Introduction: Believe many people have this problem: the stir-fried beef is always too tough to chew. Using tenderizer powder, on the other hand, causes the beef to lose its original texture and flavor. So, how do you stir-fry beef to make it tender?
The trick is to add a little sugar when marinating the beef before cooking. Beef has a natural affinity for sweetness and an aversion to saltiness. No matter what beef dish you're making—stir-fried, braised, stewed, or even dried beef—it must have a certain amount of sweetness. Not only does sugar make the flavor more delicious, but more importantly, after marinating with sugar, the beef becomes more tender. This is because sugar increases the water-holding capacity of the protein in the beef. With more moisture, it naturally becomes more tender when eaten.
The specific method is: Cut the beef, add one spoonful of sugar, and let it marinate for 20 minutes to allow the sugar molecules to fully penetrate the beef. After marinating with sugar, add some water to the beef and stir slowly to prevent it from dehydrating and shrinking. Once the sugar molecules have penetrated the beef, they will absorb water when they come into contact with it, causing the meat slices to swell slightly, which further reduces the beef's toughness and hardness.
Finally, add a small amount of starch to the beef and mix well. Heat the pan, pour in oil, heat it to about 50-60% hot, then add the beef and stir-fry until it changes color.
It turns out that a dish like braised beef, though seemingly simple, contains a lot of little secrets. There are many common ways to cook beef. Below, I recommend a few家常 beef recipes to everyone, which are guaranteed to be visually appealing, aromatic, and delicious~
【Beef Noodles】 【House-style Braised Beef with Potatoes】 【Homemade Spicy Beef Jerky】 【Braised Beef in Soy Sauce】