In Finland, there doesn’t seem to be a culture that particularly enjoys beef tendon. Sometimes meat for stews contains parts that look like tendon meat, but it’s pricey and it’s a matter of luck whether you can find it or not.
The preparation is easy if you use a pressure cooker. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you will have to simmer it in a pot for a long time. It’s going to be a very long process. A pressure cooker is handy in times of need.
The Achilles tendon is the thickest and hardest part of the beef tendon. Using a pressure cooker is an efficient way to prepare the collagen-rich and chewy Achilles tendon.
*2If you reduce the amount of Achilles tendon, do not reduce the amount of water. In a pressure cooker, 200 mL of water will evaporate when heated over medium heat for 10 minutes. 50-60 minutes is a long time to cook, so do not reduce the amount of water to prevent it from burning dry.*3Before heating, Achilles tendon is very hard and difficult to cut into small pieces. It becomes very soft when heated, so cut it into pieces after heating.*4I always heat it on high heat until it is pressurized.*5Depending on the size and condition of the pressure cooker, the heat level will vary. Adjust the heat to a moderate steam sound. If the sound of steam is too weak, the pressure is not sufficiently applied. If steam is spewing out vigorously, there is a possibility that the water has evaporated completely and it will burn dry. Please heat at a moderate heat level that produces a moderate steam sound, not too large or too small.*6The following is a guideline for pressurization time.30 minutes: Can be cut with scissors, but is hard to eat.40 minutes: Soft enough to eat, but still hard and clings to the teeth when chewed.50 minutes: It becomes quite soft. The hard parts are still chewy.60 minutes: It becomes soft enough. Even the thickest part of the Achilles tendon can be easily cut with chopsticks.If you find it too tough, reheat it in a pressure cooker.It takes a lot of time to tenderize the meat while cooking it like normal meat. I liked the one cooked for 60 minutes the best.*7After heating, Achilles tendon is very soft, so I recommend lifting it with tongs and cutting it with scissors.
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