You may have already felt the magic of velveting if you’ve ever bitten into a piece of chicken or beef at your favorite Chinese restaurant and wondered how the flesh could be so delicate. Velveting is an old-fashioned approach to keep meat moist, smooth, and tasty.
“Velveting” seems strange, but it’s not that hard to do. By covering basic meat with a thin layer of cornstarch, egg white, and mild spices, you may make it taste sophisticated. This keeps the meat safe while it cooks. The trick is to use a special cover that protects the meat as it cooks. People commonly use cornstarch, egg white, and a tiny bit of flavor to make this coating. It keeps the meat juicy and makes it taste like it came from a restaurant.
How the wok started the velveting process
Chinese cooks have been using velveting for a long time. A long time ago, chefs learned that cooking beef in a wok over high heat, like they do in China, could be hard if they didn’t do it right.
Over time, the approach expanded to other parts of China and became a big element of Cantonese cookery. This is the only technique to make stir-fried food that is soft and chewy. Chefs all over the world use it these days.
The science of velveting: how to make beef tender
With velveting, you can marinate food and get it ready ahead of time. The goal is to make a cover that keeps the meat from getting too heated and drying out.
This is the basic science:
A thin layer of cornstarch that looks like gel keeps the outside layers from getting hard from the heat.
When egg whites provide a smooth, velvety finish, this is called the “velvet” effect.
You can make it taste and feel better by adding soy sauce, rice wine, or oil.
After being covered, the meat is swiftly cooked in hot oil or simmering water for just long enough to establish the coating. This procedure cooks the meat a little, which keeps it soft even when you stir-fry it in a hot pan afterward.
What happened? The meat is always tender, well-cooked, and full of flavor.
How to Velvetize Meat Like a Pro
To get that restaurant-style texture at home, follow these easy steps:
Cut the meat into thin, even slices.
Cut the beef, chicken, or pork into thin, even slices. If you are consistent, everything cooks at the same time.
To make the marinade, mix together the following:
One egg that is white
One tablespoon of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of dry sherry or rice wine
1 teaspoon of soy sauce (optional for flavor)
A little bit of sesame oil
Let the meat soak up the marinade.
Add the slices to the batter and stir with a whisk until they are all equally coated. Let it sit for 30 minutes so the coating can dry.
Put the meat in some boiling water.
You can boil the oil or water, but don’t let it get too hot. Put the marinated meat in the pan and cook it for 30 to 60 seconds, or until it is no longer pink.Take it out and let it drain right away.
Eat your food.
Put the sauce and vegetables in the wok with the velveted beef to make your stir-fry. The meat will be soft and tasty, like it came from a restaurant.
Velvet is the best way to make things soft.
You can make meat softer by hitting it with a mallet, soaking it in lemon juice or vinegar, or buying tenderizers from the shop. But none of them make the fabric as soft and silky as velveting does.
If marinades are too acidic, they might break down proteins too much, which can make the meat taste sour or mushy. A mechanical tenderizer couldn’t make all of the fibers flatten out in the same way. On the other hand, velveting softens the flesh without affecting its shape, so you can always get that “bite.”
Soft and silky foods
This is how they cook some of the most well-known Chinese dishes:
In Kung Pao Chicken, soft chicken is mixed with peanuts, peppers, and a sauce that is sweet and spicy at the same time.
Broccoli with meat is bits of soft meat that are covered in a tasty sauce.
Lemon Chicken: chunks of chicken that are crispy and smooth, with a vibrant lemon sauce on top.
When you velvet beef, it tastes like it came from a nice restaurant. It is used in many various types of cooking, such as Thai and Western stir-fry.
How to Pick the Best Method
Don’t hurry the marinating. It can make a great difference to wait twenty to thirty minutes.
When you blanch, don’t put too much in the pot. The space between the food will help it cook all the way through.
Don’t become too hot. The idea is to merely cook the meat halfway. If you heat it too much, it will get tough.
Try out a few different things. Adding oyster sauce or Shaoxing wine can make the cuisine taste better.
The more you do it, the more you’ll see how little things may impact the texture in the end.
The Last Word: A Simple Way to Cook Great Food
Velveting is one of the easiest ways to make your food taste better, even if it could appear like a secret that only chefs know. It doesn’t take long or a lot of ingredients, but it does make your food taste better.
You will notice the difference right away: the meat is soft, juicy, and tastes like butter. It’s not surprising that professional chefs enjoy it, and now you can too.
For a long time, Chinese cooks have said that meat would keep good if you store it properly. Keep this in mind the next time you make a stir-fry using chicken or beef.
