This is a great example of Milk Street’s mission; finding flavorful recipes from around the world and adapting them for the American home cook. Cooks in China have come up with a way to keep lean proteins such as pork tenderloin or beef from overcooking: coating it with cornstarch. This technique known as velveting involves giving julienned strips of meat a quick marinade then a light coating of cornstarch. After searing in hot oil the meat emerges meltingly tender instead of tough and overdone.
I thought this was absolutely delicious, served with jasmine rice and a stir-fry of asparagus, snap peas, and red peppers. Just finished the (not enough!) leftovers for lunch and know I’ll be making this recipe often. This and the previous post of asparagus and ground pork are my new favorite Asian flavored recipes.
Don’t cook the pork until well browned all around; the slightly underdone pieces will finish cooking with residual heat.
1 1/4 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin
4 Tbs. soy sauce, divided, plus more to serve
1 Tbs. dry sherry
Ground white pepper
3 Tbs. hoisin sauce
2 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbs. cornstarch
4 Tbs. neutral oil, divided
6 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Place the tenderloin on a plate and freeze, uncovered, until firm and partially frozen, about 15 minutes. Cut the meat on the diagonal into slices about 3/8 inch thick. A few at a time, stack the slices and cut into thin strips.
In a medium bowl, toss the strips with 2 Tbs. of the soy sauce, the sherry, 1/2 tsp. white pepper and 2 Tbs. water. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 Tbs. soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, 1/2 tsp white pepper and 1/2 cup water; set aside.
To the pork mixture: Add the cornstarch and 1 Tbs. of the neutral oil, then mix until the pork is evenly coated. In a 12-inch skillet over high, heat the remaining 3 Tbs. neutral oil until barely smoking. Add the pork in an even layer and cook without stirring until golden brown and the pieces release easily from the pan, about 2 minutes. Using a metal spoon or spatula, stir and scrape up the pork and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it has lost most but not all of its pink color, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the hoisin mixture, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until syrupy and a spoon drawn through it leaves a trail, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the pork and accumulated juices, then stir to coat. Taste and season with additional soy sauce and white pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with scallions. Serves 4.
Note: I skipped the freezing step and was able with a sharp knife to slice the pork without much trouble.
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