Recipe
Tender Meat Marinated with Onions: Marinated Pork and Sweet Onion Stir-Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 200gthinly sliced pork (pork collar or shoulder)
- 1sweet spring onion (regular onion is also fine)
- 1.5tbsp soy sauce
- 1tsp sugar
- 1/2tbsp vegetable oil
- Apinch of shichimi togarashi (seven-spice powder)
About "Marinated Pork and Sweet Onion Stir-Fry"
This simple dish features pork slices and sweet spring onions marinated in a plastic bag with a soy sauce and sugar mixture, then stir-fried. The moisture and enzymes from the onions tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. By cutting the onion two ways—thick slices across the grain for stir-frying (1 cm wide) and thin slices along the grain for a raw topping—you can enjoy a wonderful contrast of textures. It can be marinated for as little as 10 minutes or overnight, making it a perfect make-ahead meal kit. A final sprinkle of shichimi togarashi (seven-spice powder) adds a nice kick.
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Video Timestamps
Tips for Making "Marinated Pork and Sweet Onion Stir-Fry"
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Prep (Raw Topping)
- Slice the topping onions thinly along the grain and spread them on a tray for at least 10 minutes to remove sharpness. Sweet onions are mild, so there is no need to soak them in water, preserving their crisp texture.
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Prep (Stir-Fry)
- Slice the stir-fry onions across the grain into 1 cm pieces to help release moisture, making it easier for the seasonings to penetrate. Make vertical cuts first to ensure uniform, bite-sized pieces.
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Marinating
- Massage the onions and seasonings in a plastic bag first to draw out moisture before adding the pork. Squeeze out the air to ensure the marinade coats the meat evenly, then refrigerate.
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Marinating Time
- While 10 minutes is enough for a delicious result, prepping it the night before and marinating overnight yields even tenderer meat and deeper flavor. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 day.
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Stir-Frying
- The sweet onions release plenty of moisture, creating a bulgogi-like braised stir-fry. Stir-fry over medium heat while breaking up the meat with chopsticks. Watch the edges of the pan to prevent scorching.
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Finishing Touches
- Plate the stir-fry, top with a generous mound of the raw sliced onions, and sprinkle with shichimi togarashi. Serving it over shredded cabbage for a yakiniku-style meal is also highly recommended.
Ingredients for "Marinated Pork and Sweet Onion Stir-Fry"
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How to Make "Marinated Pork and Sweet Onion Stir-Fry"
- 1
Slice 1/4 of the sweet onion thinly along the grain to make the raw topping. Spread the slices out on a tray without overlapping and let them sit in the air for at least 10 minutes to remove the sharpness.
- 2
For the remaining 3/4 of the onion, make light vertical cuts and then slice across the grain into 1 cm thick pieces (for stir-frying).
- 3
Place the stir-fry onions in a plastic bag, add 1.5 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp sugar, and massage well to draw out the moisture from the onions.
- 4
Add 200g of thinly sliced pork into the bag, breaking it up with chopsticks. Squeeze out the air, seal, and massage from the outside so the onions and seasonings get between the meat slices.
- 5
Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes (preferably overnight).
- 6
Heat 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan and pour in the entire contents of the bag.
- 7
Stir-fry over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up the meat with chopsticks. Turn off the heat once everything is fully cooked.
- 8
Plate the dish, top with a generous mound of the raw sliced onions, sprinkle with shichimi togarashi, and serve.
Detailed Commentary on "Marinated Pork and Sweet Onion Stir-Fry"
* Content organized by topics from the video.
Two Onion Cuts for Two Textures
We will use one whole sweet spring onion, cutting it in two different ways to elevate the dish. First, use 1/4 of the onion to make the raw topping. The key is to slice it as thinly as possible along the grain. Once sliced, spread them out on a tray so they don't overlap. Here is a quick tip: letting sliced onions sit in the air gradually removes their sharp bite. Since sweet spring onions are naturally mild, you don't even need to soak them in water; just letting them sit out for 10 minutes or more is enough to make them sweet and delicious. This is a highly recommended method to keep them crisp without getting watery.
Prep Tips for Stir-Fry Onions
The remaining 3/4 of the onion will be stir-fried with the pork. Slice this portion across the grain into 1 cm thick pieces. Slicing across the grain helps release the onion's moisture, allowing the seasonings and savory flavors to blend beautifully when massaged with the meat. If you slice a whole onion directly, the outer layers end up too large. To prevent this, make light vertical cuts first before slicing them into 1 cm widths. This professional technique ensures a pleasant mouthfeel and uniform size that pairs perfectly with the pork.
Marinating in a Bag
Place the 1 cm sliced onions into a plastic bag and add the seasonings. The seasoning is incredibly simple: just 1.5 tbsp of soy sauce and 1 tsp of sugar. First, massage the onions and seasonings together in the bag to draw out the vegetable juices. Next, add 200g of thinly sliced pork. You can use any cut you like, such as collar, shoulder, loin, or belly, but cuts that aren't overly fatty work best. Break up the meat with chopsticks as you add it to the bag, coat it with the liquid, squeeze out the air, and massage well. The trick is to get the onions and seasonings right between the meat slices. Seal the bag and marinate in the fridge for at least 10 minutes, or ideally overnight. It keeps perfectly fine for a day, making it an excellent make-ahead meal kit for busy days.
Stir-Frying Bulgogi-Style
For this demonstration, we are using pork that has been marinated overnight, allowing the onions to soften and meld with the meat. Heat 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a frying pan and pour in the entire contents of the bag. Since the sweet onions release a lot of moisture, it will cook in its own juices like a braised stir-fry, even without adding any water. It is very similar to Korean bulgogi. Since the meat slices tend to stick together, stir-fry over medium heat while breaking them up with chopsticks. The abundant moisture prevents burning, but if you are using a gas stove, be careful as the edges of the pan can scorch easily. Just focus on separating the meat; there is no need to toss the pan. Stir-fry for about 3 to 4 minutes until the pork is fully cooked.
Plating and Textural Contrast
Once cooked, transfer the stir-fry to a serving plate. You will notice immediately how incredibly tender the pork has become. While we kept it simple with just pork and onions today, you can easily customize this by stir-frying bell peppers along with it, or serving it over a bed of shredded cabbage for a Japanese yakiniku-style set meal. For the final touch, pile the raw sliced onions we set aside earlier high on top. Sprinkle some shichimi togarashi over the onions to add a pop of color and an appetizing kick, completing this beautiful dish.
Tasting: Tender Pork & Sweet Onions
Let's dig in while it's hot! Grabbing a bite of the pork along with the raw sliced onions, you can't help but say, 'Delicious!' The onion marinade has made the pork incredibly tender, and the flavors have penetrated deep into the meat. The contrast between the sweet, melt-in-your-mouth cooked onions and the crisp, refreshing raw onions on top is absolutely irresistible. Even though we only used 1 tsp of sugar, the natural sweetness of the spring onion shines through, creating a deep, rich flavor. Since this can be stored in the refrigerator for a day, you can prep it the night before a busy day and simply stir-fry it the next evening for an outstanding meal. Give it a try!
About きじまごはん 【料理家きじまりゅうた公式チャンネル】
きじまごはん 【料理家きじまりゅうた公式チャンネル】
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