# Velveting game meat.



## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I've never heard of velveting game meat so when Rancid Crabtree from Wisconsin told me about it, I had to try it. It's Sitka blacktail meat which is already normally tender anyway but let's see what happens. (For all you longrange haters, I shot him from 826 yards. So kiss my....)

If you have eaten Asian cuisine you have no doubt enjoyed the super tender cuts of beef, pork and chicken and maybe even wondered what they did to make the meat so tender and soft. Here is how (or at least one method)

The method I'm using requires only baking soda and a half hour of your time. Start by cutting your meat in thin strips, about an 1/8th of 1/4" thick.

Next coat the meat in baking soda. It wont matter how much since your going to rinse it off later but 3 tablespoons per pound ought to do but more wont hurt. Set the meat aside for a half hour while you prepare the other parts of the meal.










After a half hour, rinse the meat under running water to remove all the baking soda. Bring a pot of water to a boil and plunge the meat in the water for about a minute. The meat will be cooked more later so this meat is still going to be very pink inside at this point.










When you are ready to cook the meat, heat your oil of choice and quickly sear the meat and set aside.



















For this dish I'm stir-frying some kale, onions, zucchini, cauliflower, green peppers, celery and broccoli.










I can't believe how tender this meat turned out! It was delicious!


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

Interesting. Looks delicious. I'll definitely be giving that a try.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

This is a cool thread, and nice pictures Chuck.

I've always wanted to do a thread on sodium triphosphate and bicarbonate of soda use in food preparation.

Baking soda is made from trona. The biggest known deposits of trona in the world are found between Evanston and Green River WY. Four chemical companies share the huge underground formation and have process plants that turn trona into chemicals used for a variety of products; glass-making mostly. Baking soda, food additives, even laundry detergent are processed there.


more later


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I know little about chemistry but know that baking soda and other sodium-based food additives are by-products of trona processing. I work the trona plants and see, and hear the workers talk about, the products. Some are even added to livestock feed.

Many sausage cure packages have a form of sodium triphosphates in them...bologna, bratwurst, breakfast sausage, hot dogs, Polish sausages, to name a few. I use a product called AmesPhos in sausages, and on briskets and ribs. It really does a nice job keeping things moist and juicy.

more later


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Looks good. I have never heard anyone using baking soda for cooking meat. What does the soda do to the meat?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

swbuckmaster said:


> Looks good. I have never heard anyone using baking soda for cooking meat. What does the soda do to the meat?


More than any other attribute, sodium and sodium-phosphate based food additives help the meat retain moisture. More moisture = more tender.....to a point.

Here's a good article on how baking soda, a food additive and a by-product of trona ore processing, is made. Arm & Hammer has a big baking soda facility next to the Tata Chemical soda ash plant. I do asset inspections on the boilers, dissolvers, washers, and dryers at the plant:
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Baking-Soda.html

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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Baking soda is kinda "salty" so I use Amesphos on many types of BBQ'd meats and smoked sausages. Amesphos is a blend of Sodium Tripolyphosphate; Sodium Pyrophosphate and Sodium Hexametaphosphat.

I also use Butcher Packer's Super Phosphate (E450), mostly for wet brines.



see: http://store.theingredientstore.com/amesphos.aspx
and: http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_215&products_id=760

Sodium phosphates are everywhere in food. Here's pic off a package of pork chops I took tonight with my cell phone while at the grocery store. Tag says "....12% water, salt and sodium phosphates"


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

This is quite interesting Goob. I'm glad you picked this up on this. It's new stuff to me.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I noticed you have Amesphos in a spray bottle. Does it come in a liquid or do you mix it? Do you spray it on and rinse it it off later or leave it on?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

longbow said:


> I noticed you have Amesphos in a spray bottle. Does it come in a liquid or do you mix it? Do you spray it on and rinse it it off later or leave it on?


The phosphates come as a powder and I mix them according to whether they are used as a wash or preservative, like for fish or fruit, or for liquid brines like in hams, or for spraying on meat. I like to spray a little on ground meat to keep it plump and juicy, especially when cooking it well done. I've been using Amesphos on ribs and brisket for awhile....really juicy!

You can put the powder in sausages but boy it doesn't take much and the amount is relative the the percentage of water in the ground meat. Too much phosphate and water and the sausage bursts! That's what I like about pre-mix spices for breakfast sausage, brats, and others. They have just the right amount of phosphates in the blend to make the sausage juicy without bursting.

Some wild game can be very dry; bear, moose, mountain lion, turkey, goose,....bison...and a couple shots of Amesphos on a round steak or burger patty can make a big difference in it's platability.

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## elkmule123 (Aug 14, 2013)

Do you spray it on right before you cook it or let it marinate a bit? It probably work on grouse as well :smile:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

longbow said:


> I noticed you have Amesphos in a spray bottle. Does it come in a liquid or do you mix it? Do you spray it on and rinse it it off later or leave it on?


I don't rinse Amesphos off meat like one would with baking soda.

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

elkmule123 said:


> Do you spray it on right before you cook it or let it marinate a bit? It probably work on grouse as well :smile:


That's a neat question and it sort of answers itself. Sodium phosphates are used in some over-the-counter marinades.

Yesterday I tenderized some antelope round steaks and then sprayed a little Amesphos on them hoping to cook them on the grill for dinner. Didn't get to cook them last night so you could say I am marinading them. 

I've been reluctant to note sodium phosphates in any of my recipes. The additive is used in such tiny amounts it can be difficult to measure and even though I've been using the stuff for about 15 years I am still experimenting and have a failure (usually a sausage "blowout") once in awhile.

Are there health risks attributed to Sodium phosphates? What an argument that is. Just ask Mr Google and be prepared for a long list of pros and cons. And as always, moderation is the key with sodium intake.

Good or bad, sodium phosphates are here to stay and have been here a long, long time in soda pop, chicken, fresh pork, bacon, hams, hot dogs, bologna, deli meats like pastrami, roast beef and corned beef, shrimp, tuna, squid, baked goods, cheese, noodles, frozen dinners, soups and all manner of fast foods.

Ever had a colonoscopy? Normally sodium phosphate is administered as the bowel prep, if ya know what I mean. 

Hey 30-06; leave the skin on those grouse and you won't need any Amesphos. 

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Velveting meat? Here's some "velveting" products in addition to baking soda:

Amesphos:
http://store.theingredientstore.com/amesphos.aspx

Butcher Packer's Super Phosphate:
http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=760

Allied Kenco's:
http://www.alliedkenco.com/additive-sodiumphosphate-16oz.aspx

PS Seasonings' for brines:
http://www.psseasoning.com/products/512-food-grade-phosphate

PS Seasonings' for food:
http://www.psseasoning.com/products/414-food-grade-phosphate

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