Sichuan Twice Cooked Pork Recipe: Aromatics, Heat, and Texture

Twice-cooked pork begins with a simmered piece of pork belly, then thin slices are stir-fried with chili bean paste, leek and green hot pepper. This measured version follows The Woks of Life; its two cooking stages are different tasks.

Thin twice-cooked pork belly slices with leek and green pepper — AI recipe illustration: thin twice-cooked pork belly slices with leek and green pepper. Not a record of an actual kitchen test.

Quick Answer

Return pork, add green peppers and leek, then wine, soy and sugar. Stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked and the slices coated. If using stored leftovers, reheat to 74 C (165 F).

Basic Facts

First cooking	450 g pork belly; 2 slices ginger; about 2 quarts water.
Stir-fry	2 tablespoons oil, divided; 1 1/2 tablespoons doubanjiang; 2 garlic cloves; 2 long green hot peppers; 1 medium leek.
Seasoning	1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine; 1 teaspoon light soy; 1/4 teaspoon sugar.

Preparation and cooking

Simmer pork belly with ginger in the water until cooked, using the source’s roughly 30 minutes as a guide. Whole pork must reach 63 C (145 F) followed by a 3-minute rest; size and temperature affect the time needed.
When safe to handle, slice the belly about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick across its layers. Clean the leek thoroughly, cut it into sections and slice the peppers. Keep the cooked pork separate from raw-food equipment.

Cooked pork belly block and thin layered slices on a clean board — AI recipe illustration: cooked pork belly block and thin layered slices on a clean board. Not a record of an actual kitchen test.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil, sear pork slices and transfer them out. Use the remaining oil to briefly fry doubanjiang and garlic, without letting the paste scorch.
Return pork, add green peppers and leek, then wine, soy and sugar. Stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked and the slices coated. If using stored leftovers, reheat to 74 C (165 F).

Texture and seasoning

The selected recipe does not call for cabbage, mushrooms or peppercorns. Keep those other variants separate from this measured leek-and-pepper version.

Thin slices expose alternating fat and meat layers. Slicing a hot, slippery block is difficult; allow safe handling time without leaving cooked meat unrefrigerated for hours.

Twice-cooked pork belly with chili bean paste, leek and green pepper — AI recipe illustration: twice-cooked pork belly with chili bean paste, leek and green pepper. Not a record of an actual kitchen test.

Quick reference

Use the measured ingredient list and the cooking order above. Images illustrate ingredients and appearance; they do not document this site’s own kitchen test or prove exact quantities.

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is pork cooked twice?

Simmering cooks the block before the sliced pork is seared and seasoned.

Does this version use cabbage?

No. It uses leek and green hot peppers.

How thin are the slices?

About 1/8 inch (3 mm), following the source.