Velveting is a popular Chinese cooking technique used to create tender juicy pieces of meat for stir fries. While often used with chicken or beef velveting also works wonders on cheaper, chewier pork cuts, transforming them into restaurant-quality stir fry perfection.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll explain what velveting is, why it makes pork so tender and silky, the best pork cuts to use, how to slice the pork properly, and share my foolproof velveting marinade recipe
By the end, you’ll be a velveting pro, ready to make restaurant-worthy pork stir fries at home. So let’s get started!
What is Velveting?
Velveting refers to marinating sliced meat in a mixture containing cornstarch, then blanching or searing it before stir-frying. This results in tender, juicy meat that almost seems to “velvet” in your mouth.
The starch seals in moisture, while blanching or searing cooks the meat gently to optimize texture. When added to the final stir fry, the velveted pork finishes cooking without becoming tough or dry.
Why Velvet Pork for Stir Fries?
Velveting is useful for cheaper pork cuts containing lots of connective tissue, like shoulder or butt. These cuts can be quite tough.
Velveting does three key things:
- Tenderizes the pork so it turns out juicy, never chewy
- Seals in moisture with the starch coating
- Allows you to pre-cook without overdoing it
The result is restaurant-worthy pork that’s succulent and tender. No special equipment needed!
Best Pork Cuts for Velveting
The best pork for velveting includes:
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Pork shoulder – Most flavorful and economic. Contains fat and connective tissue.
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Pork butt – Also called Boston butt. Similar to shoulder with lots of marbling.
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Pork belly – Velveting helps tenderize while keeping it juicy.
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Pork loin – Works but is very lean so can dry out. Add extra oil to marinade.
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Pork tenderloin – Already tender but velveting seals in moisture.
Avoid pre-sliced “stir fry pork” which is often overly thin and will overcook. Opt for a solid cut and slice it yourself.
How to Slice Pork for Velveting
Proper slicing leads to better velveting results. Follow these tips:
- Cut across the grain for tenderness
- Cut into thin, uniform slices
- Partially freeze the pork to slice more easily
- Slice into bite-sized pieces or strips
Thin, even slices allow the marinade to penetrate effectively. Shoot for about 1⁄4 inch thick.
Velveting Marinade Ingredients
A basic velveting marinade only requires a few ingredients:
- Cornstarch – Seals in moisture and creates silky texture
- Water – Moistens and tenderizes the pork
- Oil – Prevents pork from drying out
- Aromatics – Flavor enhancers like garlic, ginger, scallions
- Soy sauce – Adds flavor and color
- Rice wine – Tenderizes and removes “porky” taste
Salt isn’t needed as soy sauce provides enough. Refrigerate leftover marinade.
How to Velvet Pork – Step by Step
Velveting pork is simple with these easy steps:
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Slice pork properly into thin, bite-sized pieces.
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In a bowl, mix water, soy sauce, oil, cornstarch, rice wine and aromatics.
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Add sliced pork and mix well to coat. Cover and marinate 30 minutes.
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Blanch or sear pork 1-2 minutes until just cooked through.
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Let pork rest while preparing other stir fry ingredients.
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Add velveted pork at the end of stir frying and cook 1-2 minutes more.
And that’s it – perfectly velvety pork ready for any stir fry!
To Blanch or Sear?
After marinating, you have two options for pre-cooking:
Blanching – Dip pork in boiling water for just 1 minute. Retains moisture well.
Searing – Brown pork in hot oil for 1-2 minutes. Adds nice flavor.
Both work great, so choose your preferred method. The key is to just partially cook without overdoing it.
My Favorite Velveting Marinade Recipe
This easy recipe produces pork that’s super tender and silky smooth.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork shoulder, sliced
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp rice wine
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1⁄4 cup water
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients except pork.
- Add pork slices and mix well to coat.
- Marinate 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Blanch or sear pork until just cooked through.
- Use in your favorite stir fry recipe!
The possibilities are endless for velveted pork. Try it in classics like sweet and sour pork, mongolian beef, or cashew chicken.