Thursday, March 22, 2012

Asian-Style Caramelized Pork



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of the recipes I use when one of those yard-long pork loins from the warehouse store ends up in my kitchen. I shared it, and several others, with the gals in the economy-minded group I monitor. They are exploring and sharing less expensive ways to feed their families and our goal, as a group, was to come up with 5 meals that could be made from one pork loin. We actually ended up with 7, and over the next few weeks I'll be sharing some of the them with you. While young children probably won't touch this, adults and older children really like pork cooked in this way. It is easy to make and is nearly foolproof, but the operative word here is nearly. When working with caramelized meat it is really easy to overcook it. I cut the pork used in this recipe into thin strips which cook very quickly. One minute they are succulent and tender, but the next they become chewable shoe leather. 'Nuff said. I'm not attributing this dish to a specific country because elements of it are shared by several Asian cuisines. I've also taken some Western shortcuts that will raise an eyebrow or two, but they are functional and make short work of this nice dish. I hope you will give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Asian-Style Caramelized Pork...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound of pork – cut into thin 2 x 1/4-inch strips
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc mam)
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (about 3 cloves)
1/4 cup water
1 medium jalapeno pepper – sliced thinly
Optional: Green onions for garnish

Directions:
1) Marinate pork strips in Combine fish sauce, lime juice and black pepper in a medium bowl. Add pork strips and toss to coat. Let sit for 1 hour.
2) Heat oil in a pan set over medium high heat. Add sugar, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and turns a darker brown. Remove pan from heat and stir in ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for a few seconds. Add pork and toss to coat.
3) Place pan back on heat. Stir-fry until meat has a dark golden color, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cover pan and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove cover and add water to pan. Cover pan and cook for another 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick. If not, remove pork and continue to cook sauce until it thickens. Return pork to pan and toss well to coat. Adjust seasoning. Stir in sliced jalapenos. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with green onions, if using. Serve with rice. Yield: 3 servings.








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44 comments :

Rue said...

Yes, yes, yes! Sorry...I was just having a...moment. I adore those pork loins and will defintely try this!

Joyce @ Chunky Cooky said...

This certainly looks very asian and very delicious looking !!

Pondside said...

I buy those enormous pork loins when we're going to have a houseful of guests - but I'd love to have some recipes that would offer more than a roast-and-potatoes meal.
Of course you know that any recipe with the words 'Asian' and 'caramelized' in the title is going to attract a lot of attention!

Lenia said...

It looks mouthwatering!Have a lovely day,dear!

Chiara said...

Simply delicious Mary!have a great day, blessings...

Christina | Christina's Cucina said...

This looks and sounds DELICIOUS! It's going on my list of recipes to try (up at the top!) :)

Coleens Recipes said...

I have NEVER cooked with fish sauce, how necessary is it for this recipe?

Cool Chic Style Fashion said...

Delizioso :)
ciao

Epicurea said...

caramelized pork is amazing and yours looks delicious. plus looking very much forwards to those other affordable pork recipes!

Vicki Bensinger said...

Lots of wonderful flavors here. How fun to try to come up with dishes to be used to recreate new ones.

Lynn said...

Looks amazing! Add some rice and steamed broccoli and I'd be in heaven:@)

SImple and Serene Living said...

Sounds delicious, Mary. Hope you have a wonderful day.
Laura

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

You are right - you've got to move quickly with such cuts of meat. I finally trained myself to stop cooking, before I thought the meat was done - once it's out of the pan, it's usually cooked to perfection.

Becki's Whole Life said...

This looks absolutely wonderful. I usually have a pork tenderloin in my freezer and I bet this would work well with it. Love how that sauce gets nice and caramelized. Will have to try this!

Vicki Bensinger said...

How how fun to try and come up with ways to spread out a meal over a weeks time. This dish looks delicious. The picture alone had me drooling. This sounds like a dish I'd like to try. Thanks for sharing.

http://platanosmangoes.com said...

You can see the how good this is from your picture. It's 7 AM here and I just got very hungry.

Kim said...

This is one of my favorite meals. I have to tell you, I'll try it next week for sure!

Penny said...

I have a pork tenderloin thawing in the refrigerator. A trip to the store for fish sauce and this will be on the dinner table tonight.

Unknown said...

I love using pork loins... you truly can get a lot of meals from them. And this.. oh wow.. it looks and sounds amazing! Can't wait to try it!

From the Kitchen said...

This is going into my "when I get that same pork tenderloin" file! It sounds delicious with not so much effort. Perfect!

Best,
Bonnie

lena said...

i'm really impressed with your pork dish here. I think you even cook better than me! It looks very appealing to me!

Judy@SavoringToday said...

This dish sounds like the perfect Friday night take out, but made at home. The glistening sauce is a beautiful color. YUM!

Namitha said...

Awed by the color of it :-)Loved all the flavors that went in there ,esp lime juice and fish sauce

Tricia @ saving room for dessert said...

What a terrific idea! Waste not, want not as the saying goes and this pork loin looks delicious! Thanks

Kay Little said...

We are a big fan of "Asian Style" flavors and can't wait to make these...blessings, K

Dining Alone said...

This looks so good, definitely pinning for later!

Pam said...

This one's a winner! It looks so delicious Mary!

Angie's Recipes said...

They look so tender and delicious. I must give it a try too.

raquel@eRecipe.com said...

Oh no! I'm speechless. I just want to eat this. Yummy! =)

Lynda said...

I love this recipe Mary! I buy those huge pork loins too, cutting some for chops and leaving enough for a roast. I'm going to try this next time they are on sale. Have a wonderful day.

Renee Paj said...

this looks amazing Mary! and really quite healthy too...if you use lean pork...much healthier than if you get something similar in a Chinese restaurant.

Joanne said...

I wonder if I can use that sauce on tofu because it sounds seriously tasty!

Sprigs of Rosemary said...

I finally learned to keep fish sauce in the house so I have no excuse not to try delicious dishes like this. And thanks for the tips about overcooking. It is easy to do.

Margaret Murphy Tripp said...

Wow, that looks great!

Gloria Baker said...

Look delicious Mary!

Ellen Whyte said...

Char Sui pork! Yum... now I'm hungry and I *know* I can get this just around the corner. I shall be strong and not think about it :-)

Life's a shoe said...

ww loooks really good! and pretty easy to make! i think!

Salsa Verde said...

Hi Mary,
This plate looks so scrumptious and delicious.
I love asian flavours and I'll try this for sure!!
Cheers and hope you have a fantastic weekend,
Lia.

grubarazzi said...

Oh....my....goodness. You seriously hit my happy place with this one.

Easy Recipes Land said...

This looks really nummy! I'm looking forward to making it within the next few days.

Thanks for putting it in your site!

Grandma Kat
XOXOXOXOXO

Sir Eatalot said...

Simply mouth watering! I could taste it! Keep the great post coming!

My Little Space said...

Truly truly mouthwatering looking pieces of meat. Slurpppp....
Kristy

The Harried Cook said...

That looks SO appetizing I want to reach out into my screen and grab it! Wow... totally my kind of food... sticky, sweet, caramelized pork! Yum! Thanks for a great recipe, Mary!

childhood anxiety treatment said...

This one is perfect. Looks very yummy.


Raquel

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