tenderizing a cheap steak

i've just bought two pieces of cheap sirloin to make a beef and broccoli stir fry. i plan on slicing the steak thin and then pounding out the slices in hopes of making the steak more tender. i haven't tried this method before but i've seen it done on tv for scalopine (spelling?) and what not. i wasn't inclined this evening to spend more on a better cut of meat so, this'll have to do. does anyone know if pounding really does work to tenderize a cheap steak? i'm not looking for tenderloin quality here, i know that's unrealistic.

i made the stir fry and it was pretty good. as planned, i sliced the sirloin thin and then covered the slices with plastic wrap and pounded them with my iron skillet. i don't have a meat mallet, but i like the iron skillet because of the surface area. it actually makes for very uniform thickness, and i can do many pieces at once as long as they are small (like for a stir fry). annemarie, that makes sense about the pounding breaking up the connective tissues. thanks for the input.

i've always wondered about actual meat tenderizer, like the powdered stuff. anyone familiar with how that works, or if it does work?

the main ingredient now in those bottles is: salt, sugar, corn starch and papain

Papain comes from a papaya. If you combine some papaya chunks and a steak and let them sit together overnight you will end with meat mush. It breaks down the meat really fast. In the Caribbean papain is often used to relive the sting from jellyfish as it breaks down the toxins that cause the pain.

thanks for the tip john. i'll remember that. meat mush does not sound like something i'd want for supper...as long as i still have a mouthful of teeth, anyway.

the main ingredient now in those bottles is: salt, sugar, corn starch and papain

Papain comes from a papaya. If you combine some papaya chunks and a steak and let them sit together overnight you will end with meat mush. It breaks down the meat really fast. In the Caribbean papain is often used to relive the sting from jellyfish as it breaks down the toxins that cause the pain.

I use pineapple juice in all my marinades for the same reason.