Wok Wednesdays: Stir-Fried Hoisin Pork with Peppers

Rather than roasting the pork shoulder in the usual manner, I decided to experiment with my Shun knives.  Using the smaller knife that came with the santuko, I felt like a skilled surgeon with a very sharp instrument dissecting the "white meat" from the bone, fat, and skin.  There was definitely much more fat in a pork shoulder than I thought, and that I was able to carve out.  Already, I already felt healthy cooking the stir-fry method!  In the book, Grace explains the importance of cutting meat the same size so that it will cook uniformly.

Aromatics are typically added to the meat marinade in the cooking process; the idea is to sear the meat with the ginger and garlic so the heat will bring out the flavors of the aromatics.  This recipe instructs the wokker to add the aromatics with the meat marinade, but I failed miserably. Somehow, I had a senior moment and forgot about the aromatics till well after the meat was searing in the wok.  Nope, having a mise en place did not help me. Thanks to my head/nasal congestion, I can't seem to follow simple instructions in the kitchen. Or should I blame it on my upcoming birthday, 48 + 1. Needless to say, the show must go on.  It's well past the lunch hour!

In a bowl, I combine the meat with the sauces, minced scallions, sesame oil and cornstarch which is a typical marinade for meat or chicken. Notice the aromatics missing? Oh my.

Sizzling sounds = good! Pre-heating the wok prior to adding the oil is key to being a good wokker.

I add the carrots/peppers to the seared pork pieces. And realized I forgot the aromatics!



I want to make sure the pork pieces are well cooked...

I didn't have a red pepper, so I used a green one instead.  Not as sweet, but just as healthy.

I love the flavor of hoisin sauce.  It is a thick, nutella-brown sauce that tastes sweet and smoky all at once.  A perfect match to Mooshi Pork, or is it Moshi? I think I would add more sauce next time. Using fermented black bean sauce would kick this up a notch! I think searing the meat with the aromatics would have made this dish more flavorful.

My husband loved the earthy flavor from the hoisin sauce. I thought it was delicious, but I will appreciate this even more after I get over my cold. And remember to add the aromatics to the marinade. Note to self.