Twice Cooked Pork (Hui Guo Rou)
This classic Sichuan dish features thinly sliced pork belly that is first boiled and then stir-fried with vegetables and a savory, spicy sauce. The unique "twice cooked" method yields tender pork with a crispy edge, coated in a rich and aromatic glaze. It's a flavorful main course perfect for a family meal.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 780 kcal
Allergen information: may contain gluten and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 500 gpork belly, skin on, in one piece
- 2 tbsprapeseed oil
- 2 tbspfermented broad bean paste (doubanjiang)
- 1 tbspsweet bean paste (tianmianjiang)
- 3 clovegarlic, minced
- 1 tbspginger, minced
- 1 pcsleek, white and light green parts, sliced diagonally
- 1 pcsgreen bell pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1 tbspsoy sauce
- 0.5 tspsichuan peppercorn oil
boiling
- 30 gginger, sliced
- 2 pcsscallion, halved
- 0.5 tspsichuan peppercorn
Equipment
wok · sharp knife · large pot · cutting board · stirring spoon
The method
Step by step
- 1
Place the pork belly in a pot with enough cold water to cover it.
- 2
Add the boiling ginger, scallion, and Sichuan peppercorn to the pot with the pork.
Cook’s note: These aromatics help to remove any gamey flavor from the pork.
- 3
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the pork is just cooked through and can be easily pierced with a chopstick.
About 25 min
Cook’s note: Do not overcook the pork at this stage, as it will be stir-fried later.
- 4
Remove the pork belly from the pot and let it cool completely on a cutting board.
Cook’s note: Cooling the pork makes it much easier to slice thinly.
- 5
Once cooled, slice the pork belly into very thin, bite-sized pieces, about 2-3mm thick.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: A sharp knife is essential for thin slices. You can partially freeze the pork for 15-20 minutes to make slicing easier.
- 6
Heat the rapeseed oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
About 1 min
- 7
Add the sliced pork belly to the hot wok and stir-fry until the edges are slightly curled and crispy, and some of the fat has rendered out, about 3-5 minutes.
About 4 min
Cook’s note: This step is crucial for developing flavor and texture.
- 8
Push the pork to one side of the wok, then add the fermented broad bean paste and sweet bean paste to the empty side.
- 9
Stir-fry the pastes for about 30 seconds until fragrant and the oil turns red.
Cook’s note: Cooking the pastes briefly enhances their flavor.
- 10
Add the minced garlic and minced ginger to the wok and stir-fry for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 11
Combine the pork with the sauces and aromatics, stirring well to coat the pork evenly.
About 1 min
- 12
Add the sliced leek and green bell pepper to the wok.
- 13
Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Don't overcook the vegetables; they should retain some crunch.
- 14
Stir in the soy sauce and Sichuan peppercorn oil.
- 15
Toss everything together until well combined and heated through.
About 1 min
- 16
Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 779.8kcal
- Protein
- 21.2g
- Carbs
- 13.6g
- Fat
- 75.6g
- Fibre
- 2.2g
- Sugar
- 4g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover twice-cooked pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat in a wok or microwave until thoroughly hot.
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