Pork Chop Sticky Rice Bake with Bacon

Method7 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix all 8 pork chops with 1½ tbsp soy sauce, 1½ tbsp Shaoxing wine, ½ tsp five-spice powder and ½ tsp sesame oil. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Have all 5 cups cooked sticky rice ready before starting the filling.

   Marinate pork chops for 1 hour · 60 minUses 8 boneless centre-cut pork chops, about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick · 1½ tbsp soy sauce · 1½ tbsp Shaoxing wine · ½ tsp five-spice powder · ½ tsp sesame oil

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Before heating the pan, roughly chop the mushrooms, chop the onion (1), and wash and chop all 4 scallions. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Cook all mushrooms and onion until softened. Stir in all 5 cups ready-cooked sticky rice, all 4 chopped scallions and 1 tbsp dark soy sauce. Season with salt and ground pepper to taste and mix thoroughly; if using chilled rice, heat it throughout to 74°C/165°F.

   Uses 2 tbsp vegetable oil · 225 g fresh shiitake mushrooms · 1 medium onion · 5 cups ready-cooked sticky rice · 4 scallions · 1 tbsp dark soy sauce · Salt for rice filling, to taste · Ground pepper for rice filling, to taste

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Remove the filling from the heat and cool briefly until comfortable to handle. Assemble promptly; if preparation is delayed, refrigerate the filling within 2 hours of cooking.

   Uses All the cooked rice, mushroom and onion filling from step 2

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Divide all the prepared rice filling into 8 mounds. Wrap one marinated chop around each mound and place in a broiler-safe baking dish with the rice facing down. Zigzag one bacon slice over each chop. Pour all 1 cup chicken broth into the gaps between the parcels. Discard any unused raw-pork marinade.

   Uses All 8 marinated chops from step 1, lifted away from any unused marinade · All the rice filling from step 3, divided equally into 8 mounds · 8 slices bacon · 1 cup ready chicken broth

5. 5

   Step 5: Bake for about 20 minutes. Check every parcel: the pork must be cooked and the centre of each rice filling must reach 74°C/165°F. Continue baking as needed to heat the filling fully; the time is a guide rather than a guarantee.

   Check the baked pork-rice parcels after 20 minutes · 20 minUses All 8 assembled pork-rice parcels with their bacon and broth from step 4

6. 6

   Step 6: Broil on low for about 3–5 minutes, checking from 3 minutes, until the bacon is cooked and crisp. Stay beside the oven and watch closely to prevent burning. Confirm the rice filling is at least 74°C/165°F and the pork at least 63°C/145°F; continue cooking if either endpoint is unmet.

   Check low-broiled bacon from 3 minutes · 3 minUses The baked parcels and dish juices from step 5

7. 7

   Step 7: Rest the fully cooked pork parcels for at least 3 minutes after cooking. Serve hot, one parcel per portion, with optional separately washed and chopped scallion garnish and a little dish juice if desired. Refrigerate leftovers promptly.

   Rest the fully cooked pork parcels for at least 3 minutes · 3 minUses All 8 fully cooked parcels from step 6, with any serving juices drawn as desired · Extra chopped scallion for garnish, optional · Water to wash optional extra garnish scallion, as needed