"Velveting" for Stir Fry dishes? Do you?

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Kayelle

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I've been hearing and reading about this for years, but until tonight I was just a lazy stir fry cook I guess. Who ever said you can't teach an old dog new tricks? It was great fun doing something out of my comfort zone after all these years.
Our stir fry dinner was the best I've ever done, thanks to "velveting" the pork shoulder meat. I'm sold. Can't wait to try it with chicken.
Looking for a conversation ...;) Do you? Have you?


Chinese Velveting 101: An Introduction to Water-Velveting | Serious Eats
 
"Velveting" for Stir Fry dishes? Do you?

I don't do this Kayelle. Too lazy I guess. However, when I make pepper steak with flank steak, I marinate in wine, cornstarch, oil and seasonings. This seems to work well. I've had guests ask how I got the meat so tender!

I do the same with other stir fry meats too. As long as I trim off the gristle it turns out OK.
 
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"Velveting" for Stir Fry dishes? Do you?

Chief Longwind has been a big fan of velveting for years. I haven't tried it yet. Sounds really good though.
 
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Velveting is a great technique to learn.

Some people also use baking soda. Which does give a very tender meat. But add too much and it gives the meat an off flavor that I do not like.

Also after water velveting meat will tend to stick more than if passed thru oil.
 
Kayelle such a positive informative article. Thank you for that. I've accidentally 'velvet-ed' pork before but I didn't know I was 'velveting'. I'm going to try to water velveting next time I get a chance. Overcooking pork, chicken, and beef for stir fries is always frustrating. This looks like a nice way to finish (or almost finish) the protein before stir frying the veggies. Thanks
 
Thanks for this topic post, Kayelle.
I'd never heard of velveting before this. No wonder my attempts at home made Sweet 'N Sour pork came out with the pork being a bit tough and chewy, or overly stir fried (to make sure the pork was thoroughly cooked). On that site, there's a velveting recipe for Sweet 'N Sour pork that I've bookmarked and am eager to try (the easier boiling method).
 
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Kayelle I have been Velveting
Chicken For years. It Is easy, I put
my Chicken in a dish to marinate while
I am prepping the vegetables.
It is easy only takes a
few minutes.

Josie
 
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Very interesting, Kayelle. I just marinate and toss into oil. So much easier because I am a lazy cook. Maybe not so lazy, but rather slow.

Josie, do you ever use the Egg Beaters 100% Egg Whites? I think using those would be easier for me since I have no idea what I would do with all the leftover yolks. LOTS of hollandaise sauce, I guess.
 
I have not done this for a stir-fry. I do, however, have a recipe for Asian chicken salad that uses the same technique Andy described and the meat does come out very tender. I need to remember to do that for stir-fries.

Makes me wonder whether that par-cooking step is really necessary. Maybe someone will do a test ;)
 
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Yes I like to marinate chicken in this velveting manner (e.g. overnight) although I have not incorporated it as part of a stir fry. Instead of wine, I use soy sauce and crushed garlic i.e. to the egg white and cornflour. They really add to the flavour. This method helps to tenderise the meat (as you would expect from a marinade) and obviously seal in the flavour. It works well with mushrooms too! Chicken strips cook out in about 5-10 mins each side (pending on intensity of heat). I just regard them as battered chicken.

Maybe halving the cooking time would suffice for a stir fry, i.e. finishing off the cooking with the veg etc.

I think I will try it with potato flour next time (to replace the cornstarch which is liable to be GM).
 
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Just to be clear, velveting is not just marinating. It's marinating meat specifically with egg white in the marinade and then blanching it in either hot oil or boiling water.
 
Just to be clear, velveting is not just marinating. It's marinating meat specifically with egg white in the marinade and then blanching it in either hot oil or boiling water.

True, the required vehicle for velveting is egg white and cornstarch passed through with water or oil.

CG, I only used 2 well beaten egg whites for a lb of meat.

GG, that conversation from Kenji was really interesting.
 
Yes, the chinese recipe I gave (above) is a velveting marinade that replaces the wine with soy and adds crushed garlic to the egg white and cornflour.

In a bowl mix together one egg white, 1 tbsp. cornflour, 1 tbsp. soy/tamari and 2 crushed garlic cloves.
Then add 200g chicken breast, cut into strips/chunks.

This velveting process can be marinaded/left for a few hours or overnight (turning occasionally).

When required, then fried on high heat for approx 5 mins each side. :yum:
 
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Yes, the chinese recipe I gave (above) is a velveting marinade that replaces the wine with soy and adds crushed garlic to the egg white and cornflour.


I was trying to clarify that the velveting method includes par-cooking, whether in oil or water. It's not just marinating and then cooking.
 
I was trying to clarify that the velveting method includes par-cooking, whether in oil or water. It's not just marinating and then cooking.
The velveting is the process of marinading the meat in the egg white and cornflour mixture. It is this method that tenderises the meat hence the reference to velvet. The chinese recipe I had for it then cooks it but I see that this is a variation on the standard method of par cooking it.
 
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The velveting is the process of marinading the meat in the egg white and cornflour mixture. It is this method that tenderises the meat hence the reference to velvet. The chinese recipe I had for it then cooks it but I see that this is a variation on the standard method of par cooking it.

Sorry, but no. Velveting is a three-part process. If it was that easy, us "lazy cooks" would be doing it all the time :)

Velveting is
1. Marinating with egg white and cornstarch.
2. Par-cooking in water or oil - the meat and coating are fused but the meat is still raw inside.
3. Stir-frying to finish cooking and to incorporate other ingredients and a sauce.
 
I found a great explanation of the process, along with pictures! I'm a visual learner - pictures are good.

~ How to: Velvet (Tenderize) Meat the Chinese Way~

I think I also found another rabbit hole to fall into...:ermm:

+1

And here's more from Kenji on the science of velveting and another delicious-sounding recipe using the technique: The Food Lab: Stir-Fried Velvet Chicken with Snap Peas and Lemon-Ginger Sauce | Serious Eats

Another note: It doesn't take several hours or overnight to marinate strips or pieces of chicken, pork or beef. Up to three hours is plenty.

(I will not follow you down that rabbit hole... I will not follow you down ... uh ...)
 
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GotGarlic - the chinese recipe did say to marinade it for a few hours or overnight. (Turning it several times for the first hour - to help ensure the cornflour disperses evenly).

I suggest that you don't knock it until you've tried the recipe ....
you never know, you might like it!
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It's really good!
:yum:
 
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