The Best Paleo Pork and Pineapple Fried Rice
There’s nothing quite like the combination of sweet and savory. If done right, it titillates the senses in a way that few combinations can. There are tons of different variations of fried rice, but I really enjoy the combination of pineapple and applesauce with coconut aminos and pork.
Traditional fried rice generally uses a significant amount of oil, giving the undesirable metabolic combination of lots of fats and a hefty dose of fast-digesting carbohydrates. However, you can go way lighter on the oil and use a liquid based sauce instead – that is – if you use the right technique.
My first recommendation with fried rice is to use day-old rice. Since it’s dried out a bit, it’s primed to absorb the moisture from the sauce and bit of oil to rehydrate and not become a gloppy mess. However, you can still use just-cooked rice, you may just have to cook the rice in smaller batches and stir fry a bit more. I’ll explain below.
The best technique, when you’re cooking the rice, is to stir fry the meat and vegetables first, using a bit of coconut aminos on them. Once cooked, put onto a separate plate.
Turn heat to high and pour the tbsp of avocado oil into the pan, and subsequently dump the rice in the pan, stirring constantly. After 10-15 seconds, add a tbsp of the sauce and keep stirring. Once the rice has absorbed some of the sauce (30-45s), dump another tablespoon or two and keep stirring. Do this until the sauce is gone.
Pouring the sauce in little by little allows for the extra liquid to evaporate while you’re stirring the rice and prevents it from getting gloppy, resulting in a wonderful product with nice rice-grain separation with just the right amount of moisture. Enjoy!
The Best Paleo Pork and Pineapple Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lb Pork loin or pork chops, chopped into chunks
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 head of broccoli, chopped
- 1 single serving cup unsweetened applesauce
- Several dashes of coconut aminos
- 3 cups cooked rice, jasmine is best Preferably day old and cooled
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained if using canned
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos
- Juice of one lime
- 2 tsp sriracha Optional
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup coconut aminos, juice of one lime, and sriracha if using (if you want it a little spicy). Stir well.
- Prepare the rice to be cooked: Place 3 cups of pre-cooked rice in a bowl. Put drained pineapple chunks and scallions on top of the rice bowl.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and put 1 tbsp avocado oil in. Once hot, put pork, and all vegetables except for broccoli and green onions in the pan and stir fry.
- Add applesauce and 8-10 dashes of coconut aminos to pan after about 2 minutes. Since the heat is high, stir consistently every 30 to 45 seconds to prevent burning or sticking.
- After 5-6 minutes, add broccoli and continue stir frying for about 2 minutes.
- Remove the pork and vegetables from the pan, and drain in a strainer (this is important, you need to get rid of excess liquid to prevent the rice from getting gloppy).
- Add last tbsp of oil to the pan and turn the heat to high.
- Once the oil is very hot, dump the rice, pineapple, and scallions into the pan and stir constantly.
- Technique is important here: Pour the sauce into the rice about 2 tbsp at a time, stirring constantly for about 45 seconds to a minute in between pourings.
- After about 5 minutes, return the pork and vegetables to the rice and mix well. Remove pan from heat.
- Add cilantro and mix well. Serve hot.
Want actionable bites of nutrition information delivered weekly? Blog and video updates, consulting promotions, and what I’ve been up to? Sign up below!
We will process the personal data you have supplied in accordance with our privacy policy.
