How to make tender Chinese beef?

[Muncher]

I can't really afford the expensive cuts of beef, but then neither can the stores in the foodcourts. But the beef in the Chinese Ho-fun is usually so tender. What cut of beef do they use and how do they get the slices so tender? And how do they cut it so thin? Do they cut it while it's frozen?

I buy beef from T&T usually ...but if NoFrills beef is ok, then please let me know what to ask for.

[Anessa]

They use baking soda as a tenderizer but I think it makes the beef taste funny. Marinate well and maybe pound it out with plastic wrap and a mallet.

[gmark2000]

No, not baking soda! They use corn starch and it's tenderized.

[kid_icarus]

They use baking soda as a tenderizer but I think it makes the beef taste funny. Marinate well and maybe pound it out with plastic wrap and a mallet.

wow... apparently you are a cooking expert as well as a media fanatic!

I believe the beef in ho fun can potentially be brisket.
Not sure exactly what type of "beef" is in the ho fun you order though but the soft ones that are usually attached to some fat are brisket.

"LAHM" is kinda the chinese way of saying it.....


otherwise marinade usually works... and of course never NEVER overcook your beef.... and potentially you may need to slow cook it depending on what you are making....
im' sure you can find it in some online chinese recipe book

[fishcurry]

put slices of kiwi in the beef and marinate over a day. (this is korean stylez). this softens the meat (good for bbq meat).

[rfdrfd]

My mom always tells me those tenderized Chinese style beef is bad for your health.

Not sure if she is correct, but I tend to agree.

[WhYSoSuK]

the cut in your typical chinese beef dish is called "FLANK"

and yes they normally do use baking soda to tenderize it in the restaurants, however its been argued that its not all that healthy for you...

to cut flank properly u must cut against the grain in a diagonal angle IE...

\\\\\\\\

therefore you are cutting away at the connective tissue which makes the cut of meat tough

enjoy

[AAA]

put slices of kiwi in the beef and marinate over a day. (this is korean stylez). this softens the meat (good for bbq meat).

Slices of Kiwi? How many kiwi for 1lb of beef? Do you need to smush it?
What kind of beef Korean used for BBQ??

Why baking soda is bad for your health??

[WhYSoSuK]

well i dont know how many slices but im assuming you should put enough kiwi to cover your beef im not even sure if htey use kiwi lol its kinda interesting i might wanna try it myself and to answer your baking soda question i dont know lol its just what my mother told me too :confused:

[zegerman]

the cut in your typical chinese beef dish is called "FLANK"

and yes they normally do use baking soda to tenderize it in the restaurants, however its been argued that its not all that healthy for you...

to cut flank properly u must cut against the grain in a diagonal angle IE...

\\\\\\\\

therefore you are cutting away at the connective tissue which makes the cut of meat tough

enjoy

good tip on cutting against the grain .. although this method should be used for any type/cut of meat .. i don't know anyone who likes their meat tougher than it can be .. unless were talking jerky :lol:

flank or outside round should do the trick. it' easier to slice the meat when it is cold. marinate with conrstarch and some soy sauce for 15-20 min and cook in a very hot pan

[DavidY]

One more tip about cutting flank steak is to put the meat in the freezer for awhile to make it easier to cut. Soft flank steak is typically messy.

Dave

[Anessa]

wow... apparently you are a cooking expert as well as a media fanatic!

I believe the beef in ho fun can potentially be brisket.
Not sure exactly what type of "beef" is in the ho fun you order though but the soft ones that are usually attached to some fat are brisket.

"LAHM" is kinda the chinese way of saying it.....


otherwise marinade usually works... and of course never NEVER overcook your beef.... and potentially you may need to slow cook it depending on what you are making....
im' sure you can find it in some online chinese recipe book

And apparently you're just one annoying stalker. FYI, I'm also a sports and deals fanatic. You gonna come find me there too?

[scan]

it's also how you slice the beef. Cutting against the grain makes it more tender.

[jerrytoyer]

its baking soda

[monty613]

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/bakingsodapages/a/bscooking.htm

"Most Asian restaurants tenderize their less tender cuts of beef and pork with baking soda. It can be applied several ways. Mix baking soda and water and let the meat soak in it for several hours in the refrigerator. Later, rinse the meat thoroughly to get rid of the soda residue. The meat will be very tender. You can also sprinkle baking soda directly on the meat. Let it set for several hours in the refrigerator, then rinse the meat thoroughly."

The article mentions another interesting use for baking soda :lol:

"Put a tablespoon of baking soda in a large pot of beans while soaking them, the flatulence caused by beans is kept to a minimum."

[WhYSoSuK]

thank you! lol finally some ppl just really dont believe they use baking soda to tenderize the meat

[Alberto Garza]

They use corn starch.

They only tell non-Chinese people it's baking soda. Baking soda does tenderize meat but Chinese restaurants use corn starch.

[RFDkit]

They use meat tenderizer AND also a different way of cooking the meat then we do normally at home. They use a lot of hot oil to cook the beef fast then drain the oil. The beef is cook seperately and then added in at the end. It's hard to do that kind of fast, high heat cooking at home.

[gmark2000]

I've been Googling this topic and found that yes, baking soda and corn starch are used, but the other key is the cheap cut of meat (flank steak), cut against the grain and rinsed/soaked in water before marinating with soy, sugar and vinegar achieves the final result. Coating with corn starch before frying achieves the "velveting" that makes it smooth and slippery. The baking soda and water break down the muscle tissue to tenderize, but you must be careful because it strips the flavour and too long makes the meat "mushy".