Gristly

Gristly describes something, typically food, that contains cartilage or tough, inedible fibrous tissue. This texture is unpleasant to chew and often requires significant effort to break down, resulting in a chewy and stringy mouthfeel. The word emphasizes the presence of this undesirable material, making the substance difficult to digest and potentially off-putting. It is a subjective term that reflects a sensory experience; something 'gristly' is not enjoyable to eat because of its texture. The gristliness of food indicates lower quality or improper preparation.

Gristly meaning with examples

• The steak, unfortunately, was quite gristly, making each bite a laborious chew. We had to discreetly remove several bits of tough tissue. The restaurant should have trimmed it better before serving it, so that our fine dining experience wouldn't be ruined.
• Despite the delicious sauce, the chicken was marred by a gristly texture near the bone. It was hard to cut, and it was unpleasant to chew, thus the flavour was unfortunately ruined. We brought the issue to the waiter’s attention.
• The sausage, although flavorful, was a bit gristly in places, which detracted from its overall enjoyment. It was chewy and stringy, making it not as enjoyable as a smoother, more tender cut of sausage. I wish there was a better preparation.
• Even after slow cooking, some parts of the brisket remained gristly and difficult to swallow. The time wasn’t enough to break down the tough fibres within the meat. The gristly areas were inedible.
• The poorly prepared pork chop had large patches of gristle, making it tough and unappetizing. It made me nauseated, and not wanting to eat any further. I had to stop eating it.