Pork Teriyaki Stir Fry

This is a great budget-friendly meal.  If you wish, you can change this up by using chicken instead of pork. I used sliced boneless porkchops, because that is what I had on hand.  Also, use whatever vegetables you like...broccoli and snow peas are a good addition. The home-made Teriyaki sauce is sooo much better (cheaper and even better for you) than the jarred sauce. This will definitely be a recipe that will be made often!

Just a few tips: 

- Make sure your pan is hot.  If not, the meat will steam instead of brown.  You want that sizzle.

- Prep everything first and have it all ready.  This is not a "chop as you go" type of meal.  

- Don't crowd the pan by dumping everything in at once.  The ingredients need space.  Work in batches if you have to.

- If you want a little sweetness but don't have pineapple, you can add a splash of orange juice instead.  I used 1 tablespoon of frozen orange juice concentrate in place of the pineapple.

- If you want some spice, add sriracha or chili flakes to the sauce.

- For a low-carb meal, serve over cauliflower rice or wrap in lettuce leaves like little stir fry tacos.

1 lb pork loin, cut into thin strips (or you may use chicken pieces) 

2 TBS vegetable oil, divided

1 cup carrots, julienned or thinly sliced

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

2 cloves garlic, minced (more if you like)

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (or 1/4 tsp ground)

1 cup canned or fresh pineapple chunks (optional), drain but save juice

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup water (or juice from the canned pineapple, if using) (I used 1 TBS frozen OJ concentrate in addition to the 1/4 cup water.)

2 TBS honey

1 TBS brown sugar

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 TBS cornstarch

2 TBS cold water

Cooked rice, for serving

Sesame seeds and green onion (optional garnish)

Make the Sauce:

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce 1/4 cup water (or juice), honey, brown sugar and sesame oil.

In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 TBS cold water. Set both aside.

Cook the Pork:

Heat 1 TBS oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Add pork, season lightly with salt and pepper and stir-fry until browned and just cooked through (4-5 minutes).  Remove pork from the pan and set aside. 

Stir-Fry the Veggies:

In the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil.  Add carrots and onions first and stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Then add bell peppers, mushrooms, water chestnuts and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, until tender-crisp.  Add garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.

Combine and Simmer:

Return the pork to the pan, add pineapple chunks if using and pour in the sauce.  Bring to a simmer.  Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and everything is nicely coated.

Serve:

Serve hot over rice.  Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions if you like.

Serves 4

Source:  pennywiseplates.com

Kimberly