Teriyaki Pork

One of our favorite features of teriyaki is its amazing versatility. Its sweet, sour and salty flavors combine great with chicken, tofu or even a slow-cooker beef teriyaki. Here we use it with pork. This teriyaki pork takes on a lovely glaze and aroma that’s oh, so tempting. We speed things up by using a store-bought teriyaki sauce, but you can use homemade—just check out the recipe variations below to learn more.

Ingredients for Teriyaki Pork

• All-purpose flour: Coating the pork in a layer of all-purpose flour serves two purposes. First, it helps brown the meat, and second, it will eventually melt into the sauce and thicken it.
• Pork tenderloin: Tender cuts of pork like tenderloin are best when cooked quickly and hot. That said, it’s important to cook pork all the way through because otherwise you risk food-borne illness.
• Canola oil: Because it’s a neutral oil with a high smoke point, canola is a popular choice for cooking. If you’d like, you can substitute peanut or even avocado oil.
• Teriyaki sauce: Although the original recipe used just a few essential Japanese ingredients, today’s teriyaki sauce is a bit more complex. For example, cornstarch, ginger and garlic will often be mixed in.
• Rice: We recommend choosing a long-grain rice variety, like jasmine or basmati, for this teriyaki pork.

Directions

Step 1: Coat the pork

Jackie Alpers for Taste Recipes

Place the all-purpose flour in a large resealable bag. Toss in the pork and shake to coat.

Editor’s Tip: To reduce plastic use, you can also use a dish and coat the pork by turning it in the flour.

Step 2: Brown the meat

Jackie Alpers for Taste Recipes

Add the oil to a large skillet and place it on medium heat. Brown the pork on both sides until the juices run clear.

Step 3: Simmer in sauce and serve

Jackie Alpers for Taste Recipes

Next, add the teriyaki sauce and bring it to a boil. Cook and stir for an additional one to two minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Serve the teriyaki pork over rice.

Jackie Alpers for Taste Recipes

Teriyaki Pork Variations

• Toss in some veggies: Bell peppers, broccoli or snow peas would all taste delicious with this pork as a teriyaki pork stir-fry. For specific directions on how you can make a similar dish with veggies, check out our honey chicken stir-fry recipe.
• Use homemade teriyaki sauce: While store-bought teriyaki can be tasty, homemade allows you to customize flavors and also may be more economical. Try the sauce from our teriyaki chicken with this recipe.

How to Store Teriyaki Pork

To store any leftovers, first allow this teriyaki pork to come to room temperature. Next, transfer it to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to four days. If you have extra rice, place it in a separate container and store in the fridge for four to six days. If you have more leftover rice than pork, use it to make the best fried rice.

Can I freeze teriyaki pork?

To freeze teriyaki pork, allow it to come to room temperature and place it in an airtight container. Transfer it to the freezer and keep it for up to three months. When ready to enjoy, it’s best to place it in the fridge and let it thaw overnight.

Teriyaki Pork Tips

Jackie Alpers for Taste Recipes

How can I make store-bought teriyaki sauce better?

You may have chosen store-bought teriyaki sauce only to realize that something’s missing. To this end, you may choose to add garlic, ginger, onion powder or, if it’s too thin, some cornstarch.

What are the secrets to cooking pork?

For truly tasty teriyaki pork tenderloin, it’s good to keep in mind a few things. First, not all cuts of pork are created equal. Some are better for low and slow cooking methods, while others need to be cooked fast and searing hot. Also, marinating your pork in a brine solution for just 30 minutes can make a big impact on how juicy and flavorful it becomes.

How can I stop the teriyaki from burning?

If you find your teriyaki sauce is starting to burn, add a touch of water or broth to the mix. After all, too much water evaporating is often the root cause of ingredients becoming too dry or burnt.