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Overview

Twice-Cooked Pork

Hui Guo Rou — Sichuan Twice-Cooked Pork Belly

This twice-cooked pork recipe boils pork belly until tender, chills and slices it, then stir-fries it with leeks and doubanjiang until the edges curl and the sauce turns glossy and spicy. One serving is about 330 g, rice included.

Hui guo rou, literally pork returned to the pot, is a Sichuan classic built on two cookings: the belly is first boiled until tender, then sliced and fried again in the wok with leeks and doubanjiang, the fermented chilli bean paste of Pixian. The name describes the method — the pork goes back into the pot — and the dish is a fixture of Sichuan home cooking and restaurants alike.

Pairs well with: Steamed jasmine rice and a light cucumber salad

Provenance

China flag China

Sichuan Home-Cooking Classic

East & South Asia

Time Dedication

50m

15m prep • 35m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

906 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 330 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Intermediate (Boil & Stir-Fry)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Family dinner, weekend cooking, when you want something rich and spicy Cost: Medium — about $5–6 per serving at home
Tags: Pork Spicy Savory Rich Stir-fried
A plate of twice-cooked pork belly slices stir-fried with leeks and red chilli bean sauce

Sichuan Home-Cooking Classic

Photo: Alpha, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $5–6 per serving at home (USD)

A good twice-cooked pork has curled, caramelised edges, bright-green leeks and a glossy, spicy sauce that coats every slice.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 50m
P

Prep Stage: Boil, Chill and Slice

35 Mins • Boil First

Simmer the pork belly in water with ginger and Shaoxing wine for 20 minutes until just tender, then lift it out and chill it for 10 minutes — cold belly slices thinly and cleanly, warm belly tears. Cut the leeks into chunky diagonal pieces and measure out the doubanjiang, garlic and seasonings.

Maestro Tip: Do not over-boil the belly; it should be tender enough to slice, not falling apart.

  1. 1

    Cook the Rice

    20 Mins Simmer, ~95°C (203°F)

    Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then cook with 450 ml of water: bring to the boil, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Rest, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff.

    Do not lift the lid while the rice steams — the trapped steam finishes the cooking.

    Done when: Rice is tender, separate and fragrant.

  2. 2

    Boil the Pork Belly

    20 Mins Gentle boil, ~100°C (212°F)

    Put the pork belly in a large pot with the ginger and Shaoxing wine, cover with 1.5 L of water and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 20 minutes until just tender — a chopstick should slide in with light resistance. Lift out and chill for 10 minutes so it slices cleanly.

    Do not over-boil; falling-apart belly cannot be sliced.

    Done when: The belly is tender but still holds its shape.

  3. 3

    Slice the Belly Thin

    5 Mins No heat

    Cut the chilled belly into thin slices about 3 mm thick, keeping the skin on. Thin slices curl in the wok and pick up more sauce; thick slices stay chewy.

    A sharp knife and cold pork are the secret — warm pork tears under the blade.

    Done when: The slices are even, thin and intact.

  4. 4

    Fry the Doubanjiang

    5 Mins Medium-high heat, ~180°C (350°F)

    Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the doubanjiang and dried chillies and fry for 1 minute, stirring, until the oil turns red and fragrant. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds more.

    Frying the paste in oil is what wakes up its flavour — raw paste tastes flat and harsh.

    Done when: The oil is brick-red and the paste smells toasty.

  5. 5

    Stir-Fry Pork and Leeks

    5 Mins High heat, ~200°C (400°F)

    Add the pork slices and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the edges curl and brown. Add the leeks, soy sauce and sugar and toss for 2 minutes more until the leeks are bright green and just wilted and the pork is cooked through to 71°C (160°F). Serve at once over rice.

    Keep the heat high and keep tossing — the leeks should wilt, not stew.

    Done when: The pork edges are curled and browned, the leeks are bright green, and the sauce is glossy.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the pork at once over rice, while the edges are still curled and the sauce is glossy. The leeks should be bright green and just wilted, not soft.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

906

kcal / serving

Protein

19g

Complete AA

Carbs

71g

Complex

Fats

60g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 330 g)
Energy906 kcal
Protein19 g
Carbohydrates71 g
Fat60 g
Fibre2.0 g
Sugar3.6 g
Sodium327 mg
Per 100g
Energy274 kcal
Protein5.6 g
Carbohydrates21.3 g
Fat18.1 g
Fibre0.6 g
Sugar1.1 g
Sodium99 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C and K (leeks), B vitamins and iron (pork), vitamin B6 (garlic, ginger).

Rich, Satisfying Dinner

Pork belly with rice makes a deeply satisfying dinner — a small portion goes a long way, so serve it with plenty of rice and vegetables.

Leeks in Every Bite

Two hundred grams of leeks go into the wok, adding fibre, vitamin C and a gentle onion sweetness that balances the rich pork.

Warming Doubanjiang and Chilli

Fermented chilli bean paste and dried chillies bring warmth and depth; the leeks keep the dish from feeling too heavy.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Steamed Jasmine Rice

Plain rice is essential — it soaks up the spicy sauce and makes a rich dish feel like a full meal.

Vegetables

Cucumber Salad

Cool, vinegary cucumber cuts through the fatty pork and resets the palate between bites.

Soups

Light Vegetable Soup

A clear, light soup balances the richness of the pork and rounds out the meal without adding more fat.

Full Menus

As Part of a Sichuan Meal

Serve the pork family-style with rice, a cucumber salad and a light soup — the twice-cooked pork is the rich, spicy centre of the table.

Complete menu

Serve the pork over jasmine rice with a cool cucumber salad on the side and a light vegetable soup to balance the richness.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

A Second Rich, Fatty Dish

Twice-cooked pork is already very rich in fat; pairing it with another fatty dish makes the meal heavy and hard to finish. Choose a light soup or salad instead. This is general guidance, not medical advice.

Extra Chilli Oil at the Table

The doubanjiang and dried chillies already bring plenty of heat; adding more chilli oil hides the fermented bean flavour and can upset the stomach.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA rich, flavourful dinner — a modest portion of pork with plenty of rice and cucumber makes a full plate.
  • ChildrenSuitable from age 8+ only if you use half the doubanjiang and no dried chillies; the dish is spicy and rich.
  • ElderlyRich and salty — keep the portion small and load up on the rice and cucumber.
  • Pregnant womenGenerally suitable in a small portion if the pork is cooked right through; keep the chilli mild.
  • Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable in a small portion; the dish is rich, so keep the serving modest.
  • AthletesEnergy-dense and satisfying after a hard session, but the protein is modest — pair it with an extra protein-rich side if you need more.
  • Weight gainA good choice — take a full portion of rice and a second helping of pork.
  • Weight lossBest as an occasional treat in a small portion; the pork belly is very high in fat, so load up on the cucumber salad and keep the rice modest.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesThe rice is the main source of carbs — keep it to about a cup cooked and ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureDoubanjiang and soy sauce carry most of the salt; use less doubanjiang and skip extra soy sauce. Ask your clinician about a suitable portion.
  • Kidney diseaseLimit the sauce (sodium from doubanjiang and soy sauce); ask your clinician about portion size.
  • GoutEat occasionally and in small portions — pork belly and fermented bean paste are rich.
  • Stomach issuesThe dish is spicy and fatty, so it can irritate a sensitive stomach — use less doubanjiang and no dried chillies.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseKeep the portion small and favour the leeks and rice over extra pork; pork belly is very high in saturated fat.
  • Fatty liverKeep the portion small and occasional; pork belly is high in fat, so load up on cucumber and light soup.
  • Food allergiesContains soy (doubanjiang, soy sauce) and wheat (doubanjiang and Shaoxing wine may contain wheat). Check the doubanjiang label if you have a soy or wheat allergy.
  • Special therapeutic dietsIf you follow a prescribed low-sodium or low-fat diet, use less doubanjiang and a leaner cut of pork, and check with your clinician.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store the pork and rice separately in airtight containers.
In the fridge
Pork 3 days; cooked rice 2 days.
In the freezer
Pork 2 months; rice 3 months.
How to reheat
Reheat the pork in a hot pan until steaming; reheat to 74°C (165°F). Warm the rice separately and do not reheat rice more than once.
Freezing recommended
Yes — the pork freezes well for up to 2 months.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, grey colour, or slimy pork.

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