When cooking chicken do you fry in frypan fast for how long? I don't know what Im doing wrong but my chicken tastes like rubber, how do I make chiken and beef etc like the asian takeaways, nice and soft, what do they do?
rchelley,
May 5, 6:48am
What sort of dishes are you cooking? If I crumb chicken or beef dipping it in milk, sour cream etc before crumbling helps to tenderise. I have been making a baked sweet& sour chicken that is really good and the chicken is nice and tender. The chicken is dipped in egg then corn flour before pan frying and baking in the sauce.
hazelwood47,
May 5, 6:53am
I am usually making chinese sweet and sour, sauce from tin or chicken with italian tin sauce. I'm usually frying it then adding tinned sauce, just quick and easy meal but I would like the meat to be soft at the end of it but it usually tastes like rubber.
hazelwood47,
May 5, 6:54am
Rchelley could I please have your sweet and sour sauce.
rchelley,
May 5, 7:01am
It's really easy but the recipe has a lot of sugar. I have tried to cut it back but the best way is to just double all the sauce ingredients except the sugar. I am having trouble getting the link for some reason but you could try searching kathyskitchentable.com for baked sweet and sour chicken.
hazelwood47,
May 5, 7:03am
Thanks rchelley
stjimmy,
May 5, 7:10am
How to cook like Heston appears to have addressed this question recently. It was through a process of 'brining' the meat - storing it in a salt-water solution which apparently encourages the meat to retain its juices.
I haven't done it in the past. The other thing I can think of is that you're overcooking your meat. With chicken many people over cook it. It's ok to 'brown' the meat before you add the sauce, but don't fully cook it before adding sauce/veges. Meat on the bone and larger cuts of meat will always take longer to cook than smaller, boneless cuts. Chicken thighs can be more tender than breast and can be more forgiving if you do overcook it.
Thanks. Was searching on my phone and I couldn't get it for some reason
crails,
May 5, 7:27am
My local takeaway tenderises their meat with cornflour
christin,
May 5, 8:21am
I think some use baking soda?
wheelz,
May 5, 2:02pm
Also depends on the cut of meat eg chicken breast or thigh, different cooking methods, cooking temperature and times for both.
crsdbl,
May 6, 11:13pm
yes, this is how you make the chicken soft like in chinese, some people don't like it. Chop your chicken how you like it, sprinkle over about a teaspoon of baking soda, mix well, leave for 5 minutes, rinse the chicken well then carry on as usual. This is also often used for diced chicken skewers to get the breast meat to have an almost Thigh like texture. The chicken doesn't get too dry, it stays reasonably moist.
davidt4,
May 6, 11:16pm
I think what the original poster is looking for is "velveting", a common Chinese technique to soften meat, also prawns. Here's a link to some instructions:
Correct nearly all takeaways use baking soda.The sodium in baking soda chemically reacts with the meat and make the meat very tender and soft.
shall,
May 12, 7:52am
you have a couple of options,
Baking soda will tenderise it, but even rinsed off it might leave a taste,
Kiwifruit is also a natural tenderiser,
But if cooking for a stirfry etc, have a read about chicken velveting, it retains the moisture, even with boring old chicken breast, dont have to deep fry, just boil quickly in water works also, but if really pushed, follow it up to the boil step and then just pan fry also makes a difference
It will come out looking bad at first, but will be juicy moist, and taste good in the final dish
Flash fry your meat in a wok in very hot oil then remove and cook your veggies, noodles, rice, etc. and when everything else is ready return your meat to the pan with the sauce, bring to the boil and serve.
1elmo,
May 18, 8:33am
I Tenderise all my steak and chops ,meats for casseroles with kiwi fruit ,just rub on and leave for an hour then remove kiwi fruit . melt in your mouth .Have never had a problem with chicken . I just put a lemon inside the chicken or stuffing then rub under skin with a flavour of your choice and cover legs and wings with tin foil. For crispy skin ,last 5-10mins of cooking ,coat with Mayo. yummy nice crispy skin better for diet Lol
shall,
Jul 25, 1:58am
Velveting will work for sure, tenderises and seals,
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