How to ‘velvet’ beef – this is a method of tenderising tougher/cheaper cuts of beef to use for stir fry recipes. I use bicarbonate of soda for this quick method. The beef is tender and ready to use in 30 minutes.
Whilst I love using a nice tender, marbled piece of ribeye for a stir fry, it’s not always practical, or cost effective (especially when you have a couple of hungry teenagers to feed too).
This is how to use a cheaper cut of beef/steak, such as rump, for your stir-fry, whilst still ensuring it’s soft and tender.
The method is known as velveting or tenderising. There are a few different ways to velvetise steak – which is a common practice in Chinese restaurants. This is the simplest and most effective method I’ve found.
Wet Brining with Baking Soda to Tenderize MeatStep 1: Dissolve Baking Soda into water. Use 1 teaspoon of baking soda and ½ cup of water for every 12 ounces of meat.Step 2: Soak meat in solution for at least 15 minutes. … Step 3: Remove meat and rinse thoroughly. … Step 4: Cook as desired.
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Step 1: Dissolve Baking Soda into water. Use 1 teaspoon of baking soda and ½ cup of water for every 12 ounces of meat.
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Step 2: Soak meat in solution for at least 15 minutes. …
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Step 3: Remove meat and rinse thoroughly. …
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Step 4: Cook as desired.
How does bicarbonate of soda tenderise meat?
The bicarb acts as an alkaline, which raises the pH level on the surface of the meat. This changes the way the proteins in the meat react when being heated over a high heat, and stops the meat seizing up and losing moisture .
The result is soft, juicy, tender meat. Here’s a close up of some rump steak I velvetised, then fried as part of my beef in black bean sauce recipe:
Watch how to make it
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Place the steak strips in a bowl
- Sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and rub it into the meat with your hands.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the beef in cold water to remove the bicarb.
- Pat dry with paper towels and use as per your recipe.
PRO TIP Once you’ve dried the beef, you can use a per your normal recipe – even if that calls for marinading or coating the beef.
How to tenderise & marinate beef for prefect stir fry like in Chinese restaurant
FAQ
How do Chinese restaurants get their beef so tender?
How do you tenderize a shaved steak?
To tenderize a shaved beef steak, you can either use a meat mallet to pound the steak or marinate it in an acidic mixture such as vinegar or citrus juice. You can also try cooking the steak with a meat tenderizer or adding baking soda to the marinade. What part of the cow does shaved steak come from?
How do you thicken shaved beef?
Pour in the coconut aminos (or soy sauce) and coconut sugar. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves then cook over medium-low heat for another 3-4 minutes to slightly reduce and thicken the sauce. Turn off the heat and set aside. Toss the shaved beef with the tapioca starch in a large bowl.
How do you tenderise beef?
The secret is tenderising the meat. It’s called velveting beef. Your cheerful local Chinese restaurant is using economical stewing beef to make stir fries with ultra tender strips of beef by tenderising it! How to tenderise beef – easily! Sprinkle 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate soda) on 250g / 8oz sliced economical beef cuts
How do you cook shaved beef?
Pour avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shaved beef piece by piece in a single layer and cook until browned and crispy on each side. This will only take about 1 minute per side as the shaved beef is extremely thin. Work in batches until all the beef is browned.