-yellow skin, available all year round. It has grown in tropical regions of the world for as long as history has been recorded, although it is believed to be indigenous to the West Indies, Mexico and Central America. The flesh, also golden-yellow, is juicy and silky smooth with a sweet-tart flavour, much like mango. The large centre cavity is filled with black seeds and although edible, they are generally discarded.

Papaya is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and potassium but the fruit also contains the enzyme 'papain'. This protein-digesting (proteolytic) enzyme is very abundant in the green, unripe papaya and because of this it is used in the meat industry as a very successful tenderiser.

You can usually purchase two types of papaya, Hawaiian 'solo' and Mexican - the difference being the Hawaiian variety is slightly larger and golden in appearance, the Mexican being smaller with a more pink hue to their skin. When selecting a papaya, ensure it is ripe. Green is mean, yellow is mellow². That is, if you prefer your fruit fresh, as papaya is also available in cans as large chunks, usually either in its own juice or a light syrup.

Ingredients

• 2 x 8oz sirloin or rump steaks³
• 1 large papaya⁴
• 1 tablespoon garlic⁵
• 1 tablespoon of BBQ Sauce⁶
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon of Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil⁷
• 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste

All the measurements are a 'thereabouts' amount. Use your own discretion.

Method

1. Take the papaya and slice it in half, and then even quarter it if necessary, and remove the seeds. If you have chosen to use a can of papaya chunks, then drain the fruit of the juice or syrup, this can later be added to the marinade.
2. Place the papaya in a large bowl and mash it up with a blunt object⁸. If you haven't already removed the skin do so now.
3. Take the remaining ingredients, and mix together with the papaya in the bowl. This is your marinade.
4. Pierce the steak, so there are a lot of holes in it, with a knife or fork so that the flavour and the enzyme will penetrate deeply. Don't worry about making too many holes, they will close up on cooking.
5. Push the now holed steak into the marinade, ensuring that the mixture soaks into the meat. Try kneading it like dough for 2 or 3 minutes.
6. Cover and refrigerate for no more than 2 hours, otherwise the steak will dissolve in the mix too much, and not suit most people's tastes⁹.
7. Once the meat has marinated, remove from the refrigerator and prepare your steak as you would ordinarily. If you feel that the meal may be a little on the tough side, this marinade is perfect for tenderising, as the enzyme helps break down the meat, so it can be cut easily with even just the flat end of a fork alone!

Serving Suggestion

Try grilling the steaks medium to well done¹⁰, and serve on a bed of brown rice with a little fresh papaya on the side, as the fruit is a perfect contrast to the spiciness of the cayenne pepper. Accompany this with a bottle of red wine¹¹, or to really appreciate the taste, water.

Share and enjoy, it's a perfect meal for two!¹²

Warning!

Papaya is used in the production of latex, so those people with known latex allergy should proceed with caution when using this recipe.