Papain (natural Papaya-based enzymatic meat tenderizer)

Papain is a natural enzyme derived from papaya, used for centuries in South America as a meat tenderizer. Bucks Spices offers it as a pure powder, free from additives.

🥩 What It Does

• Breaks down tough meat fibers through natural enzymatic action
• Works on cuts that resist traditional tenderizing methods
• Plant-based alternative to mechanical tenderizing (mallets, cubing)

🧂 How to Use It

• Mix about 1 teaspoon per pound of meat with a small amount of water or into your marinade
• Apply to meat and let sit 30 minutes to 2 hours for most cuts; tougher, thicker cuts can go up to 4 hours
• Avoid marinating overnight — papain keeps breaking down protein the whole time, and extended exposure can turn the texture mushy instead of tender
• Rinse or pat dry before cooking as needed

📦 What's Included

• Packaged in a tin, sold by weight, per oz
• Approximately 18 teaspoons per ounce (enough to tenderize about 18 lbs of meat)
• Pure papain powder, no additives or fillers

One more note worth considering: papain is heat-sensitive and actually most active in the 140–160°F range, then deactivates above that — so it does most of its tenderizing early in cooking too, not just during the marinade.