WHY TUMBLING?
Non-meat ingredients are added to meat for various purposes. It may be for cured color development (nitrites), moisture retention (phosphates or vegetable fibers) or flavorings (salt, sugar, and spices) and occasionally, acids such as lemon juice to aid in tenderizing meat. These non-meat ingredients are typically dissolved in water and the resulting solution is either injected into the meat or the meat soaks in the solution for a period of time. Depending on the size of the muscle cut, the process for even distribution of the non-meat ingredients can be time consuming. The process of tumbling speeds up this process.
