Meat can often use some extra flavor and better texture with the help of seasonings, dry rubs, and marinades. Some cuts of steak, in particular, can be tough and chewy when prepared improperly, and while a good marinade certainly helps, you'll do even better by tenderizing the steak with a meat-pounding mallet before marinating.

When steak is tenderized, the small divots that the mallet makes in the meat will open up connective tissue, allowing for better absorption of the marinade and thus better flavor, moisture, and tenderness. Lean cuts like shanks, rounds, shoulders, brisket, and anything from the neck or heel of the round benefit most from tenderizing.

It's best to purchase a meat mallet that has a spiked side (with small sharp points) and a flat side. To minimize mess while tenderizing, put the steak between plastic wrap or wax paper and use the spiked side of the tenderizer to break up the connective tissue, and then use the flat end to even out the steak's thickness for a uniform cooking job.