Velveting: Unlock Tender Meat Secrets
An essential Chinese cooking technique to tenderize meat, resulting in incredibly soft, juicy, and flavorful proteins perfect for stir-fries and other dishes. This method uses either baking soda or a cornstarch mixture to achieve a restaurant-quality texture at home.
Ingredients
- 1 lb meat (chicken
- 1 tsp baking soda (for baking soda method)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (for cornstarch method)
- 1 ea egg white (optional
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (optional)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
- Slice your chosen meat thinly against the grain.
- **For Baking Soda Method:** Toss meat with baking soda and let stand for 15-20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, then pat dry.
- **For Cornstarch Method:** In a bowl, combine sliced meat with cornstarch, egg white (if using), Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix until meat is well coated.
- Refrigerate marinated meat for at least 20-30 minutes.
- Before cooking, ensure meat is separated. For stir-fries, you can quickly blanch in hot water or shallow-fry until just cooked through before adding to your main dish.
Notes
Velveting is a preparation technique, not a complete recipe. It's often used for stir-fries, noodle dishes, and soups to ensure meat remains tender and moist. Adjust marinating times based on meat thickness. Always rinse meat thoroughly if using the baking soda method.