7 Best Side Dishes To Serve With Pickled Pork

poached chicken side dish

Are you looking for the perfect side dish to serve with your pickled pork?

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Well, you’ve come to the right place!

In this blog post, we’ll be sharing some of our favorite recipes that pair perfectly with pickled pork.

So, why wait?

Start scrolling down, taking notes, and cooking!

What is pickled pork?

Backroad Country Pickled Cured Pork Hocks 12 Ounces

Pickled pork is a dish that consists of pork (normally a well-marbled cut like pork shoulder or ham) that has been pickled in a vinegar and water solution, which is also called brine.

Pickling is a way of preserving food, and pickled pork can last for several months if stored properly.

The vinegar and water solution not only preserves the meat but also gives it a sour and salty flavor.

Pickled pork can be eaten on its own or used as an ingredient in other dishes, such as being used in stir-fries or added to the soup to give it a more intense flavor. 

Pickled pork is also a popular dish in many parts of Asia, particularly China and Vietnam, and the southern United States.

What to consider when choosing a side dish to serve with pickled pork?

When choosing a side dish to serve with pickled pork, you’ll want to consider dishes that will contrast well against the sharp and tangy flavors of the pickled pork.

So here are some tips that can help you choose the right side dish to complete your meal with pickled pork:

Serve pickled pork with something sweet and rich, or light and mild in flavor

Pickled pork has a tangy, sour, and salty flavor.

So it will work with something that has a contrasting taste like sweet, rich, buttery, or a light and mild flavor to complement and result in a balanced meal.

Consider the time you have to make the side dish

Second, keep in mind that you should have enough time to make the side dish so that you don’t have to encounter the situation in which pickled pork is eaten while the side hasn’t come yet.

If you are short on time, stick with something easy and quick to make, or even can be bought from a grocery store without any further cooking.

7 best side dishes to serve with pickled pork

Now, it’s time to figure out the seven side dishes that we find best when served with pickled pork:

1.    Steamed rice

Annie Chun's - Cooked White Sticky Rice: Instant, Microwaveable,...

You can’t go wrong with a side dish of steamed rice to complement your pickled pork.

Rice is versatile and can be cooked in different ways for any meal, but it’s also neutral tasting so as not to overpower any pickle dish.

Finally, rice is an affordable dish that can fill you up and give you energy for the whole day.

You can use steamed rice as the key ingredient in fried rice with vegetables recipe for extra flavor.

2.    Mashed potatoes

Amazon Kitchen, Mashed Potatoes, 16 oz

Mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for your favorite weeknight meal.

They have a relatively neutral flavor that won’t compete with what you’re cooking, plus they provide carbohydrates that can help soak up all those yummy flavors in between bites of pickled pork.

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If you don’t have time to make some mashed potatoes, which are actually very easy and quick to make, don’t worry, the store-bought product will help you.

3.    Baked beans

365 by Whole Foods Market, Beans Baked Traditional Organic, 15 Ounce

If you are looking for the perfect side dish to go with your pickled pork, look no further than baked beans.

Their sweet and earthy flavor will complement the sour and salty taste of pickled pork nicely while also providing some much-needed protein.

Not only that but they’re rich in fiber too so this meal could actually be considered quite nutritious considering how many people don’t get enough nutrients from their daily diet because of all those delicious food trucks around town nowadays.

4.    Green peas

Amazon Brand - Happy Belly Green Peas, 12 Ounce (Frozen)

Green peas are one of the common side dishes to serve with pickled pork.

They are a good choice for this pairing because they have a mild flavor that won’t overwhelm the pickled pork.

In addition, green peas are rich in fiber, vitamin A, and C, as well as many other essential nutrients that will benefit your health in different ways.

Green peas are often steamed and served directly or mashed into a thick and smooth paste.

5.    Stir-fried vegetables

365 by Whole Foods Market, Stir Fry Blend Organic, 16 Ounce

Stir-fried vegetables are another great side dish for pickled pork.

The veggies offer a fresh, crunchy contrast to the soft and tender pork, and they also add a ton of flavor and texture to the dish.

Plus, stir-frying is a quick and easy way to cook veggies, so it’s perfect for busy people who want a nutritious meal but don’t have a lot of time to cook.

It is best to combine different kinds of veggies for a stir-fry to achieve a colorful appearance and flavorful taste.

6.    Braised cabbage

Organic Napa Cabbage

The pairing of these two dishes is an interesting one, with their complementary flavors creating a well-balanced meal.

The tangy vinegar in the pickled pork brings out sweet and buttery braised cabbage to create another dish that complements it nicely and provides tasty contrast for your taste buds.

Braised cabbage and pickled pork create a similar combo to sauerkraut and corned beef, which seems to be an interesting meal for many Westerners.

7.    Mustard sauce

365 by Whole Foods Market, Mustard Yellow Organic, 8 Ounce

After all, pickled pork is already quite flavorful on its own.

But the truth is, the mustard sauce really brings out the best in pickled pork dishes.

Mustard has a strong, pungent flavor that can really add some zing to your dish.

At the same time, it also has a certain sweetness to it that helps balance out the salty flavors of pickled pork.

The mustard sauce also has a creamy texture that helps to round out the overall flavor profile of your dish and make it more enjoyable to eat.

Plus, it provides a nice contrast in terms of texture, which can make your dish more interesting to eat.

So if you’re looking for a way to add some extra flavor and interest to your pickled pork dish, then the mustard sauce is definitely a good option to consider.

Just be sure to use it sparingly, as too much can overpower the other flavors in your dish.

The bottom line

So, there you have it, the seven recipes of our favorite side dishes to pair with pickled pork.

Whether you’re looking for something simple and classic or want to try something a little more adventurous, we hope this list has helped.

What will be your first dish to try with your next pickled pork meal?

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