Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttrdc.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!mgnetp!ltuxa!ttrdc!levy
From: levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: Stir-frying Beef
Message-ID: <606@ttrdc.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 27-Nov-85 19:39:43 EST
Article-I.D.: ttrdc.606
Posted: Wed Nov 27 19:39:43 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 28-Nov-85 23:41:31 EST
References: <605@utflis.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T, Computer Systems Division, Skokie, IL
Lines: 43

In article <605@utflis.UUCP>, chai@utflis.UUCP (Henry Chai) writes:
>
>Another way to ensure tender 'stir-fried' beef, but one which I don't
>recommand at all, is to use baking soda to marinate.  This is nothing like
>somebody's experiment of coating the entire piece of meat in the stuff,
>as was discussed on the net a while back.  Rather, about 1/4 tsp. of
>soda is added to 100 g/ 4 oz. of meat to tenderize it.  I frown upon this
>because it utterly destroys BOTH the FLAVOR and the TEXTURE
>of the meat.  I can always tell when restaurants use it since it is
>overly tender and it has no 'beefy taste' but rather an 'alkaline' taste.
>I've yet to discover a good restaurant which refrains from using it!
>
>I myself never tried using soda until tonight.  Last night I talked to somebody
>who said that if you wash the beef after you let the soda do its thing for
>a few minutes, you'll retain the flavor but the meat will be tender.
>So I tried it.  I think I let it sit for about 5 minutes (while I washed
>and chopped the nappa* ), washed it and added soy sauce etc.  And what I got
>was what I'd like to call 'soda beef', no taste but all tender.  I swore
>that I'll never use soda with beef again!
>

Didn't someone else also post an article on this (though the treatment was more
gross than what you describe--a whole steak was encrusted in the soda over-
night)?  There was a followup from the same person saying that the replies
had uniformly frowned upon this and in fact warned it might be toxic.  If
you are encountering restaurants which do this, perhaps it is not toxic (but
I would agree with you, it tastes lousy, I'd sooner eat textured vegetable
protein)?  I have yet to see a REAL clarification of what happens when the
beef is soda-treated--saponification (conversion to soap) of the fats?  Surely
there must be more if a "tenderizing" effect occurs.  The commercial ten-
derizers work on a different principle--they contain enzymes like papain and
bromelain (derived from papaya and pineapple, respectively) which catalyze
the chemical breakdown of the proteins themselves, which is what would happen
in the stomach anyway, so they don't sound as bad as the "soda" treatment.
But if someone would illuminate, perhaps more people than I would appreciate
seeing it, too.
-- 
 -------------------------------    Disclaimer:  The views contained herein are
|       dan levy | yvel nad      |  my own and are not at all those of my em-
|         an engihacker @        |  ployer or the administrator of any computer
| at&t computer systems division |  upon which I may hack.
|        skokie, illinois        |
 --------------------------------   Path: ..!ihnp4!ttrdc!levy