Stir-fried Pork Liver is a home-style dish that truly tests your heat control. Cooked right, it’s silky, tender, and completely free of any gamey smell. Overcooked, it becomes tough and dry. The secret lies in the marinade and cooking everything over high heat quickly. Master this, and you’ve mastered the art of stir-frying organ meats!
Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 5 minutes | Serves: 2–3
🌴 Ingredients:
· Fresh pork liver, 300g (about 10.5 oz)
🌴 Vegetables:
· Green bell pepper, 1 (about 100g; cut into chunks)
· Onion, ½ (about 75g; cut into chunks)
· Red bell pepper, ½ (about 50g; cut into chunks, for color)
🌴 For Marinating the Liver:
· Cooking wine, 1 tbsp (about 15ml)
· Light soy sauce, 1 tbsp (about 15ml)
· Oyster sauce, ⅓ tbsp (about 5g; the marinade is already salty, so don’t add too much)
· White pepper powder, ½ tsp (about 1.5g)
· Cornstarch, 1 tbsp (about 10g)
· Cooking oil, ½ tbsp (about 7.5ml; to seal in moisture)
🌴 Aromatics:
· Sliced ginger, 3–4 slices (about 10g)
· Minced garlic, 3 cloves (about 10g)
· Dried red chilies, 2–3 (about 3g; optional)
🌴 For the Sauce (Mix in advance):
· Light soy sauce, 1 tbsp (about 15ml)
· Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp (about 15g)
· Chinkiang vinegar, ½ to ⅔ tbsp (about 7.5–10ml)
· Sugar, ½ tsp (about 2.5g)
· Cornstarch, ½ tbsp (about 5g)
· Water, 2 tbsp (about 30ml)
All spoon measures are level. Light soy sauce is thin and salty; Chinkiang vinegar is slightly sweet and malty—use them as listed for the best flavor.
🌴 Instructions:
- Prepare the Liver
Cut the pork liver into thin slices, about 2–3mm (⅛ inch)—the thinner, the faster it cooks and the more tender it will be. Place the slices in a bowl, cover with water, and soak for 10 minutes, changing the water once to draw out the blood. ⚠️ Tip: Don’t soak for too long, or the liver will absorb water, become mushy, and release water when stir-fried. Focus on rinsing until the water runs clear. - Rinse and Drain
Rinse the soaked liver several times with clean water until the water runs clear. Remove and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. ⚠️ Tip: Make sure it’s completely dry, or the marinade won’t stick and it won’t turn tender when stir-fried. - Marinate the Liver
Add 1 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, ⅓ tbsp oyster sauce, and ½ tsp white pepper powder to the liver. Massage with your hands until well combined. Add 1 tbsp cornstarch and continue to mix. Finally, drizzle with ½ tbsp cooking oil to seal in the moisture, and marinate for 10 minutes. ⚠️ Tip: The cornstarch is the key to tenderness—don’t skimp on it. The oil seals in moisture so it doesn’t dry out. Go easy on the oyster sauce because the sauce also has salt. - Make the Sauce
In a bowl, combine 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, ½ to ⅔ tbsp Chinkiang vinegar, ½ tsp sugar, ½ tbsp cornstarch, and 2 tbsp water. Stir well and set aside. ⚠️ Tip: Mix it in advance to avoid scrambling. The soy sauce and oyster sauce are already salty, so don’t add extra salt—taste first. The starch sinks, so give it a quick stir before adding. - Stir-fry the Liver
Heat the wok and add oil. Heat the oil until it’s slightly smoking (a chopstick inserted produces dense small bubbles). Give the liver one last quick mix before it goes in the wok, then stir-fry over high heat. As soon as the liver turns pale, remove it immediately—this whole process takes about 20–30 seconds. ⚠️ Tip: The visual cue (dense small bubbles) helps judge the oil temperature. A quick mix before adding ensures the marinade is evenly distributed. Remove it the moment it changes color; it will go back into the wok later. If it overcooks now, it’s ruined. - Sauté the Aromatics
Leave the base oil in the wok. Add the ginger slices, minced garlic, and dried chilies and stir-fry over low heat until fragrant. Turn the heat to high. Add the onion first and stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the green and red bell peppers and stir-fry until slightly softened, about 1 minute. ⚠️ Tip: Keep the heat low for the aromatics, then switch to high for the veggies. Adding the onion 10 seconds earlier brings out its sweetness, while the peppers stay crisp. - Combine and Stir-fry
Return the liver to the wok and turn the heat to high. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir-fry quickly to coat the liver and vegetables. As soon as the sauce thickens, turn off the heat immediately—don’t overcook. Before turning off the heat, you can drizzle a few drops of vinegar around the edge of the wok for extra aroma. ⚠️ Tip: Stir the sauce before adding. Don’t rely on a set time—turn off the heat as soon as the sauce thickens. Drizzling vinegar around the hot rim of the wok creates a quick burst of steam (“sizzle”) that boosts the aroma. - Plate and Serve
Transfer to a plate and serve hot. The liver is silky and tender, and the vegetables are crisp.
💡 Tips:
Slice the liver thinly, soak for 10 minutes changing the water once, rinse until clear, and pat dry before marinating. Go easy on the oyster sauce in the marinade, add ½ tsp white pepper to remove the gamey smell, massage in the cornstarch, drizzle with oil to seal, and marinate for 10 minutes. Mix the sauce in advance without extra salt, and stir it before adding. Heat the oil until slightly smoking, give the liver a quick mix before it goes in, and remove as soon as it changes color. Sauté the ginger and garlic over low heat, add the onion 10 seconds early, and cook the peppers until just softened. Return the liver, pour in the sauce, stir-fry over high heat, and turn off the heat as soon as the sauce thickens. Drizzle a few drops of vinegar around the wok rim for extra aroma. Done this way, it’s tender, flavorful, and not gamey at all—on the table in 30 seconds over high heat!
This Stir-fried Pork Liver is tender, savory, and completely free of any gamey smell—an incredibly satisfying home-style dish. If you like this high-heat stir-fry texture, you can also try my previously posted Stir-fried Beef with Chili Peppers (Stir-fried Beef with Chili Peppers). For more classic home-style dishes, check out my Home-style Dishes (Home-style Dishes) category.
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