how to tenderise beef (velveting beef)

recipe-tasty-velvet-beef-and-broccoli

Preparing velvet meat is a staple technique in Chinese cuisine that allows home cooks to tenderize tough, chewy cuts before stir-frying them over high heat in a wok. Expand your home cooking repertoire and learn the techniques for velveting beef.

What Is Velveting?

Velveting is a method of marinating tough cuts of meat in either a cornstarch or baking soda mixture to create a supple texture without altering the flavor. Home cooks typically rely on this process for tenderizing beef that is especially fibrous—like the brisket, round, chuck, and shank—but it is also effective on chicken and pork. Take-out Chinese food restaurants in the United States often use velveted meat to make various dishes like Mongolian beef, beef fried rice, and beef stir-fry.

4 Tips for Velveting Beef

Home cooks of all levels will be able to pull off this simple and effective tenderizing technique, which will help produce juicy velvet meat for your favorite beef recipes.

Pick the right cut. Tough cuts of beef used to make braised, smoked, or stir-fry dishes react well to velveting. Round bottom, hanger steak, porterhouse, flank steak, chuck, and low-grade sirloin are all great options for velveting. Home cooks can also use this method on premium cuts of tender beef, though it is likely unnecessary as the meat is already juicy and tender.

Adjust the time. Adjust the total marinating time depending on the size and cut of meat you’re preparing: In general, thirty to thirty-five minutes will be enough. Keep in mind that tender cuts of meat (like hanger steak and rump roast) will require less time in the marinade, and tougher cuts of meat (like the blade) might require more time.

A color change is fine. During the tenderizing process, the raw meat will likely turn bright red, which is completely normal.

Rinse the meat. Rinsing the thickening agent (baking soda or cornstarch) off your meat after the velveting process is imperative. Leaving it on the meat may result in a thick and clumpy sauce for stir-fries and other recipes. In a colander, wash the thickening marinade off your meat after velveting is complete.

How to Velvet Beef With Baking Soda

There are two popular velveting techniques in Chinese cooking: the baking soda method and the cornstarch method. Before making your favorite Chinese stir-fry, learn how to velvet thinly sliced beef with baking soda to ensure tender, juicy meat.

Cut the meat. Use a paper towel to pat your boneless meat dry, then lay it on a cutting surface. Slice the meat thinly against the grain, and add it to a large bowl.

Sprinkle in baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda, also known as bi-carb, over the thinly sliced beef in a ratio of about 1½ teaspoons of baking soda per pound of meat. Toss the baking soda over the meat to coat it evenly.

Let the beef rest. Cover the bowl, and place the beef in the refrigerator to marinate for thirty to thirty-five minutes.

Rinse the beef. Remove the beef from the refrigerator, and rinse all of the baking soda off with cold water. Thoroughly dry the meat with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Prepare the beef. The velveting process is now complete, and you can prepare the beef using the method of your choice.

How to Velvet Beef With Cornstarch

Velveting is a popular cooking technique, commonly used in many Chinese restaurants. Here is a brief overview of how to velvet beef with cornstarch or cornflour.

Cut the meat. Pat your boneless meat dry, and lay it on a cutting surface. Slice the meat thinly against the grain, and add it to a large bowl.

Make the cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, a ½ tablespoon of water, and the additional seasonings and sauces of your choice to create a slurry, or thickening mixture. Potential Asian-inspired slurry additions include soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and egg white.

Combine the beef and slurry. Add the slurry to the beef and mix well to coat.

Rest the beef. Place the beef and slurry marinade in the refrigerator, and let it rest for thirty to thirty-five minutes.

Rinse the beef. Remove the beef from the refrigerator, and rinse the cornstarch off with cold water. Thoroughly dry the meat with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Prepare the beef. The velveting process is now complete, and you can prepare the beef using the method of your choice.

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