Tender Skillet Hunan Pork Bites {Freezer Meal}
Tender Skillet Hunan Pork Bites, with a super quick cook time of 7 minutes or less means dinner is amazingly delicious and on the table in less than 20 minutes – especially if you prep it as a freezer meal like I do!
Is this a traditional Hunan Pork recipe? Probably not.
Is this awesome and taste like Hunan magic?
Yes.
Its got ginger, dried hot pepper, vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce… so yeah. It’s Hunan as far as I am concerned.
Make sure for this recipe you use pork tenderloin, not pork loin. Nothing compares to the tenderness of pork tenderloin – in my opinion.
Also, can I get a virtual high 5 for putting my Instant Pot and Air fryer away and pulling out the skillet!
I personally use a cast iron skillet for this recipe, but use whatever you have. Nothing sears quite like a cast iron pan, though!
A few important things about this Tender Skillet Hunan Pork recipe:
- It is not a super sauce recipe – more like a marinade. If you want lots of sauce, double it.
- Don’t just dump it all into your skillet. Heat the oil, use tongs and add the pork to the pan. Get a good sear. THEN add the marinade to cook and thicken the sauce.
And the best part. This can be a prep raw and freeze, freezer meal!!!! YAS!
Enough of my yammering on… here is the recipe lovelies!
Tender Skillet Hunan Pork Bites {Freezer Meal}
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil for cooking
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 tbsp peanuts garnish
Instructions
For Freezer Assembly
- Combine all ingredients (except oilve oil and pork) into a bowl and whisk until the cornstarch is no longer clumpy.
- Add the pork and combine gently until the pork is coated.
- Transfer to freezer safe zip bag and label. Keep peanuts separate.
To cook
- Heat olive oil in skillet.
- Once oil is heated, using tongs, add the pork so that the pieces don't touch. Work in batches if needed.
- Cook on medium-high heat for 5 -7 minutes until desired doneness.
- In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the marinade. Let cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens.
Nutrition
So, there you have it, a not quite traditional, but super awesome Tender Skillet Hunan Pork Bites!
If freezer meal prep is your jam, make sure you check out the freezer meal section of the blog here!
Oh and tell me in the comments, so you want more freezer friendly skillet recipes?!
Would this work with pork chops? I’m so lost with what pork is what if it’s not bacon.