How is the meat at Chinese restaurants so tender?
You know when you’re at a Chinese restaurant and the meat you’re eating literally falls apart in your mouth. There’s barely any chew but the texture is deliciously satisfying.
Then at home you try to recreate some of the Chinese dishes and your meat ends up being tough. What are they doing that you’re not?
They velvet their meat. First they marinate it in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch, rice wine, and salt for at least 30-45min. Then they either blanch it in water or oil until it’s just about cooked. When it comes time to throw it in a stir fry, all it needs is a few seconds to get some color and sauce.
How does velveting work?
It ensures an even cook across the meat by absorbing some of the energy from the hot water or oil.
The starch prevents moisture (taste) from inside the meat from escaping.
Once you have this method down, you’re one big step closer to recreating your favorite Chineses dishes at home.