Technique

• To julienne pork or other meats and vegetables, you must cut it into long, thin strips. Julienned meats and vegetables typically measure about 1/16 to 1/8 inch wide. Use matchsticks as a general size comparison for julienne. With a chef's knife or hand-held slicer, portion your pork into 2.5- to 3-inch lengths and then slice those portions lengthwise into slabs measuring 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick. Carefully cut those slabs lengthwise once again into thin, matchstick-like strips.

Julienne Pork Dishes

• The term “julienne pork” may refer to pork loin cut into julienned strips served with a mix of julienned vegetables, such as red or green peppers, mushrooms or zucchini. The thinly-sliced pork is stir-fried in oil until it turns golden brown, and accented with spices such as black pepper and garlic. The vegetables are browned in the same fashion, often cooked with spices, wines or hoisin or soy sauce, for an Asian-inspired touch. The meat and vegetables are commonly served together, sometimes over a plate of rice or a bed of greens.

More Julienne Dishes

• Like pork, meats such as beef, chicken and duck lend themselves to julienne and stir-fry. Some examples of julienne recipes include chicken and mushroom julienne, roasted julienne duck breast with peanut dressing or steak and vegetable julienne salad. For difficult-to-cut meats, some julienne recipes call for precooking, often grilling or roasting, before slicing.

Julienne Vegetables

• Julienned vegetables serve as a tried-and-true side for pork and other meat dishes. Potatoes and sweet potatoes lend themselves to julienne to make “shoestring” fries while celery, carrots, onions, leeks and other veggies make for versatile julienne salads, either by themselves or mixed. Consomme often contains julienned vegetables, while julienned fruits, such as apples and pears, work well as a sweet side dish paired with a savory main course.