Chilli, garlic pasture-raised pork in a sticky sweet and spicy sauce
Midweek sweet and spicy pork stir fry is a new staple in our household. Try it.
- Prep Time: 10 mins marinating + 10 mins cooking
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Serves: 4
- Difficulty: easy
- Ideal for: midweek meal
There’s something deeply satisfying about a proper stir fry. That sizzle when the meat hits the wok, and the balance of sweet, salty, and spice that gets your taste buds clapping with joy.
But let’s talk about what really makes this dish sing — good pork.
Not the sad, pale stuff shrink-wrapped in the supermarket. I’m talking about pasture-raised pork — the kind that’s been given the freedom to root around outdoors, snuffle through grass and soil, and live as pigs should.
Because yes, the how behind your food matters.
Why Pasture-Raised Pork Matters
In the UK, more and more farmers are turning to regenerative farming — a system that’s about giving back more than you take.
Instead of industrial feedlots, regenerative farmers rotate pigs across fields, letting them graze, fertilise the land naturally, and restore soil life.
Here’s why it’s a big deal:
- Animal Welfare: Pigs are intelligent, social creatures. Pasture-raised systems give them space, fresh air, and the ability to forage — reducing stress and disease.
- Soil Health: Their rooting helps aerate soil and stimulate plant regrowth — part of a natural, circular system.
- Flavour & Nutrition: Happier pigs produce meat that’s naturally richer, darker, and full of flavour — real porkiness, not the bland stuff that disappears in a pan.
So when you tuck into this Sweet & Spicy Pork Stir Fry, you’re not just eating better — you’re voting for a better food system.
Sweet & Spicy Pork Stir Fry
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 400g pasture-raised pork strips (or pork shoulder sliced thinly)
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- Dash of oil
For the stir fry sauce:
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp Gochujang (find this on Amazon or any Asian online supermarket store – it’s well worth having in your cupboard)
- 4 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional, more for heat lovers)
Instructions
- Marinate the Pork:
Toss the pork strips in a bowl with a pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger and a dash of oil so the pork is nicely coated. Set aside while you prep some veg and get your rice on — about 10 minutes. - Make the Sauce:
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and tweak — add more maple syrup (or honey) for sweetness or extra chilli for heat. - Sear the Pork:
Heat your wok or large frying pan until it’s properly hot. Add the oil, then the pork strips. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until golden and slightly caramelised. Remove and set aside. - Stir-Fry the Veg:
In the same pan, toss in your vegetables. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. - Bring it Together:
Return the pork to the pan. Pour in the sauce, stirring constantly as it thickens and glazes everything in that gorgeous sweet-spicy shine. - Serve:
Serve straight away with steamed jasmine rice or noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Little Tips
- Pork shoulder or tenderloin works best — it’s got that perfect balance of fat and tenderness for stir-frying.
- Don’t overcrowd your pan or wok — high heat and quick movement keep it from stewing.
- Double the sauce if you like it extra glossy.
- Add a handful of cashews or roasted peanuts for crunch.
A Bite with a Bit More Meaning
It’s easy to think of stir fry as “fast food” — and in a way, it is. But when your ingredients come from farmers working with nature rather than against it, every meal becomes something richer.
That sticky, spicy sauce clinging to tender pork? It tastes better because it means more.
So next time you’re at your butcher or looking for a good online butcher such as Freybors, ask where the pork comes from.
Find the farmers who care about the soil, who rotate their animals, who let pigs do what pigs do best — root, roam, and regenerate.