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Simple Pork Fried Rice

By Matthew Fairman

Published on April 18, 2017

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Simple Pork Fried Rice

Ingredients

8 ounces boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces4 teaspoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch ¼ teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry 1 tablespoon ketchup 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 cups long-grain white rice 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 large eggs, lightly beaten6 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin2 garlic cloves, minced¼ cup frozen peas, thawed

Before You Begin

The stir-fry ingredients can be prepped while your rice cooks, but be sure to have all the ingredients ready and close by before step 3 so you’re equipped for fast cooking. We preferred the slightly higher fat content and heartiness of country-style pork ribs, but pork blade chops can be substituted with similar results (be sure to account for the weight of the bone when purchasing, though).

Instructions

  1. Combine pork, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and baking soda in bowl. Let pork mixture sit for at least 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour. In separate bowl, combine oyster sauce, sherry, ketchup, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce; set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and tender, about 12 minutes. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer or colander.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add pork in single layer and cook, without stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes. Stir pork and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until dark brown on all sides, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to clean bowl.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add eggs and stir with rubber spatula until set but still wet, about 15 seconds. Push eggs to 1 side of skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, scallion whites, and garlic to empty side and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
  5. Add rice and stir to break up clumps and any large egg curds. Cook until rice begins to sizzle and pop loudly, about 3 minutes. Stir in peas, oyster sauce mixture, pork, and scallion greens and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Serve.
Simple Pork Fried Rice

Simple Pork Fried Rice

Save

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 ounces boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup frozen peas, thawed

Ingredients

8 ounces boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup frozen peas, thawed

Ingredients

8 ounces boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup frozen peas, thawed

Why This Recipe Works

Fried rice is typically made with leftover cooked rice, but we wanted to create a fried rice recipe using freshly cooked rice. To develop a work-around, we used the pasta method to make the rice—cooking it in lots of boiling water washes off excess starch that could cause clumping. Opting for boneless country-style pork ribs and adding a mixture of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and ketchup gave our fried rice a complex, meaty punch.

Before You Begin

The stir-fry ingredients can be prepped while your rice cooks, but be sure to have all the ingredients ready and close by before step 3 so you’re equipped for fast cooking. We preferred the slightly higher fat content and heartiness of country-style pork ribs, but pork blade chops can be substituted with similar results (be sure to account for the weight of the bone when purchasing, though).

Instructions

  1. Combine pork, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and baking soda in bowl. Let pork mixture sit for at least 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour. In separate bowl, combine oyster sauce, sherry, ketchup, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce; set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through and tender, about 12 minutes. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer or colander.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add pork in single layer and cook, without stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes. Stir pork and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until dark brown on all sides, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to clean bowl.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add eggs and stir with rubber spatula until set but still wet, about 15 seconds. Push eggs to 1 side of skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, scallion whites, and garlic to empty side and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
  5. Add rice and stir to break up clumps and any large egg curds. Cook until rice begins to sizzle and pop loudly, about 3 minutes. Stir in peas, oyster sauce mixture, pork, and scallion greens and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Serve.

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