Velveting
A prep step in which sliced meat is coated, usually with cornstarch, and briefly pre-cooked in oil or water so it stays soft and moist in a stir-fry.
What it means
Velveting is a Chinese technique for keeping meat moist and giving it a soft, velvety texture. Wikipedia describes coating raw meat in cornstarch and egg white, then par-cooking it by brief frying or blanching, often with Shaoxing wine and soy sauce for seasoning. The coating insulates the meat fibers from heat, and the starch absorbs moisture released during cooking.
Recipes differ. The Woks of Life marinates chicken in water, cornstarch, oil and soy or oyster sauce, with no egg white, and says baking soda is unnecessary for good chicken. It describes two finishes: oil velveting, which leaves a light crust that melts into the sauce, and water velveting, poaching in boiling water, as a lower-fat alternative. The same site associates the Chinese term zǒu yóu (走油) with the oil pre-cooking step.
After the pre-cook, the meat goes back into the wok briefly with the other ingredients. The Woks of Life says restaurants and most home cooks velvet chicken before making stir-fries.
A common mix-up
Velveting is more than a marinade: the coated meat is also pre-cooked in oil or water before the final stir-fry.
Questions people ask
Does velveting need egg white or baking soda?
Wikipedia describes egg white and cornstarch as the coating. The Woks of Life says egg white and baking soda are unnecessary for chicken. Cooks and restaurants differ.
What is the difference between oil and water velveting?
Oil velveting pre-cooks the coated meat in oil and leaves a light crust, while water velveting poaches it in boiling water, according to The Woks of Life.
Sources & further reading
Background and preparation references. Our descriptions are editorial summaries, not restaurant reviews.