Easy to make, full of flavor, sweet and sour plum sauce pork is one of the most popular dishes on our autumn table. It is a super easy, foolproof methed to cook pork for beginners. Sear the pork, then add aromatics and seasonings. Last, simmer and thicken the sauce. You can make this while you make other dishes.
Plum sauce has a lovely sour taste that can make the protein not only delicious but also tender and juicy. In Chinese cuisine, we use many sour ingredients, like black vinegar, orange sauce, and lemon juice. Plum sauce has a unique fruity plum flavor on the base of sweetness, while black vinegar has a more profound flavor.
This simmered pork tastes sour, sweet, and savory, with a texture similar to Char Siu Pork, but with a much sourer vibe. Pork butt is the cut I chose for this recipe. I love using it for pan-frying and stir-frying. Good-quality pork butt is well marbled with fat and lean meat. Of course, it has less fat than pork belly. You can also use pork belly for a fattier, more melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Cooking Tips
- Well searing the pork butt is a key step for this recipe. On the one hand, searing pork adds more complex flavors; on the other, it helps it hold its shape after you cut it.
- If you prefer a sweeter version, add some rock sugar during the simmer.
- When thickening the sauce, stop when it forms large bubbles. Don’t overheat the sauce.
Step by step
Cut the pork butt into thick slices, about 1cm in thick. Pound the meat with the back of a knife. This step matters because it breaks down tough muscle fibers and connective tissue, tenderizing the pork.
Add oil to the pan and fry the pork butt until golden brown on both sides. Cook until crispy before turning.
When the pork is well seared, add garlic, ginger, and scallion. Fry until aromatic over a slow fire. Season with light soy sauce and oyster sauce, and heat water to cover.
Then add 2 tablespoons of plum sauce. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Pick out the scallion, ginger and garlic. Turn up the heat and thicken the sauce a little.
Cut into strips before serving. If there is any leftover sauce, drizzle it on top.
Match tips
Smashed cucumber or garlic broccoli stir fry is a great way to balance both flavor and fiber.
Ingredients
- 300 g pork butt
- 1 tbsp. cooking oil
- 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
- hot water to cover
- 2 tbsp. Asian plum sauce
Aromatcis
- 6 garlic cloves smashed
- 3 scallion cut into section
- 1/2 thumb ginger smashed
Instructions
- Cut the pork butt into thick slices, about 1cm. Add oil to the pan and fry the pork butt until golden brown on both sides. Remember to let it cook for a while until it’s crispy before turning.
- When the pork is well seared, add garlic, ginger, and scallion. Fry until aromatic over slow fire. Season with light soy sauce and oyster sauce, and heat water to cover.
- Then add 2 tablespoons of plum sauce. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pick out the scallion, ginger and garlic. Turn up the heat and thicken the sauce a little.
- Cut into strips before serving. If there is any leftover sauce, drizzle it on top.
