Tenderizing Methods

• The best way to tenderize meat is to break down the muscle fibers before cooking. If you've seen cubed or minute steak in the butcher's case, the tiny checkerboard pattern on the steaks comes from it being run through a press that slightly pierces the surface and breaks down the muscle fibers. You can get a similar effect by using a metal tenderizing mallet to pound the meat.

Marinades

• Soaking a ball tip steak in marinade also breaks down the muscle fibers. Instead of physically breaking them with tools, the acid in the marinade slowly breaks down the dense muscle fibers while infusing the meat with flavor. Choose from Mexican marinades with lime and cilantro, Jamaican jerk solutions with soy sauce, cider vinegar and warm spices like cinnamon and allspice, or marinate your ball steak in a simple beer- or wine-based marinade with your favorite spices. As long as the marinade has a healthy amount of acidic ingredients, tempered with oil and spices, it will season and tenderize your steak. Ball steak is hearty enough to marinate for up to 24 hours but don't do it for longer because the meat will start to disintegrate.

Cooking Methods

• Grilling isn't the best way to cook a ball steak because grilling is a high-temperature, dry-heat cooking technique that instantly pulls the moisture from meat. It would be better to use cooking methods that include liquids or oils compensate for the lack of marbling and moisture in ball steaks. Quick pan frying or pan broiling seals in the steak's juices, as does cutting it across the grain and using it in a stir-fry. Ball steak is also a good choice for slow cooking methods, such as braising or stewing, that bathe the meat in liquid as the fibers break down over several hours.

Serving Suggestions

• To add flavor and texture to ball steak, smother it with sauteed fresh mushrooms and caramelized onions. You can also slice it across the grain before serving and top it with rich brown gravy or freshly made salsa bursting with the flavors of tomatoes, scallions, jalapenos and cilantro. Sides, such as mixed green salad and baked potato, are classic complements for grilled steak.