Velveting Meat: Chinese Secret
A Chinese cooking technique that uses baking soda to tenderize meat, ensuring it remains incredibly juicy and silky smooth during stir-frying or other quick-cooking methods. This is a preparation step, not a full meal recipe.
Ingredients
- 450 g meat (chicken breast beef flank
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp water (or rice wine or light soy sauce)
- 1 tsp cornstarch (optional) tapioca starch also works
Instructions
- Slice the meat against the grain into thin pieces.
- In a bowl, combine the sliced meat with baking soda and liquid (water, rice wine, or soy sauce). Mix well to ensure all meat is coated.
- Let the meat marinate at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Do not exceed 1 hour.
- Rinse the marinated meat thoroughly under cold running water for 1-2 minutes to remove all baking soda. Squeeze out excess water.
- (Optional) Toss the rinsed meat with cornstarch until lightly coated.
- The velveted meat is now ready to be cooked in your preferred recipe, such as a stir-fry.
Notes
Use thinly sliced meat for best results. Always rinse the meat thoroughly after marinating with baking soda to remove any metallic taste. Adding cornstarch provides a protective coating, locking in moisture and creating a desirable silky texture for stir-fries.