Teriyaki Pork
Juicy pork covered in a rich teriyaki sauce and served with rice and cabbage, all done in under 30 minutes! This is a great midweek dinner recipe to make for yourself, your partner and your family.
I don’t often cook with pork during the week as I generally save it for a longer cook on the weekend. However, I’ve been craving it a bit lately so we’re going to make dinner in under 30 minutes using pork tenderloin (also known as pork fillet). The best part of the dish (in my opinion) is the teriyaki sauce which brings so much flavour to this dish and it’s really simple to make.
I made this for Katelyn recently and I think it’s now her new favourite dish as she keeps on requesting it. This recipe will take you through the steps, as well as provide a little extra guidance on the ingredients, techniques and method.
I’ll try to do a few more of these 30 minute meal ideas because I know that’s all the time I have during the week to make dinner.
What is teriyaki?
Teriyaki originates from a 17th century Japanese cooking technique, where teri (luster) and yaki (grill) combine to create a sweet, glossy sauce traditionally used for grilled fish. The combination of soy, mirin, sake and honey creates an incredible flavourful that works so well as a glaze. Over time, pork and other meats were introduced. This version with pork tenderloin is a great example of how simple, quality ingredients and a good sauce can make an incredible meal in under 30 minutes.
Ingredient Notes
Pork tenderloin:
this cut is taken from the loin and it's a long, lean cut of pork. Alternative pork cuts you can use are pork chops, diced loin or pork belly. You can also switch pork out completely and make it with chicken thighs or beef (like flank steak).
Short grain rice:
is also known as sushi rice and can be purchased at major supermarkets and Asian grocers.
Soy sauce:
I always recommend using a good quality soy sauce which I generally shop for at the Asian supermarket.
Peanut oil:
as there’s so many flavours going on in this dish, I like to use peanut oil as my cooking oil as it has a neutral flavour. If you prefer to cook with olive oil, it will still taste good.
Rice vinegar and sesame oil:
these are used to add balance and acid to the cabbage that we’ll serve on the side. You’ll be able to find both of these in a major supermarket or your local Asian grocer.
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins (approximately 800g)
- sea salt to season
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 spring onions
- 2 tbsp sake
- 90ml soy sauce
- 90ml mirin
- 1 ½ tbsp honey
- 1 ½ tsp sesame oil
TO SERVE
- 2 cups (400g) short-grain rice
- 500ml (2 cups) water
- ¼ green cabbage
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- sea salt, to season
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Lebanese cucumber
Equipment
-
Rice cooker
-
Fine colander or sieve
-
Large frying pan
-
Tray (for resting the pork)
-
Large mixing bowl
-
Chopping board, chefs knife, measuring cups and spoons
Directions
COOK THE RICE
COOK THE PORK
COOK THE SAUCE
FINISH AND SERVE
Notes
Chef Tips
Trimming silver skin
Silver skin is the thin, silvery membrane found on pork tenderloin. It's important to remove it before cooking as it doesn't break down during cooking and can cause the meat to toughen and curl. Use a sharp knife and slide it under the membrane, pulling it away from the meat.
Cutting medallions
Cutting the pork into even 3cm medallions ensures the meat cooks evenly and quickly. Keeping them the same thickness means they'll all be ready at the same time, avoiding some pieces being overcooked while others are underdone.
Searing the pork
Cooking the pork over medium-high heat creates a golden crust on the outside through a process called the Maillard reaction. This adds depth of flavour and texture to the dish.
Deglazing
After searing the pork, there will be caramelised bits stuck to the base of the pan known as fond. Adding the sake to the hot pan loosens these bits, incorporating all that flavour into the sauce.
Glazing the pork
Returning the pork to the sauce and cooking on medium-high heat allows the sauce to reduce and thicken, coating the meat in a sticky, glossy glaze. Turning the pork regularly ensures it's evenly coated on all sides.
Rinsing the rice
Rinsing short grain rice under cold water until the water runs clear removes excess starch. This helps prevent the rice from becoming overly sticky or gummy when cooked.
Steaming the rice
Leaving the rice to steam for 10 minutes after the rice cooker finishes allows the moisture to redistribute evenly through the rice, resulting in a fluffier, more even texture.
Cook Support
Storage
Store any pork leftovers in the sauce in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days. The rice and cabbage can also be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated.
Serving ideas
Instead of serving with rice and cabbage, you could serve it with noodles or steamed greens. I also think it would make a great fried rice the next day if you manage to save some leftovers.
Reheating
Made extras? You can reheat the rice and pork in a microwave, then serve with the cabbage on the side. Another way to reheat the pork is in a pan over medium heat and add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
FAQs
Can I freeze this dish?
Can I make the teriyaki sauce ahead of time?
Can I make this gluten free?
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 serving
- Calories
- per serving
- 871
- Carbs
- 104 grams
- Protein
- 48 grams
- Fat
- 31 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 7 grams
- Fiber
- 3 grams
- Sugar
- 15 grams
- Sodium
- 2070 milligrams
- Cholesterol
- 99 milligrams
- Potassium
- 900 milligrams
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