Tenderizing and Velveting Meat for Stir Fry

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Last night, I read a thread about velveting meat. I followed a link to cyberspace where it described the process and what it's used for. I also read about using baking soda mixed with water as a tenderizing agent. This made sense to me as the body really starts digesting foods in the intestine, after a strong alkalye is secreted from the bile ducts.

To make a long story short, I cut chuck roast against the graing into thin strips and placed in a water/baking soda brine. I let it soak for about two hours. While it was soaking, I prepared veggies for a stir-fry and cooked some brown rice.

I cooked the veggies first in my wok, and then drained, and rinsed the meat. Then, I dusted it with cornstarch. I didn't make the egg-wash part as I was in a hurry. I added the meat to the hot wok with just a scant 8th cup of water (thre tbs.). I moved the meat constantly and let the cornstarch thicken evenly all over it. I then seasoned it and added the veggies. I seasoned again with soy sauce.

It's a winning technique. The meat was silky smooth and very tender. It's the most tender chuck meat I've ever cooked! And yet, it isn't mushy. There is no baking powder after taste either. I recommend this technique to anyone who loves to stir fry with meat. I will next try it with chicken, and then with pork. I see great things in store for this technique.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Snoop Puss]

Sounds great. I'm never sure of the difference between baking powder, baking soda and bicarbonate of soda. I'm sure there's a thread with this somewhere. I'll search for it and definitely do this, Goodweed. Thanks.

 

[Katie H]

What was the soda to water ratio for the soaking medium? And how much meat (weight) did you soak? Sounds like you have a winner.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Wow! Someone would have to ask for measurments. That's one of my downfalls. I just seem to know about how much to pour into something. If I had to give an educated guess, I'd have to say that I used about 3 tbs. of baking soda (same thing as bicarbonate of soda) to about 2 cups of water. I used about 3/4 lb. of beef strips, cut very thin.

Good luck with those measurements. But they should work well.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Snoop Puss]

That's one of my downfalls. I just seem to know about how much to pour into something. Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

What wouldn't I give for a downfall like that! Thanks for the comment on baking soda and bicarb of soda, by the way.

 

[auntdot]

Snoop baking soda and bicarbonate of soda are the same,.

Baking powder is baking soda with an acid added.

Just Google or search DC and you will learn about the intricacies of baking powder.

 

[shannon in KS]

Very interesting! I am the #1 fan of brining! Do you think this is better than a typical brine using regular salt?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Not better, but it's used for a different purpose. Brining with baking soda is used to tenderize. Brining with salt enhances moisture and flavor.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[shannon in KS]

thank you! I will definiteley be trying this soon

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

One word of caution, you must rinse the meat after brining it to remove as much of the baking powder as possible. It does have a flavor, and will affect the other flavors in whatever the meat is added to if you're not careful. Also, it doesn't seem to tenderize connecting tissue, so remove as much fat and connecting tissue as possible.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[candelbc]

Interesting.. I will definitely have to give this a try!

-Brad

 

[Lynan]

I use cornstarch mixed with very lightly beaten eggwhite to coat meat for stirfries. Works a treat!!
Must give the baking soda a try sometime too.

 

[BreezyCooking]

According to all my Chinese cookbooks, "velveting" is a process by which small slices/pieces of meat (usually poultry or seafood) are marinated in a cornstarch/water or cornstarch/wine mixture & then briefly "blanched" in either hot oil or boiling water & set aside before finishing the cooking process in a stirfried dish.

None of them make any mention of baking soda.

 

[CherryRed]

The baking soda sounds like a great trick. I'll have to try it next time I stir fry!