Velveting meat

[taxlady]

So is it better to mix everything together to a marinade or add each ingredient separately? Or is that just useful when there is egg white, so it won't get foamy?

[Kayelle]

Originally Posted by taxlady

So is it better to mix everything together to a marinade or add each ingredient separately? Or is that just useful when there is egg white, so it won't get foamy?

I think that it's just useful with the egg white. Personally, I can't see how one can get that velvet texture without the egg white, but what do I know?

[Greg Who Cooks]

Originally Posted by taxlady

So is it better to mix everything together to a marinade or add each ingredient separately? Or is that just useful when there is egg white, so it won't get foamy?

I pretty much scoff the idea that adding ingredients separately could matter, although if there's any truth to that at all then perhaps mix all the other ingredients and then add the egg white last. Please note that I am not an expert so I'm just offering an opinion.

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by Kayelle

I think that it's just useful with the egg white. Personally, I can't see how one can get that velvet texture without the egg white, but what do I know?

I have tried it twice, both times without the egg white. Some of the meat had the right texture. Yes, I did it in batches. I did it using oil. That's more cleanup, especially with no deep fat fryer. I may have gotten temperatures wrong part of the time.

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Kayelle;

I've been velveting meat for various recipes for a few years now. The first time I saw the technique was while searching the web for chicken chow mein recipes. I used the recipe and technique, which did not use egg, and the results were astounding.

It is the hydrated cornstarch that gives the meat a good part of its mouth feel. The meat itself is just barely cooked through, and is so tender that it's almost pasty. In fact, the velveted chicken strips I made a few days ago were that way. I gave my wife a small piece of the cooked meat and she said that she didn't like it. It was like eating slimy paste. When the meat was added to the stir-fried vegetables, the coating firmed up a bit, as did the meat to make perfectly tender and juicy meat strips in the recipe.

I've never used egg in my slurry, and really don't know how it wold improve on the end product. But I know that the marinade/slurry does flavor the meat. That's why I sometimes season it beyond the soy sauce, with various herbs, onion, garlic, etc. That way, I can tailor the flavor of the meat to compliment the veggies.

I'll have to try adding the egg, just to see what it does. Maybe it helps bind the slurry to the meat.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

[Greg Who Cooks]

When we're discussing frying for velveting, is that deep frying or could pan frying work? And if pan frying how deep must the oil be?

[Kayelle]

Originally Posted by Chief Longwind Of The North

Kayelle;

I've been velveting meat for various recipes for a few years now. The first time I saw the technique was while searching the web for chicken chow mein recipes. I used the recipe and technique, which did not use egg, and the results were astounding.

It is the hydrated cornstarch that gives the meat a good part of its mouth feel. The meat itself is just barely cooked through, and is so tender that it's almost pasty. In fact, the velveted chicken strips I made a few days ago were that way. I gave my wife a small piece of the cooked meat and she said that she didn't like it. It was like eating slimy paste. When the meat was added to the stir-fried vegetables, the coating firmed up a bit, as did the meat to make perfectly tender and juicy meat strips in the recipe.

I've never used egg in my slurry, and really don't know how it wold improve on the end product. But I know that the marinade/slurry does flavor the meat. That's why I sometimes season it beyond the soy sauce, with various herbs, onion, garlic, etc. That way, I can tailor the flavor of the meat to compliment the veggies.

I'll have to try adding the egg, just to see what it does. Maybe it helps bind the slurry to the meat.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Velly interesting. Those two sentences make sense. Thanks