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.

Did You Make This?Tag us on Instagram @thewoksoflife, subscribe to our email list, and be sure to follow us on social for more recipes!

@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

Why twice cooked pork? ›

The method of cooking twice allows the meat to take on even more spicy Sichuan flavors and to balance them with a touch of sweetness and umami that makes every bite something special.

Is Hui Guo Rou spicy? ›

Twice Cooked Pork, or hui guo rou (回鍋肉), is a Sichuan dish of spicy seared pork belly.

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.

How long to braise pork belly? ›

Add the marinade and chicken broth and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the casserole. Return the pork to the casserole and bring to a boil. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours, until the meat is nearly tender. Uncover and braise for 1 hour longer, until the meat is very tender.

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 can't pork be eaten rare? ›

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.

What is the spiciest type of Chinese food? ›

Hunan food is less oily than Sichuan food and the abundance of fresh red and green chili peppers, scallions, ginger and garlic make Hunan food arguably the spiciest cuisine in China.

What is spicy pork and Sichuan pepper dish from Chengdu? ›

This dish called xiaosurou, or little crispy pork, is deep-fried fatty pork studded with plenty of numbing Sichuan pepper. It is a starter or a snack—rich, numbing and spicy—and you will not want to eat it as a meal.

What does Mala Xiang Guo taste like? ›

Strongly flavored with mala, it often contains meat and vegetables, and has a salty and spicy taste. The preparation process involves placing the required ingredients in the pot, stir frying and adding seasoning.

Can you reheat pork? ›

You can reheat pork safely in the microwave, oven or on the hob. Remember to ensure that it's piping hot throughout before serving. If keeping a freshly cooked pork dish to reheat, you must store it in the fridge or freezer within 2 hours, consume within 3 days and only reheat it once.

Is Chinese food cooked in pork fat? ›

Lard or sometimes referred to as pork lard is a traditional cooking oil for many Chinese recipes. We use pork lard to cook vegetables, noodles, and even steamed buns for quite a long story.

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.

Why won t my pork belly get crispy? ›

There are several reasons why you might not be getting perfectly crisp crackling. Not enough salt - use the full amount specified in the recipe to cover the pork belly rind when dry brining as this is what causes the crackling to puff up and become crispy when the salt reacts with the fat.

How do you cook pork belly so it's not tough? ›

The secret to cooking pork belly is the combination of a gentle heat to tenderise the meat and short, high temperature blasts to crisp up the skin on the outside.

Why is braised pork belly tough? ›

If your pork belly is tough after braising, it meant that either the pork belly needs to be braised longer or it was cooked at too high heat. Try to braise the pork belly at a medium simmer. Also, you can try braising the pork belly in beer. It'll tenderize the pork belly and also get rid of porky flavor.

Can you eat half done pork? ›

Raw meat can carry bacteria which cause food poisoning and, accordingly, eating undercooked pork or chicken may result in food poisoning. If you experience symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, and fever after eating undercooked meat, seek a diagnosis from a medical institution immediately.

What happens if you don't reheat pork properly? ›

For example, reheating pork is one of them. Pork is a type of meat that's highly susceptible to bacteria and other contaminants. If not cooked properly, it can cause severe illness or even death. Following some fundamental food safety and hygiene rules when reheating pork is essential.

What is the meaning of twice cooked? ›

The Middle French word bescuit is derived from the Latin words bis (twice) and coquere, coctus (to cook, cooked), and, hence, means "twice-cooked". This is because biscuits were originally cooked in a twofold process: first baked, and then dried out in a slow oven.

Is it OK to eat leftover pork? ›

USDA recommends using cooked pork within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40 °F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.

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