How do bromelain and papain compare as meat tenderizers?

They're close cousins: both are protein-digesting enzymes from tropical fruit (bromelain from pineapple, papain from papaya), and you use them the same basic way — sprinkled or mixed into a marinade before cooking.

• Heat behavior: Papain stays active at higher temperatures, so it keeps working well into cooking. That makes it more forgiving on long cooks like braises, but also more likely to turn meat mushy if you overdo it. Bromelain deactivates sooner with heat.
• Strength: Papain is generally the more aggressive of the two and is especially good at breaking down connective tissue. Bromelain is gentler, which suits leaner cuts.
• Dosing and timing: Concentration varies by product, so follow the label. With Papain (natural Papaya-based enzymatic meat tenderizer), start with a light hand and lean toward the shorter end of a 15-30 minute marinade, since it's the more aggressive enzyme.
• Allergies: Both can trigger reactions in sensitive people. Papain is associated with latex allergies, and bromelain with pineapple allergies.

If you're choosing between them, papain suits tough, connective-tissue-heavy cuts, and bromelain suits leaner cuts where you want a lighter touch.