Silking/Velverting Meat - Chinese Cooking

Stretch · 9 May 2013 at 21:09

I've read about this a few times in past but I've always been a bit dubious and impatient to actually try it.

It basically involves slicing the meat (chicken, beef, pork) reasonable thinly, then soaking overnight in a egg white and cornflour mix. The aim is too tenderise the meat and give it a more authentic Chinese texture.

Other ingredients are often added depending on the recipie. Rice wine, sherry, five spice, garlic, ginger, sesame oil etc.

After getting very frustrated with dry chicken stir frys I finally tried it today and the results are better than I ever expected.

A bit more info here if anyone is interested.

Anyone else tried this technique?

Xelene · 9 May 2013 at 21:39

The wife insists on tenderising any and all meat with Mirin, especially chicken.

Stretch · 9 May 2013 at 22:37

kohlditz said:
The wife insists on tenderising any and all meat with Mirin, especially chicken.

It's actually the cornflour that acts as the primary tenderiser. I didn't have any egg white so I used only veg oil, cornflour and a small amount of salt. I'm sure the mirin helps

I'd love to know the science behind it.

Rotty · 9 May 2013 at 22:39

when you say authentic Chinese texture, surely you don't mean like a takeaway/restaurant over here as the texture of their meats Is disgusting

Stretch · 9 May 2013 at 23:05

Rotty said:
when you say authentic Chinese texture, surely you don't mean like a takeaway/restaurant over here as the texture of their meats Is disgusting

I've not been to China, so yes I mean the food over here cooked by Chinese people in restaurants and take always. I'm reliably informed the silking technique is widely used in China/Hong Kong for many dishes though.

I agree the food here can often be unappealing. But I put this down to the meat being poor quality, not fresh and of questionable origin. However good Chinese food over here from reputable places is fantastic, and when cooked at home just isn't the same. Part of this for me is the meat often ends up very dry, which silking prevents.

All I can say is, if you like Chinese food, give it a go for yourself

MisChief · 10 May 2013 at 00:31

My mum does this (we're Chinese), but without the egg white. I hate it. I like my chicken dry

I think she only uses cornflour though, maybe with a little bit of sesame oil. No soaking overnight, just mixes it before cooking.

FrenchTart · 10 May 2013 at 09:19

This seems to be a great way of making tougher cuts of meat more suitable for flash-frying but I'm not sure why you'd ever do it with meat that is already tender. Chicken certainly doesn't need it (though if you cook with breasts perhaps it helps keep the chunks more moist - personally I prefer thigh).

hood1971 · 10 May 2013 at 10:02

Read a Ken Hom book ages ago where he silks meat 30 min before cooking, but instead of oil to a hot wok, he added boiling water to cook the meat.

Haircut · 10 May 2013 at 10:40

MisChief said:
My mum does this (we're Chinese), but without the egg white. I hate it. I like my chicken dry I think she only uses cornflour though, maybe with a little bit of sesame oil. No soaking overnight, just mixes it before cooking.

That's fairly similar to what I do.
I use equal parts soy sauce, shaoxing rice wine and sesame oil, then add a teaspoon or two or cornflour and let you meat sit in that for 20 mins or so.
It's not proper velveting, but gives a nice texture and flavour

krooton · 10 May 2013 at 11:05

I've done this a few times.

Buy some rump steaks, stick in the freezer for a bit until firm enough to cut thinly. Leave overnight in a mixture of oil, soy sauce and cornflour. Flash fry in small batches in boiling oil in my wok.

Crispy outside with tender middle, lovely!

Shame it is so much faff though.

PapaLazaru · 10 May 2013 at 11:05

I have done this by mixing cornflour with Shaoxing rice wine and marinating chicken with it for a few hours before frying.

THE best way to tenderise chicken though it to rub it in salt and then fresh lemon juice for half an hour before you do the main marinade. The tandoori chicken you can make using this 'double marinade' is sublime.

Stretch · 10 May 2013 at 14:41

Some places I've read it takes 20-30 minutes other places over night. I must admit over night sounds a bit much. I don't think the cornflour actually penetrates the meat, I think it just protects during cooking.

I'll have to experiment because over night is a bit of a faff. Especially with Chinese cooking since it's normally quick and easy.

FrenchTart · 10 May 2013 at 15:02

Stretch said:
Some places I've read it takes 20-30 minutes other places over night. I must admit over night sounds a bit much. I don't think the cornflour actually penetrates the meat, I think it just protects during cooking.

I'll have to experiment because over night is a bit of a faff. Especially with Chinese cooking since it's normally quick and easy.

Other reading up I've done about tenderising meat would suggest that thinly sliced meat would definitely only take ~30 minutes. As you say, the tenderising agent doesn't really penetrate the meat particularly but with thinly sliced meat there isn't that much to penetrate, so 30 minutes seems feasible. With thicker (~1 inch) steaks I've left them overnight with good results.

In fact, recently I made some extremely nice steaks using silverside beef. 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp dark soy, sprinkling of brown sugar and 1 tsp of diced chipotle. Left this overnight in a plastic bag and a cheap silverside roasting joint cut up into 1.5" steaks. Next afternoon whilst BBQing I quickly seared them on both sides on the direct heat part of the BBQ. Left them to rest for 5 minutes and then cut thinly against the grain. Super super tasty and incredibly tender for such a low quality cut (ended up somewhere between rare and medium-rare).