I had heard of using baking soda to tenderize meat but never tried it before. I think now is the right time to write how to use baking soda to tenderize meat.
So, here we go with tips, idea, my personal experience on the subject of velveting meat with baking soda!
What is Velveting Meat?
Velveting is a cooking method that’s all about tenderizing the meat and giving it a melt-in-your-mouth kind of tenderness. You know that feeling when you take a bite and the meat just effortlessly melts away? Yea, that’s what velveting does.
Baking soda can play a key role in this whole process. It helps to break down the proteins in the meat, making it even more tender and juicy.
Just sprinkle a little baking soda on the meat, give it a good mix, and let it sit for a while.
Rinse it off before cooking, and voila! You’ve got yourself some seriously velvety meat that’ll make your taste buds dance.
How Does Baking Soda Work?
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate (if you want to get fancy), is a versatile white powder that’s a secret weapon in many kitchens. The baking soda raises the PH on the surface of the meat and this changes the physics of the meat fibres.
The connective tissues in meat are what make the meat tough. Baking soda stops these proteins from seizing up on the grill and helps the meat stay softer.
So, enough about how baking soda on meat works. Let’s write about how to actually use it on your meat.
Procedure to tenderize meat with baking soda
Here are the steps for tenderizing meat with baking soda.
First, make sure you’ve got your baking soda at hand, I mean it’s the star of the show here.
Next, give your meat a good rinse, you know, get all those gross bits off.
Then, just sprinkle or rub some baking soda, or baking soda and water, all over the meat.
Now, let the baking soda do its thing for about 15 to 20 minutes.
After the tenderizing magic, simply rinse off the meat with water to get rid of any remaining baking soda. And you’re done!
Dissolve Baking Soda in water
Alright, first things first – we gotta dissolve some baking soda into water.
This is gonna be the base of our little concoction. So grab a bowl, fill it up with some water, and sprinkle in that baking soda.
Give it a good mix until it’s all dissolved. You want it to be super smooth, no clumps allowed.
Distribute Baking Soda To Your Meat
You gotta sprinkle some baking soda/water mixture all over your meat cuts.
Don’t be shy, just give it a good generous amount.
Place Meat In Container And Store In The Refrigerator
After you put the mixture on the meat it is time to put it in some sort of container. Maybe a Tupperware or a Ziploc bag, whatever works for you.
Just make sure it’s sealed up tight to keep that meat nice and fresh. Then, pop it in the fridge and forget about it for a while.
Remove Meat And Rinse Thoroughly
Alright, now it’s time to get rid of the mixture on your meat and the easiest way to do that is to give it a good rinse with some water. Make sure to get rid of any excess residue or dirt. And don’t forget to wash your hands afterward, hygiene is important here.
How Much Baking Soda To Use.
So, when it comes to using baking soda in cooking, the amount you use really depends on what you’re making.
But a good rule of thumb is to use about 1 teaspoon of baking soda per pound of meat.
I use this amount when I use baking powder only. For my mix with water I use 2 teaspoons per pound of meat.
Now, when it comes to meat, there are different types that might require different amounts of baking soda.
For example, if you’re working with tougher cuts like marbled beef or pork, you might want to up the amount of baking soda to help tenderize the meat.
On the other hand, if you’re cooking more delicate meat like fish or chicken breast, you might want to be a bit more conservative with the baking soda.
It’s all about finding that sweet spot and experimenting with different amounts to get that perfect taste and texture you’re looking for.
Why Tenderize Meat With Baking Soda Over Saltwater Brine?
When it comes to tenderizing meat, you’ve got a couple of options. One is using a saltwater brine, which is basically soaking your meat in salty water.
The baking soda solution I am talking about here helps the proteins in the meat to bond together, making it super tender and juicy. And the best part? It doesn’t mess with the integrity of the meat like a saltwater brine might.
With a brine, you got to be careful not to leave the meat that you bought in there too long or it could turn into a mushy mess. But with baking soda, you time it better and don’t have to worry about that.
Tenderizing Meat With Baking Soda – My Experience
I have played around with this for a while and used it on several types of meat. From chicken to pork chops and I have found out that it works great.
You can ad this trick to many pellet grill recipes if you haven’t done already.
I have not tried it yet on meat that I would smoke on low and slow on a pellet grill. But it is in the planning and I will add the result here later.
Robert Chill
Robert Chill loves to cook on pellet grills and uses all types of recipes and techniques to cook some awesome food. With his experience, he is able to share many reviews, tips, and ideas on how to buy a pellet grill. You can read more about him here