How do Chinese restaurants tenderize their meat?

Question

I eat at a lot of Chinese restaurants now and also while growing up. I often wondered how is it that the chicken, pork, and beef in dishes are always so tender. I can never replicate it when I cook. What do the Chinese chefs use to tenderize their meat?

Answer

One technique, but not the only, is velveting. Here the meat is marinated in an egg-white/cornstarch mixture for 20+ minutes, then cooked briefly (a minute) in oil or simmering water prior to using in stir fries.

I've never velveted in oil but water definitely gives the chicken that smoothness that Chinese Restaurants obtain and the shorter stir fry cooking time makes it much more tender.

Super thin slicing (you'll need to cut the meat semi-frozen to get such thin slices), plus cutting across the grain also lead to tenderness.

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