Velveting Beef How to tenderise any meat in 30 minutes Chinese way of tenderising meat for stir fry

[@cindyhardy7262]

Do you know how much you're helping families? Now we can buy the much less expensive cuts and make them juicy and tender. Thank you!

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi Cindy - you’re welcome! I’m just wanting to share my experience and my favourite foods. I’m really happy this is helping - my mum taught me this and it’s always been very useful to me. I’ll tell my mum you said this too. That will make her smile, I’m sure ❤️

[@ukissrulez]

@@ChowWithLau all the families are dying because of chinese food loaded with MSG. Chinese have exported their toxic cuisine to make USA weak by increasing obesity, BP, diabetes and cancer from chinese takeout

[@tammynull3224]

I just did my first velveting chicken today... It turned out amazing... Like I will never NOT velvet again.. now I'm trying your recipe for the beef... I can't wait !! Thank you for sharing this ❤

[@ChowWithLau]

Thanks Tammy! I’m very happy this worked for you. Let me know how it goes with the beef 😊

[@fredayricaoreus315]

Did you use the same method for chicken as well.

[@annamartino5681]

Thank you, chef! Ideally 1) one should put only baking soda to cut meat for 30 min to ideally overnight in refrigerator. (Except chicken which is naturally soft). Then rinse it carefully several times to get rid of unpleasant metallic taste of baking soda and dry it between paper towels. Next you should do 2) add light soy sauce and corn starch and perhaps other spices you would want to and mix and let it sit for at least 30 min at room temperature before cooking your meat (you can also save remaining marinated meat in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but always bring it to room temperature for 30 min before cooking). Hopefully this should improve the taste and make your stir fry more tender. 🙂

[@ChowWithLau]

Thanks for the tips. I’ll definitely give this a try 😊

[@setondriveable]

It’s scary how great this actually worked. When I tasted the meat after cooking I was shocked.

[@ChowWithLau]

I’m happy this worked for you. I think it’s really useful because now you can cook with cuts of meat that you wouldn’t have been able to before. Thanks for your feedback - very much appreciated 😊

[@desertdispatch]

I’ll have to try this. I saw something similar to this where someone added equal amounts of water and corn starch to make a milky slurry to marinate meat to tenderize. . I tried that and it works, each time ….I am not sure how this works chemically or scientifically but it works and it works reasonably fast. . almost too well. Be careful as I realize you can easily overdo the marinate time. I’d try 15 minute marinate time and next time you can adjust the time accordingly.

[@tehStormy]

Thank you so much! I meal prep for the week and I always never am able to get a tender beef when I make it. This helped out well!

[@ChowWithLau]

@@tehStormy That’s great to hear! You’re very welcome. I’m very happy this has helped you 😊

[@rymic72]

I came across your channel by chance with a search and enjoyed the presentation but truly what I found even more compelling has been your wonderful interactions in the comment section. You seem a sound man and I look forward to watching more of the vids you put out.

[@ChowWithLau]

Hey! Thanks for your positive comment. I feel blessed to have a (small) platform and if I help people then that means I’m doing something right and it makes me happy. The vast majority of people who comment are lovely but this being the internet, there are always going to be some that are not. I assume that some of the interactions you’re referring to are some of my less polite viewers. I don’t mind criticism and I’m always happy to learn, but what I won’t put up with is rudeness. So these people usually get special attention from me. I do have fun responding to them 😉 Anyway thank you for your support - it really means a lot to me and I hope to see you in my comments more in the future 🫶

[@soulfuzz368]

Great video, very clear and easy to follow. I’ve noticed that some similar recipes recommend to rinse the meat after the bicarbonate step. Do you think this is necessary?

[@ChowWithLau]

Hey! Really glad you found it useful. A lot of recipes call for the meat to be rinsed as the bicarb can affect the flavour. I consulted the oracle (my mother) about this before I created this video and she doesn't rinse but she says it's ok to. She also said that you don't need a lot of bicarb to do this so the affect on the taste should be negligible, and perhaps other people might be using too much. I think ultimately it's down to personal preference, but either way works. Hope that helps and thanks very much for watching and your feedback :)

[@oldschoolfunkster1]

I do rinse it ever since I made a mistake of putting a little too much baking soda. The meat ended up tender but it left a fishy aftertaste. So now I rinse and not so much b.soda.

[@soulfuzz368]

@@oldschoolfunkster1 thanks for the tip!

[@ettazay5088]

Just what I was looking for! I tried it today and it works like a charm.

[@ChowWithLau]

That’s great! I’m happy it worked for you. Thanks for watching and for your feedback 😊🙏🙏🙏

[@njbes_963]

Just gave this a try! Letting it marinate until dinner tonight. Hopefully this works well!

[@ChowWithLau]

@@njbes_963 Nice! Please let us know how it goes for you 😊

[@louisestanley9379]

Wow! This is amazing! My husband hunts Canada goose. We BBQed a frozen breast a couple of days ago and it was inedible. I usually cook it in the crock pot for hours, but I frankly get tired of goose stew. Found your recipe and velveted the breast after slicing it thinly - it was already cooked. Only 20 minutes. It was wonderful in the stir-fry I made. Can't imagine how good it would have been if I had left it in the fridge over night. Thank you!

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi Louise - that’s amazing! I’ve actually never tried this on cooked meat before. I just assumed that after cooking there’s no way back. I’m intrigued and am definitely going to try it now! If I make a video about it I’ll give you a shout out. Thank you so much for sharing this and I’m really happy it worked for you M 😊

[@rosalindtay3384]

Thank you for your tips. It was tender when I tried it last night.

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi Rosalind - that's great! Really happy it worked for you and thank you so much for your feedback 😊

[@youngme1889]

now i can my own business.. ive been waiting this video for so long .. thanks a lot.... GodBless

[@ChowWithLau]

You're welcome! :)

[@apmckeown]

Ok I just did this and it's in the fridge to marinate! Making stir fry tomorrow for dinner!!! Thank you!

[@ChowWithLau]

You’re welcome! Please let me know how it goes 😊

[@ben5073]

So how did it turn out?

[@apmckeown]

Fantastic! I won't ever not do this ever again! Lol. I even did some and didn't do a few pieces and tried them and the velveted beef was so much better!

[@ChowWithLau]

@@apmckeown That’s fantastic! Glad this worked for you. It’s such a quick and easy thing to do - definitely worth it. Thanks very much for getting back to me 😊👍

[@matthewfaulkner4323]

This worked wonders. It was so tender!

[@ChowWithLau]

That’s really good to hear, Matthew! I use it every time I stir fry meat - it never fails. Thanks for sharing this 😊👍👍👍

[@carolynlewis1306]

Brilliant video! You've even given us a marinade! Thank you!

[@ChowWithLau]

@@carolynlewis1306 Thanks Carolyn! I’m glad you liked it. The marinade is simple but so delicious 😊

[@carolynlewis1306]

@@ChowWithLau I loved it and I'm very grateful for it! Thank you sir 🙏

[@ChowWithLau]

@@carolynlewis1306 😊🫶

[@Uncle-Jay]

What's the opinion on corn starch? The velveting I saw included corn starch and baking soda, it also suggested rinsing the beef off before cooking, do you do that?

[@ChowWithLau]

I do use corn starch in this video. It's pretty standard in all velveting techniques I'm aware of. I use bicarbonate of soda but baking soda is basically the same thing. Rinsing the meat is fine and people do it if they don't like the taste of the baking soda. I always recommend to use a minimum of the soda to minimise any flavour issues. Adding more than in the instructions doesn't tenderise the meat any more anyway. Hope that helps 😊

[@kevinhullinger8743]

I needed this tip 🙌 thank you

[@ChowWithLau]

You’re welcome! 😊

[@relentless832]

Thank you for this video.

[@ChowWithLau]

You’re welcome! 😊

[@ThriftyRecipes]

I'm trying this today and have a question. I prepped everything at 1 pm in the afternoon but don't want to cook it until about 6 pm tomorrow. Is it okay to marinade this long or will the meat (round steak) become mushy? Thank you! New subscriber.

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi! Thanks for your question. Marinating for that long should be fine. You can decrease the velveting ingredients a little bit if you want but the steak shouldn’t become mushy. Hope that helps and thank you so much for subscribing. Michael 😊

[@carolelerman9686]

Wild Irrish river dance music to Chinese recipe. Love it !

[@ChowWithLau]

Glad you like it! It’s a tribute to my Irishy Wife 😊🫶🍀

[@tammynull3224]

Ps very easy to follow videos.. love it!!

[@ChowWithLau]

❤️

[@janasali821]

Gotta love the Gaelic music food Chinese cooking

[@ChowWithLau]

Yup - it’s for my wife. She’s Irish born Chinese. I’m British (English to be precise) born so the ‘traditional Chinese’ music often used really grates on me as being stereotypical and cheesy. In the 21st century - on a global platform like KZbin (which ironically is banned in China), I do wonder why people feel more comfortable being able to put everyone in boxes. I’m not having a pop at you btw, the music on this video has created more of a ripple than anticipated.

[@Mark-eg2yd]

​@@ChowWithLauHello from Ireland. That's cool. 😊

[@ChowWithLau]

@@Mark-eg2yd Thanks buddy 🫶

[@M_Ladd]

Might I ask you why the marinade measurements differ from your other video a year ago?

[@ChowWithLau]

I’m not sure which video you’re referring to. Off the top of my head it could be that the amount of meat is different or that the recipe requires less or more marinade. Also, nothing is ever set in stone. It’s always feasible to adjust recipes to how you feel on the day. My recipes are really just a guide - a starting point if you like - and people are free to make any changes they want. Hope that helps 😊

[@hktmc300]

Is it a special kind of baking soda for eating or just the regular baking soda like Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in the supermarket?

[@ChowWithLau]

I’m from the U.K. so I don’t know the US supermarkets so well, but I’ve been told that regular baking soda is what you need. Hope that helps 😊

[@hktmc300]

@@ChowWithLau Thanks for the reply. How do you know I'm in the US?

[@ChowWithLau]

@@hktmc300 You’re welcome! I don’t know - just a calculated guess because most of my viewers are in the US and Arm & Hammer don’t sell food products in the U.K. as far as I know. Apologies if I was mistaken.

[@jalahthompson7470]

Is the technique good for beef chunks for stewing?

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi Jalah, I’ve never done that but it should work. That way you could get really tender beef without having to stew it for hours. I might try it myself 😳

[@wil318466]

Stewing itself tenderizes the meat, as long as it has fat.

[@suzannesanders8877]

Thank you so much Lau! You're a Godsend

[@ChowWithLau]

You’re welcome, Suzanne! Just happy that people are watching my videos 😊🙏🙏🙏

[@rasher6290]

Will this work for stripline steaks?

[@ChowWithLau]

@@rasher6290 It definitely will tenderise the steaks - however I’m always careful in recommending this method for steaks as it changes the texture and flavour. The trick is to not put too much baking soda/bicarbonate of soda in, and maybe to rinse it off when done. Also you can use other methods like kiwi fruit or pineapple - these give a more natural flavour. I have another video on my channel using these techniques if you’d like to check it out. Hope this has helped 😊

[@rasher6290]

@@ChowWithLau thank you very much sir 🙌

[@ChowWithLau]

@@rasher6290 You’re welcome! Let me know if you need any more help

[@cuba5381]

Brilliant , will try this today.

[@ChowWithLau]

That’s great! Please let me know how it goes for you 😊

[@RikardKrvaric]

No rinsing off of the bicarbonate soda?

[@ChowWithLau]

@@RikardKrvaric I don’t tend to rinse as getting the meat wet hinders getting a good caramelisation when stir frying. You can certainly rinse if the taste of bicarb bothers you but personally I find that any marinade or sauce flavours will override any aftertaste. In the end it’s a personal preference. Hope that helps

[@flatsixx]

I’ve seen some people rinse the meat after velveting before cooking. Is that necessary?

[@ChowWithLau]

@@flatsixx I don’t rinse, however I know lots of people do. I find that if I don’t put in too much bicarb, it’s fine but some people are more sensitive to the taste. Also I find that if you rinse the meat, it’s harder to get a good sear on it. If you rinse make sure you dry the meat in kitchen towel as much as possible before cooking. Hope that helps 😊

[@flatsixx]

@@ChowWithLau As it turned out, I’d used all my baking soda for electrolysis in my garage, lol. I ended up using cornstarch, soy sauce, an egg white, and a little olive oil. It came out pretty good! I decided to leave the marinade on considering the sodium bicarbonate would be the only ingredient causing an unpleasant flavor. I think I’ll try your recipe exactly as written next time.

[@ChowWithLau]

@@flatsixx Cool - thanks for sharing. Let me know how it goes when you try my method 👍

[@crazyfalang8420]

Can you use the first 2 ingredients to tenderise a normal cheap cut of steak as a whole and not siced into smaller pieces?

[@ChowWithLau]

You can. I’ve got another video on my channel that does this and compares it to tenderising steak with kiwi and pineapple. I think it’s on my steak playlist. I would leave the velveting ingredients on for longer - maybe 30 mins - and then rinse with water to minimise any aftertaste. Hope that helps 😊

[@vivalabad6]

I was completely shocked when I did this technique with chicken breast today...my stir fries are about to go insane

[@ChowWithLau]

@@vivalabad6 That’s amazing!!!!! Thanks for sharing your experience 😊🙏🙏🙏

[@funnyly6177]

Tried and tested this. Definitely legit. Not sure yet how it will turn out if frozen. Thank you very much, Lau.

[@ChowWithLau]

You’re welcome, Ria! Yeah it definitely works and you should be able to freeze it no problem. Thanks for your feedback 😊

[@glowpipe]

will probably taste ever better after its been frozen, as the ice crystals will tenderize it even more. Or something along those lines. Thats what ive heard atleast

[@ChowWithLau]

@@glowpipe Yes, you’re right. Freezing can break down the fibres because the ice crystals expand and damage the cell walls which theoretically make the meat more tender. I wonder if there comes a point where the meat just goes too mushy though? Thanks for your input - it’s all very interesting 😊👍

[@nadiahassan1195]

Fantastic-but do you need to wash and dry the meat after velveting?

[@ChowWithLau]

Thank you! A lot of people do rinse the meat after velveting, and if you do it’s definitely worth getting rid of excess water before you cook with it. I don’t rinse it myself as I like the flavour (I’ve always had it like that and I guess I’m used to it). It’s up to your personal preference. Thanks for watching and Happy Christmas 🎄🎊🎉

[@nadiahassan6228]

@@ChowWithLauthank you and happy Christmas to you too :)

[@ChowWithLau]

@@nadiahassan6228 You’re welcome ☺️

[@jetrotv919]

is the same using BAKONG SODA? instead of cornstarch? thanks

[@ChowWithLau]

Baking soda instead of bicarbonate of soda - it’s nearly the same thing. Hope that helps 😊

[@craigbrown5359]

Most outstanding!!!

[@ChowWithLau]

Thank you! ❤️

[@georgenowaknowak8056]

Is it corn flour - or corn starch- you list both - ??? Thank you

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi George - it’s the same thing. U.K. = cornflour, US = cornstarch I used to say cornflour because I’m based in the U.K. but lots of people from America thought it was something different Hope that helps

[@Johnfitzgeraldkennedyhasnotoes]

Im trying this next time!

[@ChowWithLau]

Great! Please let me know how it goes 😊👍

[@daan7004]

The marination time really depends on the cut of meat. Generally I think 4 hours would be more than enough for anything other than the toughest meat. And I prefer rinsing off the baking soda cornstarch mixture after taking it out of the fridge, because by then the soda has done it's job, and leaving it on the meat gives it a funky taste. Then add all the marinade ingredients again, but this time without the soda, and briefly blanche them in near boiling water. The corn starch turns into a protective layer, trapping all the juice inside, but you get none of the funky aftertaste of the soda.

[@georgenowaknowak8056]

So after the marinating time and adding soya and sesame oil and sugar - are you saying you then rinse everything off the meat ??

[@daan7004]

​@@georgenowaknowak8056 Step one is tenderizing using baking powder and a decent amount of starch to help with even distribution. Then rinse off thoroughly. Step two is marinating. Whatever you feel like really, as long as there's some sweet, sour, salty, spicy and savory flavors in there. Add starch to this as well, not too much though; you want the meat velveted, not battered. Then blanche. You could add some spices in step one too if you'd like, but it would be a little wasteful I think as you'll end up rinsing most of it off anyway, and depending on the acidity it could react with the baking soda. Not sure you'd want that. Edit: I see now that I wrote "again", implying you add them twice. I'm ambivalent on the matter. If you feel like it, give each a try in separate batches and let me know what you think!

[@antonellaturani3199]

Has the meat to be rinsed with water after the tenderising process and before cooking?

[@ChowWithLau]

I don’t rinse as I use the minimum amount of baking soda/ bicarbonate of soda to do the velveting so as to minimise the taste. Rinsing the meat makes stir frying with it more tricky as you have to dry it really well. However a lot of people do rinse because they really don’t like the aftertaste. Ultimately it’s up to you. Hope that helps 😊

[@loganadams5147]

Cool vid Lau! Do you know Lau Chan? He's from Virtua Fighter 😃

[@ChowWithLau]

Thanks! Yeah he’s my sifu 😉

[@loganadams5147]

@@ChowWithLau Hahaha! Hen hǎo!

[@loganadams5147]

Btw, I velveted some beef and it came out great. ⭐

[@ChowWithLau]

@@loganadams5147 Thanks 😊

[@ChowWithLau]

@@loganadams5147 Nice one! Glad it worked for you and thanks for the feedback 😊🙏🙏🙏

[@usernamemykel]

Mikey, Mikey, Mikey!!! Loved that hot Irish fiddle!!!! I'm not Irish, not a wee bit of Celtic, but I enjoy playing Irish whistles (tinwhistles/pennywhistles). So - what album is the selection from, please?

[@ChowWithLau]

Hey! This track was for my wee Irishy wife. Its's called Runaway Reel by Moorland Songs :)

[@tman9338]

Any ideas to tenderize after it’s been cooked???

[@ChowWithLau]

Hey T Man! Unfortunately when meat has been cooked, it's pretty much set so as far as I know if it's tough after cooking, then there's no coming back from that.

[@glw5166]

Thanks for a great video! Can you share information on your wok and how to purchase it please? Thanks.

[@ChowWithLau]

You’re welcome! Glad you like it and thanks for watching 😊 You can get the wok using this link. It’s an Amazon affiliate link which means that even though you don’t pay any extra, my channel will receive a small commission from any purchase you make amzn.to/3oHPSyW

[@glw5166]

@@ChowWithLau Thank you and happy to give you the commission. Happy Holidays!

[@ChowWithLau]

@@glw5166 Thank you so much! Merry Christmas! :)

[@chrism1164]

What Brand of pan is this? Can I get it on Amazon? Thanks.

[@ChowWithLau]

This is an Amazon link to the pan amzn.to/3BfaV0A

[@ericagrneyez1839]

After u marinate..shouldn't we flash cook it in boiling water

[@ChowWithLau]

I've seen that done, but I don't as I feel it affects the texture too much. I also don't like cooking the beef multiple times if I can help it. If you did this for, say, crispy chilli beef that would mean cooking the meat 3 times which won't help with texture or flavour. Personally I don't think it needs the extra step. Thanks for your question and I hope this helps :)

[@ericagrneyez1839]

@@ChowWithLau perfect...thx u for your reply...what about velveting chicken in that way..like to make in a lo mein

[@ChowWithLau]

@@ericagrneyez1839 You’re welcome! Yes you can do this with chicken if you’re using uncooked chicken in your recipe. I would reduce the quantities by about a third as chicken doesn’t require so much treatment. With noodle dishes you can also use leftover meat from a roast chicken - it’s a great way of using up leftovers and it’s really tasty too. No need to velvet cooked chicken either 😊

[@SueHutton]

gonna try that, thanks.

[@ChowWithLau]

You’re welcome Sue. It’s a good one - mum taught me it 😊

[@EmperorJ123]

Could I sear this then add to a slow cooker recipe?

[@ChowWithLau]

You could! I would probably cut the meat up chunkier to do this to make sure it doesn’t reduce too much in your slow cooker. Hope that helps 😊

[@EmperorJ123]

@ChowWithLau thanks..I never saw your reply until after but can confirm I did bout a centimetre to 8mm thickness and it turned out superb

[@ChowWithLau]

@@EmperorJ123 That’s great! Thanks for letting me know 😊

[@EmperorJ123]

@ChowWithLau you are welcome. Your tip really helped make sure it was unlike anything I'd made before. It pumped me up so much I made neopolitan style pizzas yesterday and burgers today with 75% - 25% beef/pork sausage meat.

[@ChowWithLau]

@@EmperorJ123 That's amazing! I'm very happy to have helped 😃

[@haodev]

Trying this recipe now!

[@ChowWithLau]

Hope it went well! 😊

[@thecambodianbarbie]

This made my day !!!

[@ChowWithLau]

That’s great! Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@jdhiv4]

I appreciate your effort and the energy in your videos but couldn't there be a voice over also? Thank you!

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi John, thanks for your comment. With this video I was trying something different as some viewers were saying my videos are too long and I was also wondering if people don’t like my face or voice. You need to have a thick skin to be a KZbinr 😅 So I made this one as short as I could whilst trying to give maximum info, and took myself out of it completely. And it’s done quite well - which I can look at as a good and a bad thing 😭😅 But I made a longer video teaching the same technique with me in it if you want to check it out. Thanks again for dropping by - much appreciated 😊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXvVknWgZ6x7jKc

[@AndreaCooksatHome]

Totally agree!!

[@ChowWithLau]

I had to check the quantities with the Oracle (my mum). There's lots of recipes out there that require rinsing the beef after treating, which is a bit strange to me

[@geoffsullivan4063]

I love the traditional chinese music..

[@ChowWithLau]

@geoffsullivan4063 It’s a tribute to my Irish wife. And anyway, why should it have to be ‘traditional’ Chinese music? If it makes you more comfortable I could put on a fake Chinese accent for you?

[@geoffsullivan4063]

@@ChowWithLau you know what I couldn't care less what you think really.. DON'T TOUCH HER ! STOP TOUCHING HER ! 😂

[@ChowWithLau]

@@geoffsullivan4063 I’m guessing that makes sense in your head. Which must make it very disturbing for everyone around you.

[@cyanoxicrose]

What if I have lamb chopped in cubes? Can I velvet them for a little longer then rinse them off? What about goat? Same thing? Can I velvet goat meat?

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi! Thanks for your question. Yes you can chop your lamb into cubes and velvet them for longer - a couple of hours should be fine and rinsing is fine too. And yes it will work on goat. This method works on all meat as far as I know. I haven’t cooked with goat before so I don’t know how long you should velvet it for. I think you would treat it exactly how you would with lamb. Hope that helps 😊

[@cyanoxicrose]

@@ChowWithLau hi, and thank you so much for your response. By watching your video, I will do a little math and figure it out. One more question...can I slow cook the meat once it is velveted, or should it be cooked fast?

[@ChowWithLau]

@@cyanoxicrose You’re welcome! You can slow cook with it as well. You probably won’t need to velvet it for as long though as slow cooking helps tenderize the meat anyway. I guess you should experiment to find the sweet spot. Please let me know how all this works out for you. If you want to share your results find my Chow With Lau Facebook page and you can share your cooking their if you’d like 😊

[@cyanoxicrose]

@@ChowWithLau yes I was thinking about the tenderizing during slow cooking. I think I will velvet the meat, then cook it over medium high heat. If I remember, I will let you know how it turns out. Thank you so much for your assistance.

[@ChowWithLau]

@@cyanoxicrose No problem! 😊

[@kman5924]

Is bicarbonate of soda baking soda 🤔 ?

[@ChowWithLau]

If you’re in the States it’s basically the same thing. In the UK, where I live, they’re slightly different. I believe you don’t have Bicarbonate of soda in the US? I didn’t know this at the time of making the video. Hope that helps 😊

[@kman5924]

Thank you. I'm in Texas where are you.

[@ChowWithLau]

@@kman5924 You’re welcome. I’m in Nottinghamshire in the UK 🇬🇧

[@usernamemykel]

Ever hear of "Google", "Duckduckgo", "Siri" or even "Alexa"? Never had an elementary chemistry class? Never looked at the contents of a box of baking soda??

[@shihtzuluvrtwo6386]

I thought you had to rinse the meat after velvetting prior to cooking to get rid of the baking soda taste?

[@ChowWithLau]

You can certainly do that. I prefer to use just enough to tenderise the meat but not leave too much of an aftertaste 😊

[@Otis-m6p]

I've tried it both ways, I got better results with your method. ​@ChowWithLau

[@billyb5059]

What beef do you use

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi Billy, in the video I’m using silverside which is the toughest (and cheapest) cut of beef I can get from my local supermarket. This was to demonstrate how well the velveting works. My favourite cut of beef to use is usually a rump steak, which for me, has the blend of flavour and affordability. Hope that helps 😊

[@carolynnesbit8670]

What is the music to this video please!💋

[@ChowWithLau]

It’s called Runaway Reel and it’s by Moorland Songs 😊

[@NooDLES411911]

I do not have baking soda but i have baking powder. Google said to use 3x as much baking powder as you would baking soda, so im hoping for the same effect. I did add the cornstarch

[@ChowWithLau]

That should work. It might be worth finding the meat in cold water after the velveting process to get rid of any aftertaste. Please let me know how it goes 😊

[@NooDLES411911]

@@ChowWithLau I'm eating it right now. Actually pretty good, I do want to see if using baking soda will make a difference though.

[@ChowWithLau]

@@NooDLES411911 I think bicarbonate of soda has more active ingredients in it but I’ve never compared the two. You could try velveting overnight next time - that really makes a big difference.

[@clif6684]

What kind of beef is this?

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi Clif - I believe it’s silverside. I picked it because it’s quite a tough joint of meat so I could demo how effective this technique is. Hope that helps

[@doncooper512]

Can this be done with deer meat..?

[@ChowWithLau]

I’ve never done it but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work. If you try it I’d love to hear how it went. Hope that helps 😊

[@doncooper512]

@@ChowWithLau..i have some..i'll let you know how it turns out..because wow that meat is so tough..

[@ChowWithLau]

@@doncooper512 Great! If you’re velveting large pieces of it, leave the ingredients on longer to let them penetrate. Not so long if you’re slicing them into slivers. I’ve used this technique on steaks before and it works. Might be a good idea to rinse the meat in water to get rid of excess ingredients before you cook your venison. This will help takeaway any aftertaste from the bicarbonate of soda/baking powder😊

[@doncooper512]

@@ChowWithLau ..Thanks for all these ideas Lau..

[@ChowWithLau]

@@doncooper512 You’re welcome! 👍

[@BakeCookEat204]

Why I made the meat bitter? I stir fry it🤔 its really bitter, is there any way to remove bitterness?

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi Beverly, try using less baking soda next time - that’s what makes it bitter. If that doesn’t work then after you have done the velveting, give the meat a good rinse. Hope that helps 😊

[@BakeCookEat204]

@@ChowWithLau thank you so much,

[@ChowWithLau]

@@BakeCookEat204 You’re very welcome! All the best 😊

[@robertlawson4295]

@@ChowWithLau I coat both sides of a steak with baking soda, leave in fridge for 1-3 hours. Then I wash the beef thoroughly with water and splash and rub some white vinegar on the beef which is also rinsed off with water. The vinegar acid neutralizes any remaining baking soda -- which is an alkali -- and eliminates any effect on the beef flavor. Hope you find this a useful tip. Thanks for your video.

[@ChowWithLau]

@@robertlawson4295 Hey Robert! Thanks for that - I’ll definitely give that a shot. Sounds like a winner. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@scifimisc9191]

Cool

[@ChowWithLau]

Thank you 🫶

[@danfeinstein4424]

Shouldn't sesame oil be added at the very end if you want to cook at very high temps to get a sear on such small pieces?

[@ChowWithLau]

Thanks for your comment. I don’t think sesame oil affects the sear. If you watch the end of the video the treated meat is as seared as the untreated. Perhaps the sugar added also helps the sear as essentially the caramelisation is caused by the natural sugars in the meat. There is debate on whether to add sesame oil at the end of cooking as heat can break down the aromatics but personally I find that in a marinade the sesame absorbs into the meat and the flavour still remains. Hope that helps 😊

[@dianethompson1994]

No egg white 😳 I'm so confused! Since my quest into perfecting my Asian cooking technique, I have viewed some chefs thar when it came to velveting, some use egg white and others don't I even saw some omit baking soda although and then only use bicarbonate sodium 😢 help

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi Diane, both ways work. You can use egg white or bicarbonate of soda or baking soda. All of these techniques work so it’s probably best to try them all and see which way works best for you. Maybe try them out on small quantities of meat first so you don’t waste much if you don’t like it. Remember to reduce the amount of the velveting ingredient to match smaller quantities of meat. Hope that helps and you find a way that you like 😊

[@philbow6374]

Love the Irish music

[@ChowWithLau]

A little tribute to my wife 😉

[@ibriza6891]

can i use this method to tenderize mutton chops and lamb chops? should i marinate for 30 mins and then wash it off then dry? how long should i leave it to tenderize? afterwards i would marinate in indian style using yogurt, lemon juice and other herbs/ spices etc overnight and they fry them and then bbq them to give charcoal effect...is that ok.... or would yogurt and lemon juice (even though theyre for flavouring) over tenderize the meat? please reply asap

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi Ibriz - as far as I know this will work on mutton and lamb. Mutton can be quite tough so depending on how thick your cuts are I would do it for longer - an hour at least. You can then rinse and pat dry with kitchen paper. I think you wouldn’t be ‘over tenderising’ by adding the other marinade as these meats are quite robust anyway. Hopefully you’ll end up with melt in the mouth mutton and lamb. Hope this helps and please let me know how it turns out for you 😊

[@ibriza6891]

@@ChowWithLau Thank you for your reply as we have an upcoming dinner! Will follow your steps and let you know. Btw what is the difference between simply tenderizing meat (lamb/ mutton) VS. velvetizing like you've done here? I want to achieve the same sort of juicy tender effect in chops/ meat that they serve in indian/ asian restraunts. Not sure how they do it but i've tried chinese stir fry-beef and it was really smooth/ velvety/ juicy so thinking to just replicate that; hence why I came across your video :)

[@ChowWithLau]

@@ibriza6891 You’re welcome my friend! Both methods tenderise the beef, however in my experience the velveting technique gives that really soft texture that is associated with Chinese food. The difference I believe, is simply how the cornflour and baking soda react to the meat. My grandfather’s generation was using this and sadly I never got to ask how they came to learn how to do it. Next time I’m in Hong Kong I’ll have to ask a few kore questions. Hope this goes well for you 😊

[@ibriza6891]

@@ChowWithLau Oh okay! Your parents may know the history? From the South Asian KZbin videos i've watched, they use fresh green papaya paste or actual meat tenderiser powders instead; but they caution not to tenderise it for too long like no more than a few hours (4hrs I think), otherwise the meat can become mushy and really dry too. Never heard of the method you shared before, and there seems to be lots of variations too... some KZbinrs use baking soda and water, and there are some methods using egg whites, cornflour and other ingredients like wine vinegar which I dont have at hand. I'll try your method and let you know how it turns out for me. Too many options can become confusing and overwhelming lol. Thank you :)

[@ChowWithLau]

@@ibriza6891 Yes, I’m sure a family member will know how it came about. Some methods are stronger than others. I think mine is not too overpowering. There are many, many ways depending on where you come from and family history. That’s the beauty of cooking - it connects us to our ancestors. It’s amazing really. I know this way works for me but I’m open to trying other techniques too. I guess it’s all about what meat you’re using and how you want it to turn out 😊

[@jjjohn5914]

Tried the velveting technique as presented....Chicken turn out rubbery....did I somehow do something wrong??

[@ChowWithLau]

Hi John - it shouldn’t have turned it rubbery. Did you end up stir frying the chicken? Without having more info, chicken does that when it’s overcooked. If you sliced it into thin pieces it literally takes 1-2 minutes to cook - sometimes less depending on how you’re cooking it. It’s easy to overcook it especially as we’re conscious that chicken needs to be cooked through. Hope that helps

[@jjjohn5914]

@@ChowWithLau thanks for your advise....it was actually used on chicken cutlets that were 1/4 inch thick....may have overcooked it as you suggested...will try again another time....thanks again 😊

[@ChowWithLau]

@@jjjohn5914 Glad we got to the bottom of it. Hope it works for you next time 😊

[@majestic6303]

Overnight or freeze for a month. Won’t it tenderize soo much that it will become mushy?

[@ChowWithLau]

It won't over tenderise because the meat to start with will be quite tough, and when you freeze it the chemical reaction that causes the breakdown of the tissue should really slow down. Thanks again for your interaction, it's always good to question and I'm here to learn also :)

[@yohaijohn]

Doesn't the baking soda leaves a bad after taste? Theres a video of people doing this on cuts of steak and claiming the tast is really bad

[@ChowWithLau]

Thanks for your question @Yohai There’s 2 things here - I’m based in the U.K. and I use bircarbonate of soda and I’m not sure if that’s the same as baking soda in the US so it’s hard for me to comment. Secondly, yes the way I velvet does leave some aftertaste but only a tiny bit. It leads me to believe that people are using way too much baking soda/bicarbonate of soda because that would taste bad. I only use 1/2-1 tsp in my recipes and that works well for me. The other thing you can do is to rinse off your meat when you’ve finished the tenderising process. That should minimise any aftertaste. Hope that helps 😊

[@yohaijohn]

@@ChowWithLau Thank you for your answer!

[@ChowWithLau]

@@yohaijohn You’re welcome! Please let me know how it goes if you try it 😊

[@nidajafri5914]

Loved the video. Music can be less annoying. I'm old so do forgive me.

[@ChowWithLau]

Thank you! That’s the nicest criticism I’ve had recently - genuine and not nasty or trying to be clever. I totally get it with the music - but my wife is Irish and I did it partly for (annoying) her 😅 Thanks again, I really appreciate it ❤️

[@victorpicanco4173]

No salt?

[@ChowWithLau]

Not during the velveting as this is likely to draw too much water out of the meat. The soy in the marinade should be enough at this stage and then the salt added when cooking whatever dish you’re making should finish it off nicely. Hope this has helped 😊

[@janasali821]

Couldn’t you just say baking Sosa? I was searching everywhere four bicarbonate, it’s the same thing

[@ChowWithLau]

I think that’s true in the US but in the U.K. (where I’m based) they’re different. Baking soda here has added cream of tartar which means you need to add more for the same effect and that might (and I haven’t compared) affect flavour. Hope that helps

[@nohandle474]

Couldn't you just not be rude af lol and use google. So lazy and rude I would never have replied to you. People like you are ungrateful turds. God forbid you had to 'search everywhere' 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

[@thanehouse1232]

Are you sure about the timings? Most recipes i see say that you should rest for no longer than about 30 minutes

[@ChowWithLau]

Yes, I’m sure. Beef is very robust so can definitely take it. Many restaurants will do this overnight. I guess it depends on the texture that you want personally at the end of the day 👍

[@oihanh748]

Velveting Beef How to tenderise any meat in 30 minutes Chinese way of tenderising meat for stir fry

[@edwardsb1712]

I’m thinking when you say “against the grain” a woodworking phrase, you really mean across the grain of the meat. You might want to correct your script. Otherwise, I’m enjoying your site.

[@ChowWithLau]

Hey! Thanks for your comment. Yes it was the phrase that I think most people can relate to, which is why I used it. I remember the first time I heard it and it instantly made sense. I’m really happy you like my channel - thanks for your feedback 😊👍

[@ginoorefice7589]

Wish I could call mr chow on a evening when I’m craving Chinese only if he was next door🥲 great videos mr chow

[@ChowWithLau]

Ha! My neighbours are lucky. When I make my videos sometimes I make quite a lot so I take it over to them for a treat 😊

[@ginoorefice7589]

@@ChowWithLau what area are you from ? Uk 🇬🇧? I imagine and who taught you to cook?

[@ChowWithLau]

@@ginoorefice7589 I’m in the UK, where are you based? I come from a family of chefs so I’ve been around Chinese cooking all my life. Some of it has rubbed off I guess 😅

[@colinwoods5663]

i watched it before but they say to wash meat to get rid of the bi-carb taste.

[@ChowWithLau]

That’s definitely a good option. I use as little bicarb as I can get away with so I don’t feel the need to rinse. Also if you do rinse, make sure you drain the meat well before cooking with it or it won’t sear properly. Hope that helps 👍

[@ardakolimsky7107]

Love the trad Chinese music!

[@tonispears5808]

Where did your wife buy your wok u are using in video

[@ChowWithLau]

It’s from Amazon. The closest one I’ve seen is the Souped Up Recipes Wok on Amazon Hope that helps 😊

[@duncanmit5307]

💜💜💜💜👍👍👍👍👍

[@ChowWithLau]

Thank you 😄

[@jontaro5200]

Aren't you meant to rinse the meat after velveting it?

[@ChowWithLau]

That’s definitely an option, but I don’t rinse it myself because stir frying meat that’s wet/damp is not optimal. Of course you can dry the meat before cooking but I’m always in a rush 😅 My method for getting good results is to never use too much bicarb/baking soda so the aftertaste is not strong. Totally up to you how you approach it, though. Hope that helps 😊

[@klovvin]

Yell at the beef at top volume with all your voice continuously for 30 minutes. Done.

[@ChowWithLau]

Excellent! 🤣

[@Stuck313]

Both pieces looked tough..

[@ChowWithLau]

Try it and see for yourself 😊

[@brendawood6712]

Music is not necessary, very distracting

[@ChowWithLau]

Duly noted. Thank you 👍

[@GrittyBong]

This work wonders but remember baking soda is not very healthy! You can try marinating the beef with beaten egg whites...it works too but doesn't make the meat as tender but healthier option.

[@ChowWithLau]

Thanks for the tip! I’m going to try the egg white method in my next beef recipe 👍

[@heksogen4788]

Or just use meat tenderizer :)

[@ChowWithLau]

@@heksogen4788 Yes you could. But then you wouldn’t get the full Chinese restaurant/takeaway experience 😊

[@kman5924]

Thanks made some great 👍🏾 nachos out of some cheap azz meat🍖.

[@ChowWithLau]

Excellent! Glad that worked for you 😊👍

[@twincams350]

This is not velveting. Real velveting requires egg white, cornstarch, and vinegar. There are other KZbin videos that show how to do it. The technique shown in this video really only needs the baking soda, nothing else. It’s much less hassle to do than proper velveting, and I used to do it all the time until one day I learned that baking soda adds as much sodium, gram for gram, as salt. Since I’m trying to avoid sodium, I will use the baking soda technique only sparingly, when I’m pinched for time. Many Chinese restaurants use the baking soda technique and I can spot it instantly because it renders a slightly puffy texture to meat. It also works on chicken, pork, and shrimp, although you have to thoroughly rinse the shrimp after the baking soda treatment, otherwise it imparts an unpleasant aftertaste. If you see stir fried shrimp that is crisp and looks slightly translucent, it has been given the baking soda treatment.

[@ChowWithLau]

The only thing I disagree with in your comment are the words ‘real’ and ‘proper’. The technique that you describe is velveting but so is mine. My technique doesn’t come from other people’s videos, it’s a method used by my family in their restaurants and takeaways since the mid sixties, passed down from my grandfather to my mother and now to me and my siblings. Which works ‘best’ is a totally different conversation but when you bring ‘real’ and ‘proper’ into it then you’re questioning lived experiences. You go to 100 different takeaways/restaurants and you’ll find at least a few different ways to solve different problems. At the end of the day you choose the method that you think is best for you, but please don’t make statements about what is real or not based on a few KZbin videos. Peace.

[@twincams350]

My apologies, but I revisited the matter of velveting through some Google search, and you are right. There are different methods of “velveting”, and baking soda is one of them. I guess I had been “velveting” all these years without knowing it! I’ve tried the cornstarch, egg, vinegar, and oil technique too, and both methods work equally well. It’s just that the baking soda method is easier but adds sodium. So there is no such thing as “proper” or “real” velveting. Thank you for your diplomatic response too. I also want to bring up my favorite cut of beef for velveting: eye of round. It is tough as leather but full of flavor, and most importantly, contains no connective tissue. As you noted in your video, velveting does not work on connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, cartiledge, or silver skin.

[@ChowWithLau]

@@twincams350 Thank you, you’ve actually made my day with your response. Not because I’ve been proved ‘right’, but because it’s shown that people can actually have a civilised discussion on social media and not just score points. I really don’t enjoy any kind of online confrontation and I even felt horrible for putting my point of view across in my response. I always try to be respectful but it’s sometimes hard to gauge. I’m always happy when people give their versions of how to cook or prepare food - I’m always learning. In fact you’ve given me an idea - I’m thinking I could demonstrate a few different ways and weigh up their pros, cons and effectiveness. Hopefully without creating too many arguments 😅 Thanks again for responding in the way you have. It’s much appreciated 😊👍👍👍

[@ukissrulez]

@@ChowWithLau liar

[@ChowWithLau]

@@ukissrulez I fear for the state of education when I get comments that consist of just four letters. In truth I’m not sure who I feel sorry for more…you or your mother. I guess I’ll work it out and tell her later 👋

[@Cl4rendon]

Too much fiddling, too loud music and captions to be read which could have been spoken.

[@ChowWithLau]

1 Fiddling??! 2 Your phone has a volume control 3 I have made a spoken word version with more detail (check my channel). I try to cater for everyone. Apparently this is not possible. Maybe go over and critique that one?

[@12345timm]

Womp womp

[@Kimo2Time]

​@@ChowWithLau The volume control 😂👍🏽

[@ChowWithLau]

@@Kimo2Time Just trying to help 😅

[@SirReginaldBlomfield1234]

The thing is you fucked up with loud and stupid music. The volume button has nothing to do with it, worst of all, you can't take constructive criticism without going menstrual like a bitch on the rag. 🖕

[@jamesewanchook2276]

rinse that baking soda out completely before adding any marinate or you will taste the chemical..

[@pickledone9698]

No need for the cornflour/starch.

[@ChowWithLau]

Not meant to be a tenderising agent - it helps the meat develop a crust when stir frying 👍

[@tech4life884]

I tenderized beef stew chunks with baking soda In a bowl and then covered with plastic wrap and placed in the fridge for a few hours. Worst decision of my entire cooking life. Absolutely disgusting. I rinsed off the meat and patted dry with paper towels before frying and it was disgusting and rubbery

[@ChowWithLau]

Sounds like you used too much baking soda - that’ll definitely make it taste bad. I use 1/2 teaspoon for 8oz of meat. You really don’t need a lot. Having said that, it seems that a lot of people are quite sensitive to the taste of baking soda/bicarbonate of soda. If you are I find that kiwi fruit or pineapple works very well. I’ve got a video where I experiment with those ingredients on steak so you might want to check them out. Hope that helps 👍

[@anaalmeida9485]

I can't even focus on reading it with the music, annoying

[@ChowWithLau]

@@anaalmeida9485 I’m not a public service employee, however I’m happy that make an exception for you. Your mobile device/pc/tv has a volume control and a mute button. You can use these to raise or lower the level of volume. And even turn it completely off, if desired. You’re welcome ☺️ Ps thanks for watching Pps you have a wonderfully apt name 👍

[@volt8684]

Knife needs sharpening and music dreadful

[@ChowWithLau]

Don’t look at the finger, or you’ll miss all the heavenly glory.

[@AlanSherry1]

Traditional Chinese Music

[@bcheung2008]

velveting is a technique using starch and alkaline (like baking soda or egg white) in the marinate, then precook in low temperature water or oil (60-90C) before the actual stir fry. Sorry to say, but this is obviously NOT velveting. Beef cooked like in this video won't give that velvety texture.

[@artsiecrafty4164]

This does NOT work. At all. Do t waste your time.

[@ChowWithLau]

Thats what he said, right? There are videos that might help you, but I don’t think you’ll find them here 🫶

[@marieellis8409]

Looks amazing 😍😍😍

[@ChowWithLau]

Thank you! It really works 😊