How to tenderize beef/porkfor stir fry and taste as juicy and tender as in a Chinese restaurant. I’ve interviewed many chefs and cooks in Chinese restaurants. They usually use the following 4 methods. This is also my experience after many trials, which I share here with everyone. Usually, this method to tenderize beef/pork is called “velvet beef/pork”. Besides these 4 methods, the right way to cut beef/pork is also an important factor.
Also, learn how to tenderize chicken for stir fry here (Velvety Chicken).
Watch how to make:
The proper way to cut beef/pork for tender meat.
Cutbeef/pork against the direction of the grain to separate the tissue and make it easier to bite, and this is also the point at which the red meat becomes tender.
First, cut across the grain – Always cut beef/pork across the grain and into thin slices. You’ll see the long fibers in the meat, for tender meat you should cut across the fibers. The reason for this is that you’ll separate the fibers and the meat will be easier to bite.
If you cut with the fibers, the red meat will be tough because the long fibers haven’t separated.
To make cutting easier, place the red meat in the freezer for about 20 minutes before cutting.
How do Chinese restaurants tenderize meat for stir fry?
The following four methods are commonly used in Chinese restaurants to tenderize beef/pork or red meat for stir-fried dishes:
Baking soda – for 1 lb /450 g beef, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda is usually enough to soften the beef; if you add too much, the beef will lose its original flavor.
Add cornstarch – The cornstarch is used to seal the marinade.
Whisk an egg – for 1 lb /450 g beef, half an egg is usually enough; for less than 1 lb /450 g, only a tablespoon.
Usually, add cornstarch and whisk with baking soda powder to tenderize the red meat. I usually use these two methods together and also recommend this natural method, which is healthier for the body.
PRO TIP: If you want to marinate longer than half an hour or overnight, you should add baking soda and cornstarch 10 minutes before cooking. Don’t marinate red meat with baking soda for more than 30 minutes.Otherwise, the red meat will be tough if you add the baking soda for too long.
More beef for stir fry recipes:
If you want to knowhow to marinate a steak tender and juicy. Tips you can find in my previous post. There I show you tips and tricks on steak marinades in Asian flavors. And you can also use this marinade for steak sandwiches for your brunch, lunch, or lunchbox.
★ Asian Beef Ramen Noodles – 20 Minutes
★ Pepper Steak With Onion
★ Beef and Broccoli
★ Szechuan Beef
★ Beef Stir Fry With Noodles
How to make beef/pork crispy in a stir fry
Follow the above methods – add baking soda or egg for tenderizing beef.
Add Cornstarch– Before stir fry, dip both sides of the beef (or red meat) in the cornstarch and separate, but let it get wet for pan fry. This step is after marinating the beef.
After dipping, let the cornstarch, rest for 5 minutes before frying. This will help the cornstarch stick to the meat and make it crispier and not come off during frying.
Don’t overcrowd the pan– Place the steak in small portions in the pan and sear on both sides. Fry the steak in 2 batches. Don’t stir immediately, wait until the underside is golden brown and then turn it over. This way you get a nice golden brown color and no steaming beef.
Crispy beef /pork stir fry recipes:
★ Mongolian Beef
★ Beijing Beef (Copycat Panda Express)
★ Sweet and Sour Pork
What beef is good for stir-frying
Most economic and tender beef cuts, such as sirloin, flank steak, and tenderloin are used most. More expensive cuts (such as filet) can also be used.
In Chinese cooking, proteins like beef, pork or chicken are velveted first before stir-frying them. There are several ways to velvet, but at its most basic level, it involves marinating meat with at least one ingredient that will make it alkaline. This is what tenderizes the meat, especially cheaper, tougher cuts.
Other tenderising methods include marinating in a cornflour/cornstarch sludge then frying in oil before using in the stir fry, chemical tenderisers and egg white marinates. The baking soda method is the simplest for every day purposes and just as effective which is why it's the method I use.
Less than a teaspoon of baking soda ensures that your steak remains juicy and tender—even after a speedy marinade. While other recipes demand hours of marinating, this baking soda hack makes a flank steak or any other fibrous cut of beef ready to sear after just an hour.
What meats can I velvet? If you can stir-fry it, chances are good you can velvet it. You can use pork (of course!), chicken, fish and beef (we've also written a piece on the best beef to use for stir fries).
How do you make pork soft and tender? Soak your pork in a salt-based brine before cooking it using your desired method. Pork chops need to soak between 12–24 hours, an entire pork tenderloin needs to soak for 6–12 hours, and an entire pork loin requires 2–4 days of soaking.
How is it that these restaurants can get the meat to be so soft and moist no matter how much they are cooking and for different recipes? It all starts with tenderizing the meat with baking soda and water that is massaged into the thinly sliced meat. It is then left to marinate for about an hour or two before cooking.
The pork goes from chewy to melt in the mouth and it just takes one simple ingredient that you've probably got in your pantry: bi-carb. You sprinkle 1 teaspoon of bicarb on the meat and mix it with water and then wait for the bicarb to tenderise the meat and then rinse it off! That's it!
both cornstarch and baking soda tenderizes the meat. it does have a slightly different texture since baking soda is causing a chemical reaction. it changes the taste of the chicken so cornstarch is better if you are sensative to taste.
Tenderizing with a baking soda solution is faster than using a saltwater brine. Meat only has to sit in a baking soda solution for 15 to 20 minutes, but a brine solution can take at least 30 minutes to start working.
A brine is essentially just salt and water. It helps prevent moisture loss during cooking, and the salt also helps tenderize the meat from the inside out. If you want an extra juicy piece of pork, brine it before cooking. You can make an effective brine just with salt and water, but additional seasonings do help.
The process of low-and-slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue and releases collagen, resulting in supple, shreddable meat. Slow cooking applications include braising, barbecuing and sous vide (cooking proteins in a vacuum sealed bag immersed in warm water).
Velveting chicken is a perfectly healthy meat preparation method since the core ingredients are cornstarch and oil, each of which is perfectly fine for you to eat. So, velveting can deliver delicious, tender meat without sacrificing quality when it comes to taste or health.
How Can I Tenderize Pork Chops Quickly? Marinades act as natural tenderizers when made with acidic ingredients (such as lemon, lime, and apple cider vinegar).
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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