Why is the shredded pork so hard after being fried? Why is the shredded pork so hard after being fried?

We all know that there are many ways to eat pork, and stir-fried pork shreds is one of the more common ways. It can be paired with a variety of ingredients, such as green peppers, garlic sprouts, bean curd sheets, etc., and the taste is very good and is deeply loved by people. So why is the fried meat hard? Let's take a closer look!

Why is the shredded pork so hard after frying?

1. Shredded pork has less moisture

Why are the shredded pork, sliced ​​pork, meat willow, meat strips, diced meat, meat stuffing, etc. in restaurants so tender? In fact, it is because of "adding water", that is, adding water to the meat, so that the taste will not be dry. So does the more water you add, the more tender the shredded pork will be? No, it depends on the type of meat. For example, beef has a high density and long and thick crude fibers, so it absorbs relatively more water, while the crude fibers of tenderloin are not thick, so the amount of water added should be reduced appropriately, otherwise it will be vomited out later. Due to the uneven quality of tenderloin in the current market, some of them are more or less pre-filled with water by the merchants when they are bought back, and it is difficult to add water to this type later.

Solution: When buying, be careful to choose tenderloins that are slightly dry and slightly darker in color. Secondly, after the tenderloins are cut into strips, put them in a large bowl, add soy sauce, oyster sauce and other seasonings and mix them evenly, then add water starch in small amounts several times and stir clockwise. It will be easier at the beginning, but the resistance will gradually increase later because of the reaction. The shredded meat becomes sticky, which is called "sticking" in the industry! Only shredded meat that is sticky can absorb all the water and seasonings, and ensure that it will not leak water later.

Note: Add 2-3 taels of water starch to 1 jin of shredded pork. So what is water starch? It is a mixture of dry starch and water in a ratio of 1:3.

2. Properties of Fiber

Although tenderloin has less fiber than beef, it should be cut in the opposite direction, that is, the cut should be in the opposite direction of the texture of the tenderloin, so as to shorten the volume of crude fiber and reduce the chewing feeling. Another way is to marinate with tenderizer to destroy the crude fiber of shredded meat. However, this is the operation method of restaurants and is not recommended at home. We can achieve the same effect by stirring the shredded meat.

Note: when stirring the meat, do not stir it randomly, but stir it in one direction, which can speed up the process of the meat becoming sticky.

3. Excessive maturity

The longer the shredded meat is fried, the more water will evaporate. If you are not careful, the shredded meat will lose too much water and become hard and woody.

Solution:

(1) Oil-frying method: The restaurant version is to fry the marinated shredded pork in oil first, and then remove it from the pan when it is about 70% cooked. Then, stir-fry the green pepper shreds until fragrant, add the shredded pork, season and stir-fry evenly before serving. The whole process is done in one go. This reduces the frying time of the shredded pork, and the doneness is just right, making it naturally tender and smooth. But at home, I don’t want to use half a pot of oil to fry the shredded pork, and I’m worried that the remaining oil will be difficult to handle. What should I do? Are there other methods?

The answer is yes, and it is very simple and can be divided into two types.

(2) Soaking method: Heat the pan, then add twice as much oil as usual for cooking. Raise the oil temperature to half done, turn to low heat and pour in the shredded pork. Use chopsticks to quickly scatter the shredded pork to prevent it from sticking together and causing uneven heating. Note that the heat should be low, and the shredded pork should be "soaked" and cooked with the oil temperature. When the color of the shredded pork has changed from the raw color to grayish white, remove it immediately and set aside. After the green pepper is almost cooked, pour it in and stir-fry a few times. The shredded pork will be just cooked. The shredded pork that is not overcooked will definitely taste fresh and tender.

(3) Stir-frying: Heat the pan, add a proper amount of oil to lubricate the pan and pour it out. This step is to prevent the shredded meat from sticking to the pan. Then add a little more oil and turn to low heat to add the shredded meat. The heat should not be too high at this time, otherwise some of the shredded meat will be cooked immediately on the side that touches the bottom of the pan, and some of the shredded meat will be overcooked when it changes color. Therefore, it is recommended to keep the heat low and stir the shredded meat as the oil temperature rises slowly. Turn off the heat and serve as soon as it changes color.

What are the techniques for stir-frying shredded pork?

1. When cutting the meat into strips, be sure to cut along the grain, and do not cut through the grain, so that the meat strips will not break easily when frying. If the grain is cut, the meat strips will separate when frying, and the shredded meat will become scattered.

2. When marinating the shredded pork, the purpose of adding starch is to lock the moisture in the shredded pork. When the shredded pork is put into the pan and heated, a protective layer will form on the surface of the shredded pork so that the moisture in the shredded pork will not precipitate (control the oil temperature). When marinating, adding a little cooking oil is to make the shredded pork spread out better when it is fried in the pan, so that the shredded pork will not stick together.

3. Whether you are frying shredded pork with oil or directly in a pan, you must control the oil temperature. The oil temperature should not be too high or too low. If the oil temperature is too high, the moisture in the shredded pork will be fried dry and it will be very tough. If the oil temperature is too low, the moisture in the shredded pork will be separated out, which will cause the shredded pork to stick to the pan when frying. The shredded pork will become very tough due to lack of moisture. When frying shredded pork, it is important to fry it quickly over high heat and control the maturity of the shredded pork so that it will be more tender and smooth. Do not fry it slowly over low heat.

4. When stir-frying shredded pork, the side dishes and the shredded pork should be stir-fried separately. When the shredded pork is 80% cooked, pour it out and set aside. Then add the side dishes and stir-fry until fragrant and cooked, then add the fried shredded pork. Stir-fry over high heat and serve. The purpose of stir-frying the shredded pork and the side dishes separately is to shorten the heating time of the shredded pork, which can reduce the loss of water in the shredded pork and make it taste more tender and smooth.

How to stir-fry pork shreds

1. Ingredients preparation

Pork (preferably tenderloin), green pepper, ginger, garlic, cooking wine, light soy sauce, salt, egg white, MSG, and cornstarch.

2. Methods and Steps

1. Wash the pork, cut into shreds, drain and put in a bowl for later use.

2. Prepare another bowl and add an egg white, cornstarch, water, salt, chicken essence and light soy sauce.

3. Put the prepared shredded pork into a bowl and marinate. (This is the most critical point in processing shredded pork)

4. Put on disposable plastic gloves, grab the shredded pork with your hands, grab the shredded pork evenly, and marinate for 15 to 20 minutes. 5. Wash the green pepper and ginger, cut into shreds, and slice the garlic for later use.

6. Add a proper amount of oil to the pot, add ginger and garlic when it is about 70% to 80% hot, and stir-fry until fragrant; add the marinated shredded pork, stir-fry quickly, and add a proper amount of light soy sauce.

7. Stir-fry the shredded meat after it changes color for about one minute, then pour in the shredded green pepper, stir-fry quickly, add MSG, and finally add a little starch to thicken the sauce.

8. Serve immediately and enjoy the delicious taste.

What should I pay attention to when stir-frying shredded pork?

First, you need to cut the meat diagonally, then look at the position of the pork, choose the tenderloin or sirloin, which are more tender. Then pay attention to the following two points:

First point:

After the pork is shredded, it needs to be coated with egg white and water starch, a thin layer of starch sauce, and then some cooking wine and pepper.

Second point:

After shredding the pork, pour salad oil into a hot pan, turn off the heat and stir-fry the pork shreds. Wait until the pork shreds turn white before turning back on the heat and proceed to the next step.