Grandpa Joe's
Szechuan Pork in Garlic Sauce

Spicy and delicious – and very garlicky!

About this recipe

Szechuan cuisine, typically somewhat spicy, has always been a family favorite.  So when I saw this recipe in a recent communication from Cook's Illustrated (a favored recipe source for many years) I quickly visited the local market to purchase Fish Oil and Chili Garlic Sauce.  After trying their version twice, however, I decided to make minor changes to the ingredients list and more substantial modifications to their preparation instructions.  This is the result.  If you like spicy, I am confident you will enjoy this!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork sirloin
  • 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 4 scallions
  • 5 ounces water chestnuts, sliced
  • rice wine
  • dry sherry
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 4 teaspoons corn starch
  • 4 tablespoons Chili Garlic Sauce
  • peanut oil

Directions

  1. Trim the pork of as much fat as possible.  Then cut the meat into batons about 2 inches long and about one-quarter inch square.
  2. Place the meat batons in a glass bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon each of rice wine and dry sherry.  Cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  3. To prepare the sauce, combine the chicken stock, sugar, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ketchup, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, and corn starch.  Mix well, cover, and set aside.
  4. Slice the scallion whites into quarter-inch pieces, and the scallion greens into one-inch pieces.  Combine the scallion whites, chopped garlic, and Chili Garlic Sauce in another bowl.  Set the scallion greens aside for garnish.
  5. Heat one or two tablespoons peanut oil over high heat in a wok or sauté pan until it begins to smoke.  Add the mushrooms and stir until soft and lightly browned.  Add the water chestnuts and stir until they are lightly browned, or about another minute.  Remove the vegetables to another bowl.
  6. Add more oil to the wok, three or four tablespoons this time.  Add the pork and stir until the pork just loses all traces of pink, or about four minutes.
  7. Add the scallions and garlic and stir in.  Then, whisk the sauce to recombine and add it to the hot wok.  Finally, add the mushrooms and water chestnuts.
  8. Continue stirring until the sauce begins to boil and thicken.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook for another minute.
  9. Serve immediately, preferably over steamed brown rice, and garnish with the reserved scallion greens.
Szechuan Pork in Garlic Sauce cooking in a very hot wok.
Served over steamed brown rice and ready for the table!  Trust me.  The rice is really there.

Notes

  • Boneless country-style pork ribs can be used, but trimming the fat is much more tedious.
  • Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce is an acceptable substitute for the Chili Garlic Sauce.
Posted: July 2015.