Pork Fried Rice

Name: Pork Fried Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 4 cups (600 g) long-grain white rice, cooked, cold, cooked 1 to 2 days ahead and chilled within 1 hour of cooking, clumps broken up with your fingers; 8 oz (225 g) Chinese roast pork (char siu) or cooked pork loin, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 3 whole (150 g) large eggs, beaten with the salt until no streaks of white remain; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice (about 1 cup); 1 cup (140 g) frozen peas and diced carrots, thawed and drained; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely minced; 4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white parts and green parts kept separate; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as canola or peanut oil; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt, for the eggs; 3 tbsp (45 ml) regular soy sauce; 1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce (optional); 1 tsp (5 ml) dark soy sauce, for color (optional); 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil; ¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground white pepper; fine salt, for final seasoning, to taste, added only at the end

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Takeout-style pork fried rice with smoky, browned roast pork, fluffy scrambled egg, sweet onion and plenty of scallions, all tossed with cold rice over high heat. It's ready in under 30 minutes once the rice is chilled, and it's a great way to use leftover pork.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 13 min
Total: 28 min
Makes: About 6 cups (4 main-course servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

4 cups (600 g) long-grain white rice, cooked, cold, cooked 1 to 2 days ahead and chilled within 1 hour of cooking, clumps broken up with your fingers
8 oz (225 g) Chinese roast pork (char siu) or cooked pork loin, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
3 whole (150 g) large eggs, beaten with the salt until no streaks of white remain
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice (about 1 cup)
1 cup (140 g) frozen peas and diced carrots, thawed and drained
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely minced
4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white parts and green parts kept separate
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil such as canola or peanut oil
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine salt, for the eggs
For the sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) regular soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce (optional)
1 tsp (5 ml) dark soy sauce, for color (optional)
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground white pepper
fine salt, for final seasoning, to taste, added only at the end

Equipment (7)

14-inch (35 cm) carbon steel wok or 12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet
Wok spatula or large metal spatula
Small bowl for the sauce
Medium bowl for the eggs
Chef's knife and cutting board
Rimmed baking sheet (for cooling the rice quickly)
Shallow airtight container (for storing the chilled rice)

Steps

Before you start

Use cold rice that was cooked 1 to 2 days ahead. Cook about 1⅓ cups (265 g) raw long-grain rice, then spread it in a thin layer (no deeper than 1 inch / 2.5 cm) on a rimmed baking sheet right away. Get it into the fridge within 1 hour of cooking (30 minutes is better) and chill it uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight. Warm, fresh rice turns mushy.
Food safety: cooked rice can carry Bacillus cereus, whose toxin survives stir-frying. Discard any rice that was left at room temperature for more than 1 hour or that cooled slowly in a deep pot. Keep your fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below.
Cut everything before you turn on the heat. Stir-frying moves fast, and you won't have time to chop once the wok is hot.
Use cooked pork: Chinese roast pork (char siu), or leftover roast pork loin or pork tenderloin. Raw pork needs to be cooked separately first.
Use a wok or your largest skillet. Cooking in two batches is better than crowding the pan.

1
Loosen the rice
- Tip the cold rice into a large bowl.
- Rub it between your fingers to break up every clump until the grains are separate and loose.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: No clumps larger than a grape remain; the grains pour freely.
Tip: Break up clumps now. Pressing them apart in the hot wok mashes the grains.
2
Prep the pork and vegetables
- Dice the pork into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces.
- Dice the onion the same size.
- Mince the garlic.
- Slice the scallions and keep the whites and the greens in separate piles.
- Drain the thawed peas and carrots well and pat them with a paper towel.
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Ready when: Everything is cut and sitting within arm's reach of the stove.
Tip: Wet vegetables steam instead of fry, so dry the peas and carrots.
3
Mix sauce and beat eggs
- In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil and white pepper.
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with ¼ tsp salt until uniform and pale yellow.
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Ready when: Sauce is evenly dark; eggs have no visible streaks of white.
4
Scramble the eggs
- Heat the wok over high heat for about 1 minute until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates at once.
- Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the oil and swirl to coat.
- Pour in the eggs.
- Let them set for 10 seconds, then push and fold with a spatula into large, soft curds.
- Cook about 30 to 45 seconds total, then tip them onto a plate.
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Ready when: Eggs are just set, with large fluffy curds and no liquid left. They'll finish cooking later.
Tip: Take the eggs out while still slightly glossy. They cook again when they go back in.
5
Sear the pork
- Return the wok to high heat and add 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil.
- Add the diced pork in a single layer and cook, stirring only occasionally, for 1½ to 2 minutes.
- Transfer to the plate with the eggs.
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Ready when: Edges are browned and slightly crisp, and the pork is hot throughout (165°F / 74°C).
Tip: If your pork is lean loin rather than char siu, don't overcook it or it will dry out.
6
Cook the aromatics
- Add the final 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil to the wok.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
- Add the peas and carrots, scallion whites and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute more.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent with browned edges, and the garlic smells fragrant but is not burnt.
Tip: If the garlic begins to darken, lift the wok off the heat for a few seconds.
7
Fry the rice
- Add the rice to the wok.
- Spread it up the sides and press it against the hot surface, then toss and repeat for 3 to 4 minutes, so each grain heats through and dries slightly.
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Ready when: Rice is steaming hot, bounces when tossed, and a few grains have started to toast.
Tip: If the rice sticks to the wok, add 1 tsp oil along the edge.
8
Sauce and combine
- Drizzle the sauce around the edge of the wok so it sizzles on the hot metal, then toss quickly for 30 seconds until the rice is evenly colored.
- Return the eggs and pork, breaking the eggs into small pieces as you toss, and cook another 30 seconds.
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Ready when: No pale or white rice remains, and everything is evenly mixed and hot.
9
Season and serve
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the scallion greens.
- Taste and add a pinch of salt only if needed (the soy sauce is already salty).
- Serve immediately while hot.
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Ready when: Scallion greens are bright and just wilted from the residual heat.
Tip: Add the green scallions off the heat so they stay bright and fresh.

Good to know

Tips

Make sure the wok is very hot before adding anything. A hot pan gives toasty flavor and keeps the rice from steaming.
Don't cook more than this amount in a home wok. For a double batch, fry in two batches and combine at the end.
Add soy sauce a little at a time, tasting as you go, since brands vary a lot in saltiness.
White pepper is the classic takeout flavor, but black pepper works in a pinch.

Make ahead

Cook the rice 1 to 2 days ahead. Spread it in a thin layer (no deeper than 1 inch / 2.5 cm) on a rimmed baking sheet as soon as it's cooked, and refrigerate it uncovered within 1 hour (ideally 30 minutes). Once it's fully cold, after about 1 hour, transfer it to a shallow airtight container and keep it at 40°F (4°C) or below. Discard rice that cooled slowly or sat out at room temperature for more than 1 hour. Dice the pork and vegetables up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate them separately. The sauce can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.

Storage & reheating

Cool leftover fried rice and refrigerate within 1 hour, in a shallow airtight container, for up to 3 days at 40°F (4°C) or below, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a hot skillet with 1 tsp oil and a splash of water, stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or microwave covered for 1½ to 2 minutes, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C). Do not leave at room temperature for more than 1 hour.

Substitutions

Chinese roast pork (char siu) or cooked pork loin → Diced ham, cooked bacon, Chinese sausage (lap cheong) or cooked chicken. Use the same weight. If using bacon or sausage, reduce the oil by 1 tbsp since they release fat.
long-grain white rice, cooked → Day-old jasmine rice. Jasmine is slightly softer and more fragrant; use the same amount, and be gentle when tossing. Chill it the same way, within 1 hour of cooking.
oyster sauce → Extra regular soy sauce plus ½ tsp sugar. Leave out the oyster sauce to make a simpler, lighter-flavored rice.
regular soy sauce → Tamari. Makes the recipe gluten-free if you also skip or replace the oyster sauce and dark soy sauce.