How do Chinese make their meat so tender?

Chinese cuisine is renowned worldwide for its tender and juicy meats. There are several techniques that Chinese cooks use to make meat exceptionally tender and flavorful. These include velveting, marinating, slicing meat against the grain, using meat tenderizers, and slow cooking.

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Why is Chinese meat so tender?

There are a few key reasons why Chinese meat dishes often turn out very tender:

Velveting – This technique involves coating pieces of meat in a mixture of cornstarch, egg whites, salt, and rice wine. The cornstarch forms a protective barrier that seals in moisture during cooking.

Marinades – Chinese marinades often contain tenderizing ingredients like pineapple juice, kiwi, papaya, or ginger. The enzymes in these ingredients help break down tough collagen fibers.
Cutting against the grain – Slicing meat against the direction of the muscle fibers shortens the fibers, resulting in more tender pieces.
Meat tenderizers – Meat tenderizers like baking soda or powered papain enzyme are sometimes used to further break down collagen.

Slow cooking – Braising, stewing, and other slow, moist-heat methods catalyze collagen breakdown over time.

Velveting

Velveting is a signature Chinese technique that produces exceptionally tender and silky meat textures. It involves coating bite-sized pieces of meat in a mixture of cornstarch, egg whites, rice wine, and other ingredients before cooking.

Here is the velveting process:

Cut the raw meat into thin, bite-sized slices across the grain.
In a bowl, mix together cornstarch, egg whites, rice wine, salt, and sometimes ginger or garlic.
Add the meat pieces and mix well to coat each piece.

Let marinate for 15-30 minutes at room temperature.
Remove meat from marinade and shake off excess. Discard marinade.
Stir fry the coated meat pieces on high heat for a short time until cooked through.

The cornstarch forms a thin, protective barrier around the meat that seals in moisture and prevents overcooking. The egg whites further tenderize the meat through their albumen proteins.

Velveting works great with chicken, pork, beef, and seafood. It results in super tender meat with a silky, smooth mouthfeel. The meat stays succulent even with high-heat cooking methods.

Why does velveting make meat tender?

There are two main reasons why velveting produces such tender meats:

Protective coating – The cornstarch batter provides a thin, moisture-sealing layer around each piece of meat. This prevents moisture from escaping during cooking, keeping the meat very juicy and tender.
Albumen proteins – Raw egg white contains enzymes called albumen proteins that act as natural meat tenderizers. They help break down tough collagen fibers.

Together, the coating action and enzyme activity lead to velveted meats that are exceptionally tender. The meat has a distinctive smooth, silky texture while still retaining all its juiciness.

Marinades

Chinese marinades are another secret weapon for producing super tender and flavorful meats. They contain natural tenderizing agents that break down collagen.

Here are some popular tenderizing ingredients used in Chinese marinades:

Pineapple juice – Contains the enzyme bromelain which breaks down tough proteins.

Papaya – Papain is a powerful meat tenderizing enzyme found in papayas.
Kiwi – Kiwi fruit contains actinidin enzyme that can significantly tenderize meats.
Ginger – Ginger’s active compounds soften muscle fibers.

Vinegar – Acidity helps denature collagen over time.
Honey – The hygroscopic properties allow it to penetrate meat to enhance juiciness.

The marinade is rubbed directly onto the meat or poured over and left to sit anywhere from 30 minutes up to overnight. This allows time for the tenderizing agents to work their magic.

For example, a common Chinese pork tenderloin marinade contains chopped kiwi, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil. The kiwi and ginger enzymes combined with the acidity of the wine thoroughly tenderize the pork.

Tips for marinating meat

Slice meat thinly across the grain before marinating.
Use an acidic marinade for more tenderization power.

Marinate in the refrigerator up to 24 hours for maximum effect.
Reserve some marinade to cook the meat in for bonus flavor.
Pat meat dry before cooking so marinade doesn’t burn.

When done right, marinating can make usually tough cuts like flank steak remarkably tender and juicy. It infuses vibrant flavor as well.

Slicing against the grain

Cutting meat against the direction of the muscle fibers is another easy Chinese technique for enhanced tenderness.

Muscle fibers run lengthwise through meat in bundles called fascicles. When meat is sliced with the grain, the knife cuts straight through these long fibers. This can result in chewy, stringy pieces.

However, slicing against the grain shortens these fibers. Shorter fibers are easier to chew through, giving a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

For example, skirt and flank steak are notoriously chewy cuts due to their long, coarse grain structure. But when thinly sliced against the grain, they become significantly more tender.

The same principle applies to chicken breasts, pork chops, or steak. Simply identify the direction of the muscle fibers and slice perpendicular to them.

Aim for thin slices no more than 1/4 inch thick. This exaggerates the fiber-shortening effect for maximum tenderness. Cooking the meat slices quickly at high heat also minimizes toughness.

Tips for slicing meat against the grain

Identify grain direction first – fibers typically run lengthwise down muscles.
Cut across fibers at a 45-90 degree angle.

Flip meat periodically while slicing to track grain changes.
Cut thin slices, no more than 1/4 inch thick.
Try freezing meat briefly to firm it up for cleaner slices.

Properly slicing against the grain can make a dramatic improvement in meat tenderness while still retaining juiciness. It’s an easy trick that any home cook can use for restaurant-quality results.

Using Meat Tenderizers

In addition to the above techniques, Chinese cooks sometimes use specialized meat tenderizing ingredients to break down tough connective tissues. Two common examples are baking soda and meat tenderizer powders.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is alkaline which helps tenderize meat in two ways:

Denatures proteins – Alkalinity causes proteins including collagen to lose structure and unravel.
Increases water absorption – Allows liquid to better penetrate meat tissues.

To use baking soda, coat the meat with a thin layer of baking soda, then rinse off after 5-10 minutes before cooking. This short marinating time is enough to start breaking down collagen while neutralizing any soapy taste.

Too much baking soda can result in a rubbery, mushy texture so use a light hand with this technique.

Meat tenderizer powder

Meat tenderizer powder contains dried papain or bromelain enzymes extracted from papaya or pineapple. These powerful enzymes break down tough collagen proteins.

Simply sprinkle the tenderizer powder over the meat and massage it in about 10-15 minutes before cooking. Rinse off lightly before cooking.

Use approximately 1 teaspoon of meat tenderizer powder per 1 pound of meat. Excessive amounts can cause the meat to become mushy.

When used properly, meat tenderizers like baking soda and enzyme powders can significantly improve the tenderness of typically chewy cuts like chuck roast or brisket. They provide an easy collagen-busting boost.

Slow Cooking Methods

In Chinese cooking, long braises, stews, and hot pots are popular ways to create fall-off-the-bone tender meat dishes. Collagen breakdown is accelerated through moist heat over time.

Examples of classic Chinese slow cooked meat dishes include:

Red braised pork belly (Hong Shao Rou)
Tea-smoked duck

Braised beef noodle soup
Stewed chicken with mushrooms
Lion’s head meatballs

Claypot rice with Chinese sausage

The combination of gentle heating and lots of moisture over an extended cooking time results in supremely tender meat. The collagen melts into succulent gelatin.

2 keys factors make slow cooking effective for tenderness:

Low temperature – Slow braising or stewing is done between 300-325 F. This allows time for collagen to dissolve without the meat seizing up.
Moisture – Liquid prevents drying and acts as a heat conductor. Having the meat partially submerged accelerates tenderizing.

Additional seasonings like soy sauce, rice wine, and rock sugar also help enhance the umami flavors as the meat slowly cooks.

With the right cut of meat, slow Chinese cooking methods can transform even the toughest cuts into fork-tender deliciousness. Patience is rewarded with melt-in-your-mouth meaty goodness!

Conclusion

From velveting to slow cooking, Chinese cooks have mastered the techniques for making all kinds of meat amazingly tender. By focusing on methods that protect moisture, break down collagen, and slice against the grain, they are able to make dishes that are juicy, fork-tender perfection.

Incorporating even some of these preparations into your own cooking can help take your meat dishes to the next level. With the right know-how, you can enjoy restaurant-quality tenderness in meat dishes at home. Experiment and see which Chinese-inspired methods work best for your favorite cuts of meat. Your tastebuds will thank you!