The Best Stir-Fry Pork Marinade

By
Liv Wan
Liv Wan
Liv Wan is a former professional chef who has published three cookbooks about Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine.
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Updated on 05/16/24
Browned stir-fried pork cubes with rice on a dinner plate

The Spruce Eats / Eric Kleinberg

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This stir-fried pork marinade results in tender and flavorful meat that is delicious whether you serve it on its own or as part of a stir-fry with vegetables. The mixture of soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, turbinado sugar, and garlic gives the dish flavorful depth, and the cornstarch creates that velvety texture found in Chinese restaurant dishes.

This marinade is very tasty and versatile; it can be used on other proteins besides pork, like chicken strips, beef, or even shrimp. To add some color and nutrients to the dish, include a variety of vegetables, such as snow peas, baby corn, sliced carrot, bok choy, eggplant, mung bean sprouts, asparagus, peas, green beans, onions, or anything else you have on hand. Just make sure the vegetables are all cut to a similar size to help ensure that they cook at the same rate.

Finish the dish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds or sesame oil and serve with white or brown rice, your favorite noodles, or as is.

Tips for Pork Stir Fry Recipe

Although stir-frying is a quick and easy cooking method, there are a few tips to keep in mind so your dish will be restaurant quality:

  • Wok is best - Stir-frying in a wok is ideal, but if you do not have one, you should use the biggest (and flattest) frying pan you have. Make sure to get it very hot. To test the heat, sprinkle a few beads of water onto the hot pan; if they evaporate immediately, the pan is ready for a stir-fry. If not, keep heating and test again.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan - If there is more meat than what will fit in the pan comfortably, cook the pork in batches. A crowded pan will cool down quickly, cause the pork to release its juices, and prevent it from turning brown. Make sure the pork is at room temperature before adding to the hot pan; cold meat will cool down the wok.
  • Cook the meat and veggies separately - Remove the pork from the wok before cooking the vegetables, and then return the cooked meat to the pan at the end. Start with the vegetables that take the longest to cook first, and then add those that cook more quickly. If the pork or vegetables seem a bit dry as it is cooking, add a little bit of water as you stir-fry.


What You'll Need to Make This Pork Marinade Recipe
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A Sharp Chef's Knife
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A Great Garlic Press
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A Nice Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 (3/4- to 1-pound) pork tenderloin

Marinade

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for pork stir-fry marinade recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Eric Kleinberg

  2. Cut 1 (3/4- to 1-pound) pork tenderloin into strips or 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes.

    Pork cubes on a wooden cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Eric Kleinberg

  3. Add 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine, 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar, freshly ground black or white pepper (to taste), 1 clove garlic (minced, optional) to a bowl, adding 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch last.

    Marinade ingredients combined in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Eric Kleinberg

  4. Stir well, then add the pork cubes or strips and marinate for 15 to 30 minutes before stir-frying. 

    Pork cubes in marinade in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Eric Kleinberg

  5. Add to your stir-fry and enjoy.

 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
180 Calories
5g Fat
2g Carbs
30g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 180
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 83mg 28%
Sodium 719mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 519mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)