I ruined so many batches of fried rice over the years - we're talking soggy, bland disasters that went straight to the trash. This pork fried rice recipe finally changed everything after I spent three years figuring out what I was doing wrong. Emma still teases me about the time I filled our kitchen with smoke trying to get that "wok breath" flavor everyone talks about.
Why You'll Love This Pork Fried Rice Recip
I've made this dish for Emma's friends, church potlucks, and those crazy busy Tuesday nights when everyone's starving. Here's why it never lets me down: you can use that rice that's been sitting in your fridge for two days, it's done in 15 minutes, and there's only one pan to scrub afterward. Emma even asks for more instead of hiding pieces under his napkin.
But here's the real reason I keep making it - it tastes just like our favorite Chinese place downtown. The Pork Fried Rice Recipe doesn't get mushy and gross, the pork stays soft, and somehow I figured out how to get that slightly smoky taste without filling the kitchen with smoke. I've served this to surprise dinner guests, packed it for lunches all week, and made it on nights w
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- Why You'll Love This Pork Fried Rice Recip
- Ingredients for Perfect Pork Fried Rice Recip
- How To Make Pork Fried Rice Recip Step By Step
- Pork Fried Rice Recip Variations
- Equipment For Pork Fried Rice Recip
- Storing Your Pork Fried Rice Recip
- How My Neighbor's Dish Became a Household Staple
- Top Tip
- What to Serve With Pork Fried Rice Recip
- FAQ
- Perfect Fried Rice Every Time!
- Related
- Pairing
- Pork Fried Rice Recip
Ingredients for Perfect Pork Fried Rice Recip
The Pork:
- Leftover roast pork
- Pork tenderloin diced up
- Ground pork
- Thick bacon pieces
The Rice:
- Day-old jasmine rice
- Long-grain white rice
- Don't even think about using fresh rice
The Flavor Makers:
- Light soy sauce
- Dark soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Fresh ginger
- Garlic
- Green onions
The Extras:
- Eggs
- Frozen peas
- Diced carrots
- Bean sprouts
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Pork Fried Rice Recip Step By Step
Before You Start:
- Cut your pork into small chunks
- Beat eggs with some salt
- Mix your soy sauces in a little bowl
- Get that cold rice sitting nearby
- Chop green onions
Time To Cook:
- Get your wok crazy hot until it's smoking
- Pour oil around the edges
- Eggs go in first - let them sit for 30 seconds
- Scramble them up into big pieces, then take them out
Do The Pork:
- Dump pork into that hot wok
- Leave it alone for 2 minutes
- Flip once, cook another minute
- Push it to one side
Smell The Magic:
- Toss garlic and ginger into the empty space
- Stir for 30 seconds until your kitchen smells incredible
- Mix it all together
Rice Time:
- Add that cold rice from yesterday
- Smash any clumps with your spatula
- Keep flipping it around for 2-3 minutes
- Pour soy sauce on one side, let it bubble
- Mix everything up
The Final Push:
- Sprinkle green onions on top
- Throw in frozen peas and those scrambled eggs
- Add white onion pieces
- Drizzle sesame oil around the edges
- Give it one last toss
Smart Swaps for Your Pork Fried Rice Recip
Meat Options:
- Pork → Chicken thighs (diced)
- Ground pork → Ground turkey
- Fresh meat → Leftover rotisserie chicken
- Any meat → Extra scrambled eggs
Rice Choices:
- White rice → Brown rice (takes longer)
- Jasmine rice → Whatever's in your fridge
- Regular rice → Cauliflower rice (keto)
- Day-old rice → Quinoa (Emma calls it "weird rice")
Sauce Swaps:
- Soy sauce → Tamari (gluten-free)
- Regular soy → Coconut aminos (soy-free)
- Dark soy sauce → Just use light soy
- High sodium → Low-sodium versions
Veggie Changes:
- Frozen peas → Any frozen veggies
- Carrots → Bell peppers
- Bean sprouts → Fresh corn
- Standard mix → Whatever's dying in your crisper
Equipment
- Small bowls → Whatever's clean
- Wok → Large cast iron skillet
- Two spatulas → One big spoon
Pork Fried Rice Recip Variations
Hawaiian Style:
- Add diced pineapple chunks
- Throw in some ham pieces
- Extra soy sauce
- Green onions on top
Breakfast Version:
- Use bacon instead of pork
- Add extra scrambled eggs
- Diced bell peppers
- Serve with hot sauce
Veggie Packed:
- Frozen mixed vegetables
- Fresh broccoli pieces
- Snap peas
- Double the garlic
Emma's Favorite:
- Extra eggs (he's obsessed)
- No "weird green stuff"
- Mild soy sauce only
- Side of sweet and sour sauce
Spicy Grown-Up:
- Fresh chopped chilies
- Chili oil drizzle
- White pepper
- Crispy shallots on top
Leftover Makeover:
- Yesterday's roast chicken
- Cooked vegetables from dinner
- Any sauce that needs using up
- Whatever cheese Emma didn't finish
Equipment For Pork Fried Rice Recip
- Large wok or heavy skillet
- Two spatulas (for proper tossing)
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Small prep bowls
Storing Your Pork Fried Rice Recip
Fridge Storage (3-4 days):
- Let it cool down completely first
- Stick it in containers with tight lids
- When reheating, add a splash of water
- Heat it up in a hot pan, not the microwave
Freezer Storage (2 months):
- Cool it all the way down
- Pack in freezer bags or containers
- Write the date on there (trust me, you'll forget)
- Thaw overnight in the fridge
Reheating Tips:
- Hot wok or skillet works best
- Add tiny bit of oil
- Keep it moving so nothing sticks
- Don't microwave it - makes everything mushy
Make-Ahead Trick:
- Cook fresh when you're ready to eat
- Prep all your ingredients the night before
- Keep everything in the fridge
How My Neighbor's Dish Became a Household Staple
Three summers ago, our neighbor Mrs. Kim invited Emma and me over for dinner after we helped her move some heavy boxes. I figured we'd get the usual polite neighbor meal, but she put this incredible Pork Fried Rice Recip on the table that had me going back for more.Emma, who normally pokes at rice and complains, ate his whole plate and asked if we could "have this tomorrow too."
Mrs. Kim just laughed and said it was leftover junk from the weekend - old rice, some Pork Fried Rice Recip from Sunday dinner, random vegetables she needed to use up. But then she showed me how she made it, and I realized I'd been messing this up for years. That wok was so hot I thought she'd burn the house down, she moved everything around like she was in some kind of cooking race, and somehow had dinner ready in less time than it takes me to decide what to cook.
Top Tip
- The biggest thing is using Pork Fried Rice Recipe that's been sitting in your fridge overnight - fresh rice turns into gross mush every time. Get everything chopped and ready before you turn on the stove because once that pan heats up, you've got maybe 8 minutes to get this done. Your wok needs to be smoking hot (seriously smoking), and use vegetable or peanut oil that won't burn.
- The order matters: eggs first (scramble them up and take them out), then Pork Fried Rice Recip (leave it alone for 2 minutes so it gets brown), then garlic and ginger (30 seconds or they'll burn), then rice (let it sit for 30 seconds before flipping it around to get those crispy bits). Pour your soy sauce on one side of the pan, let it bubble up, then mix everything together.
- Mistakes that ruined my fried rice for years: using a pan that's too small so everything gets steamy instead of crispy, stirring it constantly instead of letting things get brown, adding salt when soy sauce already has tons, and making it too wet and soupy. Don't stick leftovers in the microwave - heat them up in a hot pan with just a splash of water.
What to Serve With Pork Fried Rice Recip
This pork fried rice recipe is pretty filling by itself, but sometimes you want to make dinner feel like more of an event. I usually throw some frozen egg rolls in the oven, slice up cucumbers with rice vinegar and a little sugar, or steam whatever green stuff is hiding in my crisper drawer. If people are coming over or I'm trying to impress someone, I'll grab pot stickers from the store or make egg drop soup from one of those packets - Emma begs for that every time.
When Emma drags his friends home for dinner, I've figured out that simple wins every time. Kids don't care about fancy sides - they want food that doesn't look strange and tastes good. I'll put out some spring rolls, maybe grab orange chicken from the grocery store deli counter, and always keep sriracha and soy sauce on the table because somebody always needs more flavor. Fortune cookies make everyone laugh at the end, and most nights we j
FAQ
What are the ingredients for Pork Fried Rice Recipe?
You need day-old rice, some kind of pork, eggs, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, green onions, and frozen peas. The main thing is using rice that's been sitting in your fridge overnight. Everything else you can mess around with depending on what you've got.
What is the secret ingredient in Chinese fried rice?
Honestly, there isn't one magic thing - it's more about not screwing up the technique. Use cold rice, get your pan crazy hot, and don't dump everything in at once. Dark soy sauce makes it brown, sesame oil makes it smell like the Chinese place downtown.
What is the secret to crispy fried rice?
Get your pan really hot and use rice from yesterday. Let the rice just sit there for 30 seconds before you start flipping it around. That's how you get those slightly burnt bits that taste so good at restaurants.
What gives Chinese fried rice its flavour?
That smoky taste comes from cooking everything super fast in a really hot pan. Soy sauce gives it that salty flavor, fresh ginger and garlic smell incredible when they hit the hot oil. A little sesame oil at the very end makes everything taste right.
Perfect Fried Rice Every Time!
You've got everything you need now - the day-old rice trick, getting that pan crazy hot, and when to throw each thing in. This isn't just another thing to make for dinner anymore; it's what Emma's friends ask for when they show up hungry, and what I make when I need something good without much fuss. No more gross, mushy rice or wondering why the Chinese place down the street always tastes better than mine.
Want more stuff that actually works for real families? Try our Delicious Pizza Casserole Recipe that has all the pizza flavors kids go nuts for in one pan. Planning a cookout? Our The Best Hamburger Patty Recipe makes burgers that don't fall apart on the grill. When it gets cold outside, our Healthy And Ideal Borscht Soup Recipe warms everyone up - even the kids who normally won't touch soup.
Share your fried rice wins! We love seeing what you make and hearing about your own kitchen disasters that turned into wins!
Rate this Pork Fried Rice Recipe and tell us how it went!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pork Fried Rice Recip
Pork Fried Rice Recip
Equipment
- 1 Wok or large cast iron skillet
- 1 Spatula (or two for tossing)
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Small prep bowls
Ingredients
- 2 cups Day-old jasmine rice - cold leftover from previous day
- 1 cup Cooked pork - diced roast pork tenderloin, or ground pork
- 2 Eggs - beaten with pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoon Light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce - optional for color
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil - added at the end
- 2 teaspoon Fresh ginger - minced
- 3 cloves Garlic - minced
- 3 Green onions - chopped
- ½ cup Frozen peas
- ½ cup Diced carrots
- ½ cup Bean sprouts - optional
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable oil - or peanut oil for high heat
Instructions
- Chop pork and vegetables, beat eggs, and prepare sauces before starting
- Preheat the wok until it is very hot and ready for stir-frying
- Scramble eggs, sear pork, and quickly fry aromatics for flavor
- Stir-fry cold day-old rice, break up clumps, and season with sauces
- Mix in vegetables, return eggs, drizzle sesame oil, and serve hot
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