Quick & Easy Peking Pork Chops

Name: Quick & Easy Peking Pork Chops
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 0.5 lb boneless pork shoulder (aka pork butt); 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 3 tbsp cornstarch (or potato starch); 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or Dry Sherry wine or chicken broth); 1/2 tsp sesame seeds (optional garnish); 1 green onion (finely chopped for optional garnish); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1/8 tsp ginger powder (or sub with minced ginger); 1/4 tsp Chinese five spice; 2 tbsp brown sugar (or coconut sugar); 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tbsp hoisin sauce; 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar or white vinegar); 4 tbsp ketchup; 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (or potato starch); 1/2 cup water (cold)

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Juicy tender pork chops smothered in a tangy sweet and sour sauce. These quick and easy Peking pork chops are ready in 25 minutes and a delicious main dish that beats Chinese takeout. Fantastic for the family to enjoy on a busy weeknight.

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What are Peking Pork Chops?
Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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💬 Reviews

What are Peking Pork Chops?

Peking Pork Chops are delicious juicy pork chops that are coated in a flouring agent and then fried until crispy brown. Then they are covered in a thick glossy sweet and sour sauce with ketchup and hoisin sauce being the base.

It is absolutely delicious and a must try in Chinese cuisine as the pork chops are so tender and tasty! This is best served with steamed rice and your favorite vegetables for a complete meal. The sweet tangy sauce over that plain rice is truly a delight.

Whenever I go to Chinese restaurant, Peking style pork is the number one dish I must order! However, it's also quite expensive so that's why I love making this at home as it's more cost-effective and you get so much more!

The best part about this recipe is that the pork is shallow fried and not deep fried in large amounts of oil, which means less oil is wasted and there's also less to clean up! It's also slightly healthier.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Boneless Pork Shoulder: aka Pork Butt or Pork Chops but I recommend removing the bone. I recommend pork shoulder as it has a good meat to fat ratio. You may also substitute with pork loin for a leaner cut.
Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
Sesame seeds: optional garnish
Green onions: optional garnish

Pork Marinade

Cornstarch: to tenderize and velvet the meat to make it juicy and tender. The starch helps to lock in the moisture from the oil and is commonly used in Chinese cooking. Or substitute with potato starch.
Salt
Shaoxing wine: a Chinese rice cooking wine. Or substitute with Dry Sherry. For a non-alcoholic or gluten-free version, substitute with any broth.

Peking Sauce

Garlic
Ginger powder: or substitute with finely minced ginger
Chinese Five Spice
Brown Sugar: or substitute with coconut sugar
Worcestershire sauce: for that tangy flavor!
Hoisin sauce: This adds a caramelized sweetness to our sauce.
Rice vinegar: or substitute with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
Ketchup: for the color and the tartness.
Cornstarch or potato starch: to help thicken the sauce
Cold water

Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.

Expert Tips

Use pork shoulder for best taste as it has a good ratio between meat and fat.
Tenderize the pork with a meat hammer or the back of a knife to break the protein bonds for a tender texture.
Slice the pork shoulder into even strips so they can fry evenly.
Make sure to coat the pork evenly with cornstarch.
Prepare your ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
Don't overcook the pork or it can become tough.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make peking pork chops:

Slice pork shoulder into 2 x 3 inch-long strips that are about 1-cm thick and then tenderize the strips with a meat mallet or with the back of your knife.

Slice pork shoulder into 2 x 3 inch-long strips that are about 1-cm thick and then tenderize the strips with a meat mallet or with the back of your knife.

In a large bowl, add pork strips, cornstarch, salt and Shaoxing wine. Mix well until pork strips are well coated in cornstarch. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add pork strips and marinate with salt, Shaoxing wine and cornstarch. Mix well until pork strips are well coated in cornstarch. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the peking sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the peking sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.

In a large pan, heat vegetable oil on medium heat. To check if the oil is hot enough, place a wooden chopstick and look for bubbles. Then carefully lower in pork and fry until golden crispy brown on each side, about 8-9 minutes in total adjusting the heat as needed.

In a large pan, heat vegetable oil on medium heat. To check if the oil is hot enough, place a wooden chopstick and look for bubbles. Then carefully lower in pork and fry until golden crispy brown on each side, about 8-9 minutes in total adjusting the heat as needed.

Remove and transfer the cooked pork to a wire rack or a paper-towel lined plate to drain off excess oil.

Remove and transfer the cooked pork to a wire rack or a paper-towel lined plate to drain off excess oil.

On medium heat, pour in the peking sauce into the pan and let it simmer to reduce and thicken.

On medium heat, pour in the peking sauce into the pan and let it simmer to reduce and thicken.

Once the sauce has thickened, toss in the fried pork until the pork is evenly coated in the sauce.

Once the sauce has thickened, toss in the fried pork until the pork is evenly coated in the sauce.

Remove off heat and transfer the peking pork to a large serving dish. Optional: garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

Remove off heat and transfer the peking pork to a large serving dish. Optional: garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

Storage

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
Freezer friendly? This can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 3 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan. I recommend storing the sauce and the fried pork separately if possible.

Pairing Suggestions

Peking pork chops serve well with:

starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles, soup noodles
cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
protein dishes like Mongolian Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Bang Bang Shrimp, Gochujang Chicken, Soy Garlic Tofu, Chinese Braised Tofu and more!

FAQ

Can I make peking pork in advance?

This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.

Can I substitute with another protein?

Yes, you can substitute with chicken thighs, beef, or extra-firm tofu but skip the tenderizing process for the tofu.

Can I add some vegetables to peking pork?

Yes, feel free to sauté any vegetables that have a hard crunchy texture like sliced carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, snap or snow peas, or sweet potatoes. Avoid using any vegetables with a high-water content or it'll dilute the sauce.

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