Hunan Smoked Pork Recipe (Stir-fried La Rou)

Smoked pork belly: This is the star of the dish, providing a rich, smoky flavor that is essential to the recipe.

Green pepper: Adds a fresh, slightly bitter taste and a vibrant green color to the dish.

Red pepper: Offers a sweet and slightly spicy flavor, along with a bright red hue.

Garlic: Minced garlic adds a pungent, aromatic depth to the stir-fry.

Soy sauce: Provides a salty, umami flavor that enhances the overall taste.

Cooking wine: Adds a subtle sweetness and complexity to the dish.

Sugar: Balances the savory and smoky flavors with a hint of sweetness.

Salt: Enhances the natural flavors of the ingredients.

Vegetable oil: Used for stir-frying, it helps to cook the ingredients evenly and adds a slight richness.

When slicing the smoked pork belly, make sure to cut it as thinly as possible. This will allow the pork to cook evenly and become slightly crispy when stir-fried. Additionally, thin slices will better absorb the flavors of the soy sauce and cooking wine, enhancing the overall taste of the dish.

• smoked pork belly - Substitute with bacon: Bacon provides a similar smoky flavor and fatty texture, making it a suitable replacement.

• smoked pork belly - Substitute with smoked tofu: For a vegetarian option, smoked tofu offers a similar smoky taste and firm texture.

• green pepper - Substitute with bell pepper: Bell peppers come in various colors and can provide a similar crunch and mild flavor.

• red pepper - Substitute with poblano pepper: Poblano peppers offer a mild heat and similar texture, making them a good alternative.

• minced garlic - Substitute with garlic powder: Garlic powder can provide a similar flavor, though it lacks the fresh aroma of minced garlic.

• soy sauce - Substitute with tamari: Tamari is a gluten-free alternative that offers a similar umami flavor.

• soy sauce - Substitute with coconut aminos: Coconut aminos provide a slightly sweeter and less salty flavor, suitable for those avoiding soy.

• cooking wine - Substitute with dry sherry: Dry sherry offers a similar depth of flavor and acidity.

• cooking wine - Substitute with apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar provides acidity and a slight fruitiness, though it is less complex than cooking wine.

• sugar - Substitute with honey: Honey adds sweetness and a slight floral note, though it is more viscous.

• sugar - Substitute with maple syrup: Maple syrup offers sweetness with a distinct, rich flavor.

• salt - Substitute with soy sauce: Soy sauce can add saltiness along with umami flavor, though it will also add moisture.

• vegetable oil - Substitute with canola oil: Canola oil has a neutral flavor and similar smoke point, making it a good alternative.

• vegetable oil - Substitute with peanut oil: Peanut oil has a high smoke point and adds a subtle nutty flavor, suitable for stir-frying.

• Allow the Hunan smoked pork to cool completely at room temperature before storing.
• Transfer the cooled pork belly and vegetables into an airtight container. Ensure the container is sealed tightly to maintain freshness.
• Store the container in the refrigerator if you plan to consume the dish within 3-4 days. This will keep the pork and peppers flavorful and safe to eat.
• For longer storage, place the cooled stir-fried La Rou into a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bags. Label the container with the date to keep track of its freshness.
• When freezing, try to remove as much air as possible from the container or bag to prevent freezer burn, which can affect the texture and taste of the smoked pork.
• To reheat, thaw the frozen Hunan smoked pork in the refrigerator overnight. This gradual thawing helps retain the dish's original texture and flavor.
• Once thawed, reheat the pork belly and vegetables in a pan over medium heat. Add a splash of soy sauce or cooking wine if needed to refresh the flavors.
• Stir-fry until the dish is heated through, ensuring the pork is hot and the peppers are tender-crisp.
• Serve immediately after reheating to enjoy the best taste and texture of your Hunan smoked pork.

• Stovetop Method:

  1. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat.
  2. Add a small amount of vegetable oil to the pan.
  3. Once the oil is hot, add the leftover Hunan smoked pork.
  4. Stir-fry for about 3-5 minutes until heated through, ensuring the pork belly and peppers are evenly warmed.
  5. Serve immediately.

• Microwave Method:

  1. Place the leftover Hunan smoked pork in a microwave-safe dish.
  2. Cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap, leaving a small vent for steam to escape.
  3. Microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Stir the contents to ensure even heating.
  5. Continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until the pork belly and peppers are thoroughly heated.
  6. Let it sit for a minute before serving.

• Oven Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Place the leftover Hunan smoked pork in an oven-safe dish.
  3. Cover the dish with aluminum foil to prevent drying out.
  4. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the pork belly and peppers are heated through.
  5. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

• Steaming Method:

  1. Set up a steamer with water and bring it to a boil.
  2. Place the leftover Hunan smoked pork in a heatproof dish that fits into the steamer.
  3. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
  4. Steam for about 5-7 minutes, or until the pork belly and peppers are heated through.
  5. Carefully remove the dish from the steamer and serve immediately.

• Knife: To slice the smoked pork belly thinly and cut the green and red peppers into strips.

• Cutting board: A surface to safely cut the pork belly and peppers.

• Garlic press: To mince the garlic cloves efficiently.

• Pan: To heat the oil and stir-fry the ingredients.

• Spatula: To stir and mix the ingredients while cooking.

• Measuring spoons: To measure the soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, and salt accurately.

• Serving dish: To serve the finished stir-fried La Rou hot.

Pre-slice the pork: Slice the smoked pork belly in advance and store it in the fridge to save time during cooking.

Prep vegetables ahead: Cut the green pepper and red pepper into strips beforehand and keep them in an airtight container.

Use a garlic press: Mince the garlic quickly with a garlic press instead of chopping by hand.

Measure sauces early: Pre-measure the soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, and salt to streamline the cooking process.

High heat efficiency: Use a high heat setting to reduce cooking time while stir-frying.