This is a quick ground pork stir-fry built around pickled mustard greens — a brined, fermented vegetable that brings a sour, salty punch that plain vegetables simply can’t match. The whole thing comes together in 30 minutes, and it makes enough to feed four people over rice without anyone leaving the table hungry. It’s the kind of dish that earns a permanent spot in the weeknight rotation.
The technique that matters
The single most important step is wringing the pickled mustard greens as dry as you can before they hit the pan. If you skip this, the excess brine steams the pork instead of letting it fry, and you end up with a watery, grey result rather than a properly browned stir-fry. Use your hands or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze hard — more liquid comes out than you’d expect. The second thing worth doing correctly is getting the pan genuinely hot before adding the garlic, ginger, and chillies. A hot pan means the aromatics sizzle immediately and release their flavour into the oil in seconds. Add the pork straight after and keep it moving so it browns in crumbles rather than steaming in a clump. Once the pork is fully cooked through to 160°F (71°C) with no pink remaining, the mustard greens go in and the job is almost done.
Shopping notes
- Pickled mustard greens: Look for vacuum-sealed packs in the refrigerated section of any Asian grocery store. They’re sometimes labelled suān cài, hum choy, or simply “salted mustard greens.” Plain is the most versatile; spicy versions work too but will make the dish hotter than the optional chillies alone would.
- Cooking wine: Chinese Shaoxing rice wine is the standard choice and is worth buying if you’re near an Asian grocery. In a pinch, dry sherry is a reasonable substitute. Skip regular white wine — it’s too acidic and thin.
- Ground pork fat content: Don’t go too lean. Standard ground pork (around 20–25% fat) keeps the texture moist and helps carry the flavour of the marinade. Extra-lean pork can turn dry and crumbly by the time it’s fully cooked.
What can go wrong
- The greens are too salty: Saltiness varies a lot between brands. Taste a small piece after rinsing — if it’s still very sharp, soak the greens in cold water for 5–10 minutes before wringing them out. Don’t add extra soy sauce until you’ve tasted the finished dish.
- The pork clumps into one big mass: This happens when the pan isn’t hot enough or the pork is added all at once to a cold surface. Add it in two or three smaller additions and break it up immediately with a spatula.
- The dish is still watery at the end: Keep the heat high and keep stirring. If liquid is pooling, don’t cover the pan — let it evaporate. Covering traps steam and makes the problem worse.
- The garlic burns before the pork goes in: Garlic in a very hot pan can go from golden to bitter in under a minute. Have the pork ready to add the moment the garlic smells fragrant, not after it starts to colour deeply.
- Bland result despite following the recipe: Pickled mustard greens vary in intensity. If the finished dish tastes flat, a small splash of soy sauce stirred in at the end usually fixes it — skip the extra salt and reach for the soy instead.
Storage and reheating
Leftovers keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavour actually improves overnight as the pork absorbs more of the brine from the greens. Reheat in a hot pan for 2–3 minutes rather than the microwave — the microwave makes the pork rubbery and the greens go limp. For longer storage, freeze in portions for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish. This one is all about the pork and greens, and they don’t need decoration.
Ground Pork Stir Fry With Pickled Mustard Greens
Equipment
Ingredients
1 pound ground pork (minced pork) - minced pork, about 450g- 1 pack pickled mustard greens - suan cai, about 14–16 oz / 400–450g
3 medium ginger - fresh ; thin slices, about 1 tablespoon minced
3 cloves garlic - roughly chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine - or dry sherry
- 2 medium red chillies - optional
1 pinch ground black pepper - to taste- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil - vegetable or peanut
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground pork with 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Mix until evenly combined.1 pound ground pork (minced pork), 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
- Season the pork with a few grinds of black pepper and mix through.1 pinch ground black pepper
- Add the ginger slices to the pork mixture and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes while you prepare the mustard greens. (Remove the ginger slices before cooking and reserve them for the pan.)3 medium ginger
- Take the pickled mustard greens out of the bag and rinse with water.1 pack pickled mustard greens
- Wring the water content out of the pickled mustard greens using a clean kitchen towel until absolutely no more liquid drips out.1 pack pickled mustard greens
- Slice the pickled mustard greens into smaller, bite-sized pieces.1 pack pickled mustard greens
- Roughly chop the garlic cloves.3 cloves garlic
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the garlic, reserved ginger slices, and chillies (if using). Stir for 15–20 seconds until fragrant. Add the marinated pork, breaking it into small crumbles with a spatula.1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, 3 cloves garlic, 3 medium ginger, 2 medium red chillies, 1 pound ground pork (minced pork)
- Stir fry for 5–6 minutes until the pork is fully browned and cooked through to 160°F / 71°C with no pink remaining.1 pound ground pork (minced pork)
- Add in the sliced pickled mustard greens.1 pack pickled mustard greens
- Stir fry for 3–4 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the greens are heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning with a splash of soy sauce if needed. Remove from heat and serve immediately over steamed rice.1 pack pickled mustard greens, 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I use a different protein instead of ground pork?
Ground chicken works well here, but cook it to 165°F (74°C) all the way through with no pink. Ground turkey is another solid option; both are leaner than pork, so add a small drizzle of oil to the pan to prevent sticking.
How much pickled mustard greens should I use for one pound of pork?
One standard vacuum-sealed pack — usually around 14 to 16 oz — is the right amount for one pound of pork. You want enough greens to show up in every bite, not just as an accent.
What do I serve this with to make it a full meal for a family?
Steamed white rice is the most practical base — it soaks up the pan juices and stretches the dish further. If you’re feeding hungrier eaters, a simple egg drop soup or a plate of steamed broccoli on the side rounds it out without much extra effort.
Can I make this ahead of time for meal prep?
Yes — it reheats better than most stir-fries because the pickled greens hold their texture. Cook a full batch, divide into portions over rice, and refrigerate for up to 3 days of ready lunches or dinners.
More mince recipes to try
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
- Authentic Szechuan Dan Dan
- Japanese Pork Lettuce Cups
- Horopito Pork Stir Fry
