Many chefs use a simple secret ingredient to make meat incredibly tender before cooking: baking soda. 🥩✨
The Secret: Baking Soda
The ingredient is Baking Soda.
It works because baking soda raises the pH on the surface of the meat, which makes it harder for the proteins to tighten during cooking. When proteins don’t tighten as much, the meat stays softer and juicier.
This technique is commonly used in Chinese restaurant cooking, often called “velveting.”
How Chefs Use It
- Sprinkle baking soda lightly over thin slices of meat.
- About ½ teaspoon per 250 g (½ lb) of meat.
- Mix and let it sit for 15–20 minutes.
- Rinse the meat thoroughly under water to remove excess baking soda.
- Pat dry and cook normally (stir-fry, grill, or pan-fry).
Best Meats for This Trick
This method works especially well for:
- Beef strips for stir-fry 🥩
- Chicken breast 🍗
- Tough cuts of pork
It’s less necessary for already tender cuts like tenderloin.
Another Chef Trick
Some chefs also tenderize meat using marinades with yogurt or acidic ingredients (like lemon juice or vinegar), but baking soda works much faster.
✅ Quick tip: Use only a small amount—too much baking soda can give the meat a slightly soapy taste.
If you want, I can also show you 5 other chef tricks that make cheap, tough meat taste like restaurant-quality steak. 🔥🍽️
