Velveting: The Tender Meat Secret
A fundamental Chinese cooking technique to achieve incredibly tender and moist meat, often used as a preparation step for stir-fries and other dishes. It involves coating raw meat in a cornstarch mixture.
Ingredients
- 250 g lean meat (e.g. chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine optional
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil optional
- 1 egg white optional
Instructions
- Slice meat against the grain into thin pieces.
- In a bowl, combine meat with cornstarch, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and egg white (if using). Mix well to coat every piece.
- Let marinate for at least 15-30 minutes.
- Par-cook the meat by blanching in hot water for 30-60 seconds until just opaque, or shallow frying in hot oil for 1-2 minutes until lightly cooked. Do not fully cook.
- Remove par-cooked meat and drain well. It's now ready to be added to your stir-fry or other dish at the end of the cooking process.
Notes
Velveting works best for thin slices of meat. Adjust cornstarch and oil for desired coating consistency. The par-cooking step (blanching or shallow frying) should be quick to avoid overcooking and ensure the meat finishes cooking in the final dish.