The main reason is that most people cook meat directly after slicing, which will make the lean meat tough and tasteless. Here is a small tip from the chef: after slicing, do not cook the meat directly in the pot, but follow these 5 steps to make the meat tender.
1. Cut the meat diagonally along the grain
For stir-fried lean meat to be tender and delicious, the first step is very important. Pork, chicken, beef, lamb, and fish all have different muscle fibers, and how you cut them will determine the taste. The trick here is not to slice the meat vertically or horizontally, but diagonally, so that the meat will not be tough when cooked.
If the meat is soft and difficult to slice, you can put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, when it firms up, it will be easier to slice.
2. Add a teaspoon of pepper water
Rinse the lean meat, soak it in water for 2 minutes to remove any impurities, then drain. Add a small amount of pepper water to the meat, mix well to let it absorb the water, the lean meat will become juicy and flavorful, especially when pan-fried, it will be tender and sweet.
Moreover, pepper water helps to remove the gamey smell, making the meat more fragrant when cooked. You don’t need too much pepper water, just add a little at a time.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
After the lean meat absorbs water, it will quickly lose moisture, so add a little cornstarch, either cornstarch or potato starch, then mix well with your hands to make the lean meat tender. It helps to lock in the moisture and enhance the flavor. Note that you should not add too much starch, otherwise it will affect the flavor.
4. Add 1 egg white
After marinating the lean meat, add the egg white. Egg white contains protein and water, which has good moisture absorption properties, making the lean meat tender and delicious.
Remember, only add egg white, not egg yolk. Egg yolk has a strong smell that will overpower the taste of the meat, so it will not be fragrant when fried. After adding the egg white, mix well with your hands and marinate for 20 minutes.
5. Blanch the meat
Bring a pot of water to a boil, use chopsticks to drop each piece of lean meat into the boiling water, blanch briefly. When the lean meat changes color, immediately remove it. Do not cook for too long, just let the water boil for about half a minute.
By following these 5 important steps, then stir-frying, no matter what type of meat, it will be tender and flavorful.