Twice cooked pork has at all times been particular to me as a result of it represents every thing I really like about Sichuan cooking: considerate approach, daring but balanced flavors, and unimaginable depth from only a handful of substances. The 2-step technique creates a pork stomach dish that’s wealthy but not greasy. Similar to the traditional mapo tofu, the combo of Doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorn, Shaoxing wine and scallion completely showcases how Sichuan delicacies builds complexity via layering. Each time I make this dish, I’m reminded of how superbly Sichuan cooking transforms easy substances into one thing daring and multidimensional.
What’s twice cooked pork
Twice cooked pork (回锅肉) is among the most iconic dishes from Sichuan delicacies. The identify comes from the normal technique: the pork is gently simmered first, then sliced and returned to the wok for its second cooking. The thinly sliced pork is seared till flippantly crispy, and stir-fried with doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorn, and loads of inexperienced onion. The result’s a dish that’s deeply savory, barely spicy, and extremely aromatic, with simply the correct steadiness of fats, warmth, and umami. It’s easy sufficient for a weeknight, but daring and complicated sufficient to fulfill any Sichuan craving.
Components
Twice cooked pork makes use of just a few Sichuan pantry substances to create a daring but balanced style.
Pork stomach
Chinese language eating places normally use medium fatty skin-on pork stomach that has a number of skinny fats layers. The sort of pork stomach creates a delicious texture that has a barely chewy lean half, crispy edges, and tender fats layers that aren’t greasy.
Alternatively, you possibly can select leaner pork stomach as nicely, when you choose. The completed pork shall be a bit of chewier, however nonetheless tasty.
Genuine pork stomach dishes normally embrace the pork pores and skin, and so does my recipe. However when you dislike the feel, be at liberty to take away it earlier than cooking.
Aromatics
I exploit ginger to blanch the pork, eliminating gameness and making a clear taste. Garlic creates the fragrant oil that pairs nicely with Doubanjiang, whereas scallion provides a pure sweetness and texture to the ultimate dish.
Doubanjiang – the principle seasoning
Doubanjiang is the spine of twice cooked pork and the ingredient that defines its signature taste.This fermented broad bean and chili paste brings a deep, savory warmth and a wealthy, earthy umami that no different ingredient can replicate. When it hits the rendered pork fats within the wok, the paste toasts and releases its pink oil, blooming into one thing intensely fragrant. That pink oil coats each slice of pork, giving the dish its shiny colour and complicated taste. On this recipe, doubanjiang creates the daring, spicy, and barely smoky style that makes twice cooked pork so distinctive.
I like to make use of Pixian Purple-Oil Doubanjiang, as a result of it has a extra balanced taste and tastes much less salty than the paste sort.
Different seasoning substances
Sichuan peppercorns are used so as to add aroma, smokiness, and a touch of numbing tingling within the oil. I used a small quantity of Shaoxing wine and lightweight soy sauce so as to add extra savory taste and create dimension. Sugar is used to counterbalance the saltiness of the Doubanjiang, bringing out the flavour of the substances.
Vegetable choices
In conventional Chinese language cooking, cooks normally use a really small quantity of chili pepper so as to add warmth and colour to the dish. In my recipe, I selected to make use of lengthy inexperienced sizzling pepper for some warmth and a crisp texture. If you happen to choose a much less spicy dish, think about using a pink bell pepper, anaheim pepper, or cubanelle pepper.
Different widespread greens for twice cooked pork are garlic scape and garlic chive. Each have a daring taste that matches proper into the profile of the dish.
Methods to make
1. Braise the pork. Lower the pork into items that match into your pot, add ginger and braise for half-hour. How you narrow the pork will depend on the piece of pork stomach you purchase. If you happen to get a big sq. piece, you’ll need to slice it into lengthy items which can be about 1.5” (4 cm) thick. So you possibly can additional slice it into even bite-size items after braising. In case your pork stomach is kind of lengthy, you would possibly want to chop it to 2 to three items crosswise to suit into your pot. The braising will cook dinner via the pork, eliminate impurities, and render some fats. It additionally creates tender pork that’s prepared for stir frying.
2. Dry the pork totally. It is a key step that’s simply missed. When cooked in sizzling oil, pork stomach can simply trigger splatter due to its excessive moisture content material mixed with its excessive fats content material. It’s best to dry the pork stomach as a lot as you possibly can to forestall splattering.
3. Slice the pork stomach. I like to chop the pork stomach into 1/8” (3-mm) thick items. If you happen to lower them too skinny, they dry out quick and switch dry. If lower too thick, the fats gained’t be rendered correctly and the dish will style greasy.
4. Cook dinner the pork stomach. This step renders extra fats from the pork stomach and creates a crispy texture. Be aware, The primary couple of minutes are the hazard zone and there shall be some splatter. As a result of the pork stomach is releasing each steam and rendered fats on the identical time. You possibly can reduce it by not heating the wok too sizzling and beginning at medium warmth. As soon as sufficient moisture cooks off, the splatter will naturally subside and the pork will start to crisp up. But additionally be aware, you continue to need the pan to be sizzling sufficient, so the pork stomach browns correctly with out turning dry.
5. Take away the rendered fats. Relying on the pork stomach you employ, chances are you’ll must take away numerous fats. Ensure you reserve no less than 1 to 2 tablespoons of fats / oil on the finish, so you could have sufficient to bloom the doubanjiang.
6. Cook dinner doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorn and aromatics to infuse the oil. Cook dinner the doubanjiang totally to deliver out the flavour and infuse the oil, however not an excessive amount of that it burns.
7. Cook dinner the greens. End up by cooking the pepper, scallion, and the remainder of the seasonings.
When you’re finished cooking, the pork stomach shall be barely crispy on the perimeters and a bit chewy on the lean half. It can have a daring and spicy taste that may be very delicious with out being too greasy. The crisp pepper and tender scallion pair so nicely collectively, each lightening up the dish and including texture.
Why does it nonetheless splatter even after drying the pork stomach?
Pork stomach has thick layers of fats. When uncovered to warmth, the fats melts and releases liquid fats rapidly. That melted fats interacts violently with any remaining small pockets of moisture, creating extra popping.
Second, even after simmering and patting it dry, pork stomach nonetheless incorporates loads of inner moisture. When the slices hit the new oil, that moisture immediately converts to steam. Because the steam escapes, it pushes the new oil outward, inflicting splattering.
Methods to serve
Twice cooked pork is a fairly wealthy dish and I extremely suggest serving it over steamed rice as a predominant dish. To loosen up your meal, some fast pickled cabbage and wooden ear mushroom salad pair completely with it.
For a Sichuan themed feast, think about pairing predominant dishes reminiscent of Kung Pao shrimp and Sichuan eggplant stir fry (Yu Xiang eggplant), which have a candy and bitter profile. Be certain that so as to add a inexperienced non-spicy facet dish reminiscent of stir fried pea shoots or Sichuan dry fried inexperienced beans. So your meal shall be extra balanced. If you need additional spice, a bowl of Dan Dan noodle works completely as a result of you possibly can put together it forward of time.
Incessantly requested questions
Can I exploit pre-sliced pork stomach?
You possibly can. It’s really a standard apply in Japanese cooking to make use of very skinny pre-sliced pork stomach to cook dinner twice cooked pork. On this case, you’ll need to solely briefly blanch the pork stomach till simply cooked via, 1 to 2 minutes. Additionally, you will want much less time to stir fry the pork since little fats shall be rendered. The dish may have a distinct texture however style good nonetheless.
How do I add extra greens to twice cooked pork?
Greens that work nicely embrace onion, celery (thinly sliced), and cabbage. They add a crisp texture to the dish with out overpowering the seasonings. If you happen to plan so as to add extra greens, I like to recommend stir-frying the greens individually with a pinch of salt and including them to the pork on the finish. Tougher greens reminiscent of cabbage require an extended cooking time, and also you need to cook dinner them correctly with out overcooking the pork.
Can I make it much less spicy?
Skipping the contemporary chili pepper is the simplest method. To additional cut back the warmth, it’s also possible to cut back the quantity of doubanjiang, and exchange the decreased portion with some douchi (Chinese language fermented black beans) or black bean sauce.
Chinese language Cooking Made Straightforward
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My twice cooked pork recipe walks you thru all of the substances and steps to recreate the genuine tasting dish similar to you’d get at a restaurant. Crispy pork stomach tossed in a wealthy spicy savory sauce with scallion and chili pepper: a delicious dish that’s wealthy and balanced. It’s simple sufficient to cook dinner on a weeknight but festive sufficient to serve for a cocktail party.
Forestall your display from going darkish
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Lower the pork stomach crosswise into 2 to three items, so it matches your pot. Add the pork stomach and ginger to a medium pot. (*Footnote 2) Add chilly water to cowl the pork by 1” (2.5 cm). Carry to a boil over medium-high warmth. Flip to medium-low warmth and simmer for half-hour, till the pork is simply cooked via.
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Take away the pork from the pot, rinse with chilly faucet water to take away any impurities from the floor, and place on a plate lined with just a few layers of paper towel to chill and drain the additional liquid, till you possibly can deal with it together with your palms. Completely pat the pork dry with paper towels and slice it into 1/8” (3-mm) thick items. Use extra paper towels to dry the pork so it causes much less splatter in the course of the stir fry.
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Warmth oil in a wok or giant skillet over medium-high warmth till sizzling however not smoking. Very fastidiously decrease the pork stomach and unfold it out with no overlap. Cook dinner, stirring regularly, till the pork turns mild golden and a few items flip golden brown.(*Footnote 3) If the pork begins to splatter an excessive amount of, flip to medium warmth. Use a ladle to take away many of the rendered fats, leaving about 2 tablespoons of oil within the pan. (*Footnote 4)
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Add the garlic, doubanjiang, and Sichuan peppercorn. Stir and cook dinner till the pork is evenly coated.
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Add the pepper, inexperienced onion, Shaoxing wine, mild soy sauce and sugar. Stir and cook dinner for 1 minute, till the inexperienced onion softens. Switch every thing to a plate. Serve sizzling over steamed rice as a predominant dish.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- Use Anaheim or cubanelle pepper for a milder style. You can too use pink bell pepper as nicely.
- I normally hold the pork pores and skin on since I like the feel. If you don’t like pork pores and skin, take away it earlier than beginning cooking.
- You need to render off the pork fats so the meat tastes much less greasy and has a pleasant chewy-crispy texture. But when cooked for too lengthy, the lean half will dry out. I discovered that it’s finest to cook dinner till most items have a light-weight golden colour, however haven’t turned darkish golden.
- Relying on the fats content material of the pork stomach, you would possibly render off loads of fats or little fats. The pork stomach I used on this recipe was nicely marbled and contained an excellent quantity of fats, and I needed to take away about 1/3 cup of rendered fats. If utilizing a really lean lower of pork stomach, you won’t must take away the fats.
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