How to Add an Egg White to Pork to Tenderize

Marinating pork in egg white and baking soda is an effective way to tenderise meat without adding flavour. Using baking soda and egg whites as a tenderizer for pork has its roots in Chinese cooking. Tenderising pork in this manner is useful when cooking stir-fries, or other recipes requiring small slices of meat. Tenderising pork using this recipe is not suitable for larger cuts of meat as it will only effect the outer portion.

Slice the pork into 1/8-inch strips. It is not necessary to cut the pork against the grain because the slices are thin enough to negate any toughness due to intact connective tissues. If you want larger slices you should cut against the grain, then flatten out some with a meat mallet. Have your local butcher cut the pork for you if you are having difficulty achieving thin slices.

Extract the white from your egg. Lightly crack the egg against the edge of a bowl. Hold the egg upright over the bowl. Transfer the yolk from one half-shell to the other while letting the white drip into the bowl. You can use additional eggs if you didn't extract enough egg white.

Mix the egg whites and baking soda using a spoon. You do not want to whisk the eggs because it will begin to turn into a foam which changes the properties of eggs. After mixing, rub the tenderizer into your pork slices. Let sit for one to three hours.

Wash the tenderizer mixture from the pork. Ensure the mixture has been thoroughly removed from the meat as a lingering soda flavour can remain. After you have cleaned the meat you can add your own seasonings before cooking. For traditional Chinese dishes you can use a marinade mixture of egg white and cornstarch to the meat for 30 minutes before cooking in hot oil. This method is called "velveting."