Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

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Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (1)

by: Bill

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Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (2)

Twice Cooked Pork, or hui guo rou(回鍋肉),is a Sichuan dish of spicy seared pork belly that’s way toofamousto ignoreandtoodeliciousnot to share.If you’ve never tried it, you NEED to make this recipe. It is simply and unequivocally delicious!

Yes, Shanghai Braised pork belly is irresistibleand yes, Cantonese roast pork belly is delicious, but pork belly recipes in Sichuan, China are different and when cooked right, this dish melts in your mouth and gives such a pleasant hot chili bean flavor that you may down two or three servings of rice with it.

In the US, this dish has evolved as demandforauthenticChinese cookinghas grown.I clearly remember the Twice Cooked Porkwe’d make in our take-out restaurant inthe old days: boiledpork, cabbage, five-spicedtofu, green and red bell pepper, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and hot sauce. For a long, long time, I thoughtwe were making “twice cooked pork.”

But as more and more authenticSichuanrestaurants open up,the true twice cooked porkhasrevealeditself. It’s amazingly decadentand addictive.

If youfind yourselfin a restaurant with a lot of Chinese diners and you see this dish on the menu, order it.Most likely,it will be pretty authentic.

We also had the dish often while living in Beijing, and developed this particular recipe based off of some of the best versions we had around the city.Only the best for our readers!

Twice Cooked Pork: Recipe Instructions

Important notes, before we begin:

  1. Don’t forget to make ricein advancebecause you’ll need it.
  2. Just to make this really clear:the pork is sliced AFTER beingboiled.
  3. The right hot bean pastereallymakes this dish, sosee photo below for the right brand.

In a medium pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the whole piece of pork belly and the ginger, and bring the pot to a boil again. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until the pork is tender and cooked through. Remove the pork from the pot and run it under cold running water for about a minute. Set aside.

While the pork iscooling, prepare all the other ingredients.Once you are ready to cook (don’t do this in advance, or the pork will dry out), thinlyslice the pork belly (slices should be about 1/8 inch thick).

Heat your wok over high heat until just starting to smoke. Add 1tablespoon of oil and sear the pork, until you get a lightcaramelization, about 90 seconds. Turn the heat to medium-low and scoop out the pork. Add anothertablespoon of oil to the wok.

Add the spicybroad bean paste to the wok and let it fry in the oil for about 30 seconds to bring out the flavor and color. The color should be red; pay attention to the heat to avoid burning.

Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (4)

Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (5)

Now add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds.

Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (6)

Turn the heat to high and add the pork, longhotgreenpeppers, and leeks.

Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (7)

Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (8)

Stir-fry for a minute. Add the shaoxingwine, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir everything together. Once the leeks and are wilted and the peppers are cooked (while still having a little crunch), it’s ready to serve.

Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (9)

Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (10)

Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (11)

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4.84 from 30 votes

Twice Cooked Pork

Twice Cooked Pork, or hui guo rou (回鍋肉), is a Sichuan dish of spicy seared pork belly. This Chinese classic recipe is way too famous to ignore and too delicious not to share.

by: Bill

Course:Pork

Cuisine:Chinese

Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (12)

serves: 4 servings

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 35 minutes minutes

Total: 45 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork belly (450g, you HAVE to use pork belly, or it's not twice cooked pork)
  • 2 slices ginger
  • 2 tablespoons oil (divided)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons spicy broad bean paste
  • 2 cloves garlic (sliced)
  • 2 long hot green peppers (seeds removed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces)
  • 1 medium leek (split lengthwise, washed thoroughly, and cut in 2-inch pieces)
  • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  • In a medium pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the whole piece of pork belly and the ginger, and bring the pot to a boil again. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until the pork is tender and cooked through. Remove the pork from the pot and run it under cold running water for about a minute. Set aside.

  • While the pork is cooling, prepare all the other ingredients. Once you are ready to cook (don't do this in advance, or the pork will dry out), thinly slice the pork belly (slices should be about 1/8 inch thick).

  • Heat your wok over high heat until just starting to smoke. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and sear the pork, until you get a light caramelization, about 90 seconds. Turn the heat to medium-low and scoop out the pork. Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok.

  • Add the spicy broad bean paste to the wok and let it fry in the oil for about 30 seconds to bring out the flavor and color. The color should be red; pay attention to the heat to avoid burning.

  • Now add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Turn the heat to high and add the pork, peppers, and leeks. Stir-fry for a minute. Add the shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir everything together. Once the leeks and are wilted and the peppers are cooked (while still having a little crunch), it's ready to serve.

nutrition facts

Calories: 578kcal (29%) Carbohydrates: 8g (3%) Protein: 12g (24%) Fat: 67g (103%) Saturated Fat: 22g (110%) Cholesterol: 82mg (27%) Sodium: 344mg (14%) Potassium: 250mg (7%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 3g (3%) Vitamin A: 370IU (7%) Vitamin C: 6.2mg (8%) Calcium: 22mg (2%) Iron: 1.2mg (7%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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@thewoksoflife

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Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (17)

About Bill

Bill is the dad of The Woks of Life family. He grew up in upstate New York, working through high school and college in restaurants with his father, a chef. Rose from modest beginnings as a Burger King sandwich assembler to Holiday Inn busboy and line cook, to cooking at the family's Chinese restaurant, while also learning the finer points of Cantonese cooking from his immigrant parents. Specializes in all things traditional Cantonese and American Chinese takeout.

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Twice Cooked Pork: Chinese Sichuan Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

What does twice cooked pork mean in Chinese food? ›

The Chinese name of this classic dish, Hui Guo Rou/回锅肉, literally means “the meat (it refers to pork belly) that returned to the wok”. It explains the special two-step cooking method which gives the dish a delicious, complex texture. Firstly, a chunky piece of pork belly is simmered in water then cut into thin slices.

Is twice cooked pork good? ›

Immediately, the pork sops up the flavors: salty, sweet, and spicy with an earthy, fermented undertone. A very winning flavor. The Sichuanese typically stir-fry this dish with a kind of leek, but state-side you'd be hard-pressed to find leeks so tender.

What is the translation of twice cooked pork? ›

Twice-cooked pork or double-cooked pork (Chinese: 回鍋肉; pinyin: huíguōròu) (literally "returned to the pan (wok)") is a Chinese dish in Sichuan cuisine.

How many calories are in Chinese double cooked pork? ›

Chi's Chinese Twice Cooked Pork (1 cup) contains 9g total carbs, 7g net carbs, 16g fat, 33g protein, and 318 calories.

What food item literally means "twice cooked"? ›

Biscuit. A baked, commonly flour-based food product. The Middle French word bescuit is derived from the Latin words bis (twice) and coquere, coctus (to cook, cooked), and, hence, means "twice-cooked".

Why do Chinese boil pork before cooking? ›

Boil the pork belly for about 5 minutes. This will remove a lot of the impurities from the pork and you will see a film of scum on the surface. Remove the pork belly and allow to cook on a plate or rack.

Why can't pork be eaten rare? ›

Is eating rare pork safe? Unlike steak, which can be eaten without being fully brown on the inside, pork that's bloody (or rare) on the inside should not be consumed. This is because pork meat, which comes from pigs, is prone to certain bacteria and parasites that are killed in the cooking process.

Is it OK to eat pork every once in a while? ›

However, you must consume it in moderation and cook it healthily. Pork is a type of red meat that is rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals, but it is also high in fat and cholesterol. In particular, some pork cuts are high in saturated fatty acids, so-called bad fats.

Is it OK to eat pork twice a week? ›

Red meat, such as lamb, beef, pork and venison, is a rich source of iron and is important in preventing the condition anaemia. Eating red meat once or twice a week may fit into a healthy diet, especially for toddlers and women of reproductive age.

Why is Chinese pork pink? ›

Red food colouring – to make the pork red, like you get at the Chinese barbecue shop. This is optional. Authentic Char Siu uses red bean curd for colouring and a touch of flavour – it can be found at Asian stores, use about 2 tbsp of the liquid and no red food colouring.

Why is pink pork OK? ›

If fresh pork has reached 145°F (62.8 °C) throughout, even though it may still be pink in the center, it should be safe. The pink color can be due to the cooking method or added ingredients.

Why is pork only 145? ›

The USDA now recommends cooking pork chops, steaks, ham, and roasts to at least 145°F (63°C), which allows the meat to maintain its moisture and flavor without drying it out (7). Organ meats, ground pork, and mixtures made using ground pork, such as sausage, should still be cooked to at least 160°F (71°C) (7).

What is the history of twice cooked pork? ›

History of Twice-Cooked Pork

The bold and spicy flavors indicate that it originated in the Sichuan region of China, and one of the most common stories behind the unique method of preparation is related to its role as an offering for the gods or ancestors.

How many calories are in Szechuan pork? ›

Results for "Szechuan Pork"

Other sizes: 1 serving - 268kcal, 100 g - 110kcal, 1 oz - 31kcal, more...

Is extra lean pork healthy? ›

Nutritionally, pork possesses a wide range of essential nutrients like energizing B vitamins, choline for developing babies, and iron for healthy red blood cells. A 3-ounce serving of lean pork is loaded with protein and low in fat. Eating lean pork daily can be a part of a well-balanced, high-nutrient diet.

What is twice cooked meat? ›

The name 'twice-cooked' comes from the cooking method that requires boiling the fatty pork first and then stir fry in the wok. The goal is to cook through the fat part without overcooking the lean part.

Why is it called Mushu pork? ›

After the dish spread to American Chinese restaurants in the 1960s, somewhere along the way, we started calling it Mu Shu Pork (“muhk sēui” in Cantonese). This is a nod to some of its core ingredients - wood ear fungus (“muhk yih”) and scrambled eggs, which resemble the white and yellow blossoms of the Osmanthus tree.

How do you know when Chinese pork is cooked? ›

Wait until the thermometer reads at least 140 °F (60 °C).
  1. The internal temperature of the pork will continue to rise once you take it out, regardless of whether you cooked it in the oven or a slow cooker.
  2. Never eat pork that hasn't had its internal temperature brought up to at least 145 °F (63 °C).

Why can you eat pork medium rare now? ›

In part, that's because cooking meat to a lower internal temperature speaks to a well-sourced, safe-to-eat, and often more expensive product. It can also drastically impact texture and flavor, helping the meat retain a tender, juicy consistency that high heat drives away.

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