How to Velvet Pork for Stir-fry

Method5 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Slice the 340 g raw boneless pork as required by your final stir-fry recipe. Put it in a medium bowl with the 1 tbsp marinade water, 1½ tsp Shaoxing wine, 1½ tsp oyster sauce and optional ⅜ tsp baking soda.

   Uses 340 g raw boneless pork, sliced for the chosen stir-fry · 1 tbsp water for the marinade · 1½ tsp Shaoxing wine · 1½ tsp oyster sauce · ⅜ tsp baking soda, optional

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Mix with your hands until the pork is coated and the liquid is absorbed. Add the 1½ tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp marinade vegetable oil and, if using, the ¼ tsp sesame oil and ⅛ tsp white pepper. Mix thoroughly, cover and refrigerate at 4°C/40°F or below for at least 30 minutes. Prepare the rest of your chosen stir-fry before starting either pre-cooking route below.

   Refrigerate the pork marinade · 30 minUses Sliced pork and the first marinade ingredients · 1½ tsp cornstarch · 1 tsp vegetable oil for the marinade · ¼ tsp sesame oil, optional · ⅛ tsp ground white pepper, optional

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Choose this searing route OR the blanching route in the next step. For searing, heat the wok over high heat until it smokes lightly, then coat it with the separate 2 tbsp searing oil. Add the refrigerated marinated pork in one layer and sear undisturbed for 30 seconds. Stir-fry until the slices turn opaque, then lift them onto a clean plate for immediate return to the hot final stir-fry. They are only partly cooked at this point.

   Sear the pork undisturbed · 1 minUses Refrigerated marinated pork, only if choosing searing · 2 tbsp vegetable oil, only for the searing route

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Choose this blanching route instead of searing. Bring the separate blanching water to a boil in the wok, add the refrigerated marinated pork and stir to separate the slices. Once they turn opaque, blanch for another 10 seconds. Lift and drain with a spider or strainer for immediate return to the hot final stir-fry; discard the blanching water. The pork is still only partly cooked.

   Blanch after the pork turns opaque · 1 minUses Refrigerated marinated pork, only if choosing blanching · Water for a boiling wok, only for the blanching route

5. 5

   Step 5: Immediately add the lifted seared pork OR the drained blanched pork to your hot stir-fry and finish cooking it according to that recipe. For these intact pork slices, reach at least 63°C/145°F and allow a 3-minute rest before serving. Keep this as one continuous cooking session; do not refrigerate the partly cooked pork to finish another day.

   Uses Lifted partly seared pork, only from the selected searing route · Drained partly blanched pork, only from the selected blanching route