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    Home > Meat

    Velveting beef - a simple process to tenderise beef

    Published: Jul 11, 2023 by Nicky Corbishley

    Go to Recipe Go to Video Print Recipe

    How to 'velvet' beef - this is a method of tenderising tougher/cheaper cuts of beef to use for stir fry recipes. I use bicarbonate of soda for this quick method. The beef is tender and ready to use in 30 minutes.

    Overhead image of a white bowl on a grey surface, filled with strips of raw beef steak, coated in bicarbonate of soda.
    Jump to:
    • 📋 Ingredients?
    • 📺 Watch how to make it
    • How does bicarbonate of soda tenderise meat?
    • 🍲 Recipes to make with tenderised beef
    • Velveting beef
    • 💬 Reviews

    Steak is so expensive these days!

    Whilst I love using a nice tender, marbled piece of ribeye for a stir fry, it's not always practical, or cost effective (especially when you have a couple of hungry teenagers to feed too).

    This is how to use a cheaper cut of beef/steak, such as rump, for your stir-fry, whilst still ensuring it's soft and tender.

    After all, no-one wants a chewy stir fry!

    The method is known as velveting or tenderising. There are a few different ways to velvetise steak - which is a common practice in Chinese restaurants. This is the simplest and most effective method I've found.

    📋 Ingredients?

    A white bowl filled with steak strips and a tub of bicarbonate of soda on a wooden board.
    • Beef steak - I use rump steak, sliced into strips, against the grain. You can also use sizzler steak, stewing steak or ready-sliced stir-fry steak. Other cuts of beef to use that are more well known outside of the UK include: top round, bottom round, flank, hanger, skirt, chuck, blade or denver.
    • Bicarbonate of soda

    📺 Watch how to make it

    Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.

    1. Place the steak strips in a bowl
    2. Sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and rub it into the meat with your hands.
    3. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    4. Rinse the beef in cold water to remove the bicarb.
    5. Pat dry with paper towels and use as per your recipe.

    👩‍🍳PRO TIP Once you've dried the beef, you can use a per your normal recipe - even if that calls for marinading or coating the beef.

    Overhead image of a white bowl on a grey surface, filled with strips of raw beef steak, coated in bicarbonate of soda.
    Overhead image of a white bowl on a grey surface, filled with strips of raw beef steak.

    How does bicarbonate of soda tenderise meat?

    The bicarb acts as an alkaline, which raises the pH level on the surface of the meat. This changes the way the proteins in the meat react when being heated over a high heat, and stops the meat seizing up and losing moisture .


    The result is soft, juicy, tender meat. Here's a close up of some rump steak I velvetised, then fried as part of my beef in black bean sauce recipe:

    Close up overhead shot of beef in black bean sauce stir fry with boiled rice, spring onions and sesame seeds. The image is very focussed on the beef.

    🍲 Recipes to make with tenderised beef

    • Mongolian Beef and spring onions on top of rice in a white bowl
      Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe
    • Overhead shot of bowl of Beef Chow Fun
      Easy Beef Chow Fun Recipe
    • beef and broccoli stir fry in a pan with a wooden spoon
      Beef and Broccoli
    • Black pepper beef stir fry with red and green peppers in a black bowl
      Black Pepper Beef
    • Square image of beef chow mein on a blue plate, with chopsticks resting on the plate.
      Beef Chow Mein
    • Beef in black bean sauce stir fry with boiled rice in a bowl, topped with spring onions and sesame seeds. There is a pair of black chopsticks next to the bowl.
      Beef in Black Bean Sauce

    Stay updated with new recipes!
    Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).

    Overhead square image of a white bowl on a grey surface, filled with strips of raw beef steak, coated in bicarbonate of soda.

    Velveting beef

    By: Nicky Corbishley
    How to 'velvet' beef - this is a method of tenderising tougher/cheaper cuts of beef to use for stir fry recipes.
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    marinading time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course preparation for meat
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 4
    Calories 208 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 400 g (14oz) rump steak - sliced into thin strips, against the grain (or use stir fry beef strips)
    • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda - baking soda

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Place the beef in a bowl and sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda.
    • Rub the bicarbonate of soda into the beef so it’s thoroughly coated.
    • Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    • Thoroughly rinse the beef in cold water, drain, then pat dry with kitchen towels.
    • Use as per your recipe.

    Video

    ✎ Notes

    How to use tenderised steak
    Use as per any quick-cook beef strip recipe, where you’re looking for the beef to be tender (not-chewy). You can marinate and/or coat the beef after tenderising, if required, for the recipe.
    Nutritional information is approximate, per portion (this recipe is for four people).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 208kcalProtein: 20gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 326mgPotassium: 268mgVitamin A: 15IUCalcium: 7mgIron: 2mg
    Keywords tenderising, tenderizing, velveting
    Tried this recipe?Mention @KitchenSanctuary or tag #KitchenSanctuary on Instagram!

    Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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      Nicky Corbishley is the recipe creator and photographer for Kitchen Sanctuary. Wife to Chris (chief techie and videographer) and mum to Lewis and Gracey. Read More…

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