Tenderising meat using bi-carb of soda

[Andy M.]

... case you suffer dyspepsia...

A case of Pepsi???

 

[ironchef]

Marm, it's a really common method to use in Chinese cooking. A lot of China was/is very poor, so they looked for other ways to make the cheaper cuts of meat more tender.

Constance, it depends on the application. I've seen it used more in marinades that included other things like soy, sherry, oyster sauce, etc. I've never applied it directly to the meat without a liquid marinade. There's probably some info on Google about that though. I've always used a mallet or other type of physical tenderizer for meats that will not have a wet marinade.

 

[jennyema]

Marm, it's a really common method to use in Chinese cooking. A lot of China was/is very poor, so they looked for other ways to make the cheaper cuts of meat more tender.

Constance, it depends on the application. I've seen it used more in marinades that included other things like soy, sherry, oyster sauce, etc. I've never applied it directly to the meat without a liquid marinade. There's probably some info on Google about that though. I've always used a mallet or other type of physical tenderizer for meats that will not have a wet marinade.

I see corn starch called for all the time in recipes for marinades, but i have never seen baking soda called for.

Still, my question: baking soda=yuck. Won't the marinade impart that to the meat?

 

[ironchef]

I see corn starch called for all the time in recipes for marinades, but i have never seen baking soda called for.

Still, my question: baking soda=yuck. Won't the marinade impart that to the meat?

No you won't taste it unless you go overboard with it. The normal ratio is 1/2 tsp. of baking soda for every 1/2 - 2/3 c. of marinade. The soy, chili paste, or whatever flavors that are added to the dish should mask it.

With that being said, I've never had a dish using the baking soda as a marinade in the Cantonese style, which is very basic seasoning and flavoring. I've usually had it more in Sichuan or Mandarin style dishes which are spicier and are more aggresively flavored. They probably do use it in Cantonese cooking but off hand, I can't think of a dish which I've tried that uses it.

 

[mignon]

A case of Pepsi???

Wow! That was brilliant. A smart-*** has to be careful around here or he'll have his ego in a sling.

 

[Andy M.]

We are often wise cracking and seldom attacking.

 

[Constance]

Check out the Baking Soda Pages...here's the one on cooking:

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/bakingsodapages/a/bscooking.htm

 

[BlueCat]

It sounds fine to me to use these tips for cooking, but the website Constance posted talked about putting a little in the tea water. Don't you think that would make the tea taste salty?

BC

 

[Constance]

Blue, I wondered about that, too.

I brew a pitcher of tea every day or two, using 1 family size Lipton or Lousianne decaf tea. I drink it straight, and am very particular about the taste. I don't refrigerate it, because that makes the tea cloudy, but sometimes by the 2nd day is does start to get bitter.

I'll give the baking soda thing a try and let you know the results.