How To Velvet Pork For Stir Fry Recipes

HOW TO VELVET PORK FOR STIR-FRY

Steps:

• Slice pork as required for your recipe. In a medium bowl, add the pork, water, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, and baking soda (if using).
• Mix with your hands until the pork is well coated and the liquid is absorbed into the meat. Add the cornstarch, vegetable oil, and optional sesame oil and white pepper (if using). Mix again until everything's well incorporated. Set aside and let the pork marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight (if marinating overnight, let the pork come up to room temperature before starting your dish.
• To sear the pork, place your wok over high heat. When it starts to smoke lightly, add 2 tablespoons oil around the perimeter of the wok to coat the surface. Add the pork in one layer, allowing it to sear for 30 seconds. Stir-fry until it has turned opaque, remove from the wok, and set aside.
• To blanch, bring water to a boil in your wok. Stir in the pork. Once it turns opaque, blanch for an additional 10 second, and remove from the wok using a spider or strainer. Set aside.
• Now your pork is ready to be added to your stir-fry. Remember, whether searing or blanching, you will cook the pork again in your stir-fry, so avoid overcooking it during the pre-cook step.

PORK STIR FRY

Steps:

• Whisk soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook and stir tenderloin strips in hot oil until just browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate and return wok to heat.
• Heat remaining oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir red chile pepper and garlic in hot oil until sizzling, 15 to 30 seconds. Add onion and green pepper to skillet; cook and stir until onion starts to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir chopped bok choy stalks into onion mixture; cook and stir until stems begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
• Stir broccoli into bok choy mixture; cook and stir until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add pork, chopped bok choy leaves, and soy sauce mixture; cook and stir until well-combined. Season pork mixture with ginger; cook and stir until bok choy starts to wilt and broccoli is tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

HOW TO VELVET PORK FOR STIR FRY

Steps:

• 1. Mix the 1 tbsp water with the oyster sauce, baking soda, cornstarch vegetable oil, white pepper and sesame oil Add the pork and massage with hands until all the moisture is absorbed. Let marinate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Let your pork come to room temp.
• 2. Place a pot on the stove with just enough water that would cover the pork. Once the water boils add the pork and let cook about 1 minute until opaque. Drain and set aside. Now it's ready to use.

SWEET AND SOUR PORK

Steps:

• Mix Pork with Marinade. Marinade 18 to 24 hours. (See Note 1 for marinating time for other cuts)
• Rack & warm oven: Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F and place rack on tray - to keep pork warm.
• Sauce: Place all Sauce ingredients EXCEPT water in a large jug or small bowl. Mix until combined, then mix in water.
• Be Stir Fry Ready: Have all ingredients lined up, ready to toss in. After Fry #2, things move quickly.
• Coating #1: Mix 5 tablespoons cornflour into the pork and leave for 5 minutes. At first, it will be white from the cornflour, but after a while it will sweat and make the cornflour (mostly / partially) wet, and will be sticky (this is key for coating to stick).
• Coating #2: Spread 1/2 cup cornflour in a shallow bowl. Coat pork, shaking off excess, and pile onto a plate.
• Reserve cornflour in case you need to dust again just prior to frying. Pork should be at least half white when you put it into the oil (if not, just sprinkle with reserved cornflour).
• Heat oil: Pour enough oil into a large saucepan or small pot so it's 2.5cm / 1" deep. Heat to 180°C/350°F (or until pork immediately starts sizzling when you dip it in).
• Fry #1: Cook pork in batches, being sure not to crowd the pot, for 3 minutes until golden. Drain on rack. This step is just to cook the pork. It takes me 4 batches.
• Fry #2: Turn the stove up slightly and heat oil to 200°C/390°F. Starting with the coolest pork, add half the pork (you can crowd the pot) and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, or until pork is deep golden brown and crispy. Transfer to rack, repeat with remaining pork - I do 2 batches.
• Keep warm in oven.
• Heat oil in a very large skillet over high heat.
• Add garlic, ginger and onion, stir for 1 1/2 minutes. Add capsicum and stir for 2 minutes.
• Add Sauce & pinapple, then let it come to a rapid simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens - when you drag the spoon across the base, a path should briefly appear (see video at 1 min 53 s).
• 10 second toss: Add pork, then QUICKLY toss to coat - aim for 10 seconds!
• Serve asap! Pour onto serving plate, serve immediately! Will stay crispy for around 5 minutes then starts softening but still has a solid coating. This is just the reality of Sweet and Sour Pork, even at restaurants!