Easy tender pork slices stir-fried with fermented black bean sauce.
I am testing my own fermented black beans in recent days and the bad news is I have failed at the first batch. The beans are not completely fermented. Although I was quite frustrated by the result, still, I love fermented black bean sauce. In China, we get a very popular dish named “盐煎肉”literally means “salt sautéed pork”, as a sister dish to twice cooked pork is extremely popular in Sichuan province. We use sliced pork ham and fry with peppers. That one is dry and chewy with the method of dry-frying or dry sautéing (干煎).
This is another new option for those who do not like fat meat. Instead, pork butt or pork tenderloin can be used. With a juice marinating and the help of the starch shell, your pork can be tender and full of flavor.
Cook’s Note
To make the pork tender, we have two important steps.
- Add enough liquid to make the pork slices juicy themselves. So grasping (or messaging mixing) is the key step. We need to make the liquid completely absorbed.
- Use cornstarch to form a protecting shell to prevent pork slices from loosing the liquid.
Ingredients
- 150g (around 4.5 ounces) pork butt or tenderloin, sliced
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tbsp. cooking wine
- 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp. water or chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp. white pepper
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- cooking oil as needed
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp. black bean sauce
- 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
- a very small pinch of salt if needed
- 4 scallions, cut into small sections
- 3 fresh red chili peppers, cut into small sections
- 2 fresh green chili peppers, cut into small sections
- 1 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. minced ginger
Steps
Thinly slice the pork. Add salt, cooking wine, light soy sauce, water (or chicken stock) and white pepper. Grasp (message) the pork slice for 2-3 minutes until all the juice is well absorbed. Set aside for 10 minutes. Then just before frying, add cornstarch and mix well firstly. At last, add sesame oil and mix well. Cold oil can prevent the pork slices from sticky to your wok bottom.
Heat your wok or pan firstly. Add cooking oil to form a 2-3 cm high layer (do not be scared by the oil amount, we do not eat them all). Spread the pork sliced in. Let them stay for 5 to 10 seconds and then quickly fry them until turns pale. Transfer out immediately.
Remove the extra oil and save them for vegetable stir fries. Keep around 1 tablespoon of oil and fry garlic, ginger and scallion until aromatic. Place fresh pepper sections in to fry for 1 minute or until slightly softened. Return pork sliced in, add dark soy sauce and black beans sauce. Mix well and move out immediately. Be quick in this process and it is better to finish this within 30 seconds.
A beautiful and delicious stir fry is made within minutes.
Pork Stir Fry with Black Bean Sauce
Ingredients
- 150 g around 4.5 ounces pork butt or tenderloin, sliced
Marinating
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tbsp. cooking wine
- 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp. water or chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp. white pepper
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
stir-frying
- cooking oil as needed
- 1 garlic cloves ,minced
- 1 tsp. minced ginger
- 4 scallions ,cut into small sections
- 1 black bean sauce or 1 tbsp. chopped black beans
- 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
- 3 fresh red chili peppers ,cut into small sections
- 2 fresh green chili peppers ,cut into small sections
- a very small pinch of salt if needed
Instructions
- Thinly slice the pork. Add salt, cooking wine, light soy sauce, water (or chicken stock) and white pepper. Message the pork slice for 2-3 minutes until all the juice is well absorbed. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Add cornstarch and message again. Make sure all the slices are well coated with starch. At last, add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, mix well too.
- Heat your wok or pan firstly. Add cooking oil to form a 2-3 cm high layer (do not be scared by the oil amount, we do not eat them all). Spread the pork sliced in. Let them stay for 5 to 10 seconds and then quickly fry them until turns pale. Transfer out immediately.
- Remove the extra oil and save them for vegetable stir fries. Keep around 1 tablespoon of oil and fry garlic, ginger and scallion until aromatic. Place fresh pepper sections in to fry for 1 minute or until slightly softened. Return pork sliced in, add dark soy sauce and black beans sauce. Mix well and see if any extra salt is needed. Move out immediately after mixed. Be quick in this process and it is better to finish this within 30 seconds.
Nutrition
Made the dish tonight pretty good !!
Thank you Joaquin!
Is there a bottled black bean sauce you recommend if you don’t have time to make your own?
Hi Linda,
You can use this one or simply use fermented black beans as a substitute.
I made the black bean sauce (it made about a cup), but the recipe does not indicate how much of it to use.
It is 1 tbsp. Paula.
I love your site and this recipe is on my to cook list. I’m cooking for 4 adults and this is the entree. Do you suggest tripping the recipe? Thank you.
Michael,
I believe double is enough. By the way, you need to stir-fry them twice not in one single batch.
Just tried this recipe, it was amazing!! I had to omit the chillies because my kid can’t handle spicy food yet but this is a winner. Thank you for the recipe
My pleasure, Krissy. Thank you for such a kind comment.