Velveting: the key to tender meat

A sprinkle of ingenuity can transform a tough, economical cut into a tender stir-fry. It’s a technique called velveting and has been used in Chinese restaurants forever. It’s the reason why you can never replicate what they do at home. Their marinade will invariably include baking soda as a star tenderiser.

Here's where we get science-y: the baking soda raises the pH on the outside of the meat as it marinates. The alkaline nature of the baking soda chemically tenderises the meat while ensuring it remains juicy. When combined with heat like a wok or frying pan, the higher pH protects the meat keeping it juicy and resulting in a tender succulent stir-fry.

Less than a teaspoon of baking soda ensures your steak remains juice and tender, even after a short speedy marinade. This hack makes a skirt steak or another more fibrous cut ready to sear.

These are the best cuts of beef to tenderise:

Economical steaks - like a good value rump, sirloin or skirt that tend to dry out in a stir-fry
Chuck, blade steak or gravy beef used for stews. This tenchnique will tenderise the beef perfectly, however by their nature these cuts don't have as strong flavour as steaks

We've come up with a timing rule of thumb for tenderising, it differs for different cuts of beef due to their marbling content.

Chuck beef, gravy beef, blade steak or other traditional stewing beef: 30 minutes
Economical steak cuts such as skirt steak or rump: 35 minutes
Blade steak or bolar roast: 40 minutes

If in doubt, 35 minutes is a great option for those who are unsure.

This technique also works with other proteins, we love it on tougher cuts of lamb for stews or stir-fries. We don't recommend it as a technique for whole steaks, strips or cubes is best.

Heads up: the beef will turn freakishly bright red. Don't be alarmed, it's the natural process of the baking soda fizzing away on the outside of your beef. Lean in, you might be able to hear it...