How does cutting steak against the grain affect the texture?
In: Biology
The difference is most notable in sirloin. If you cut parallel to the lines in the meat it will be noticeably tougher. Cutting perpendicular to the lines in the meat makes it tender. It’s easy to split the fibers apart from each other, but it’s difficult to split them in two. The result is the shorter the fibers the more tender and easy to chew it is.
Long grain makes the meat chewy.
Cutting it with the grain will leave long grains, but against it will make them smaller.