This recipe for Chinese Salt & Pepper Pork is a restaurant favorite, featuring crunchy fried pork chunks seasoned with salt, pepper and aromatics.
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What is Chinese salt and pepper pork?
Like the name suggests, it's a dish commonly found in Chinese restaurants where pork chops are deep-fried until golden brown and crunchy, seasoned with salt and white pepper.
Variations of this dish include salt and pepper chicken wings, shrimp, squid, or fish.
The methodology of frying the pork is similar to making Chinese Sweet & Sour Pork.
Why you'll love this recipe
This recipe for salt and pepper pork is:
Worth the effort: to make this restaurant-worthy dish at home, and is much more economical.
Uses pork butt: or pork shoulder for more flavor, and is cut into smaller chunks for ease of frying and eating!
Super flavorful: the sauteed salt, pepper and aromatics along with the crunchy pork make this a delectable dish to serve for dinner, or any time.
Ingredients you'll need
Pork:
- pork butt or shoulder (豬肉): cut into bite sized pieces; but you can also use pork chops
- soy sauce (醬油): or salt, for flavor
- egg (蛋): acts as a binder
- all-purpose flour (麵粉): for coating the pork pieces
For frying:
- peanut oil (花生油): or any high smoke-point neutral oil
Aromatics & seasonings:
- red bell pepper (紅甜椒): diced
- green bell pepper (青椒): diced
- white onion (洋蔥): diced
- garlic (蒜): minced
- Thai chili (泰國辣椒): optional, minced; for extra spice
- sea salt (鹽)
- white pepper (胡椒粉)
How to make it
Prepare the pork:
In a bowl, combine pork chunks with soy sauce and white pepper.
Stir to combine and place into the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Add 1 beaten egg to the pork and mix ½ C to ¾ C of all-purpose flour to coat the pork pieces.
Fry the pork:
Heat up a wok or large pot with peanut oil over medium high heat.
Once the oil temperature reaches 350F, add in the pork pieces and fry in batches, until crispy and golden brown, about 6-7 minutes.
Remove the fried pork and place onto a baking sheet lined with paper towel.
Repeat with the remaining pork.
Fry the aromatics:
Drain and remove excess oil from the wok, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon of oil.
Heat the wok over medium heat and add in the onion.
Sauté, stirring the mixture constantly, for about 1-2 minutes.
Transfer the fried pork into the wok and add in the garlic, red and green bell peppers, chili (if using), salt and pepper and continue to toss to combine.
Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish.
Serve immediately with steamed rice.
How to serve
Serve the Chinese Salt & Pepper Pork with steamed rice, along with other side dishes such as yu choy, steamed egg, pan-fried tofu, sweet and sour pork, or steamed fish.
How to store
Store any leftover salt and pepper pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to reheat
Reheat salt and pepper pork in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes, until the pork is crisp and warmed through.
You can microwave the pork to reheat, but do note that it will lose its crispness this way.
Expert tips
This dish is executed in a quick manner -- be sure to have all your ingredients ready before cooking.
Note: it's crucial to sauté the aromatics quickly, especially when working with a very hot wok. Otherwise, the garlic and onions will scorch, imparting a bitter flavor to the dish.
Other Chinese pork recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Chinese Pork Trotter in Black Vinegar (Instant Pot)
Chinese Steamed Pork Patty (Yuk Beng 蒸肉餅)
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Chinese Salt & Pepper Pork
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
Pork:
- 1 lb pork butt (豬肉) cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (醬油)
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper (胡椒粉)
- 1 large egg (蛋) beaten
- ½ C - ¾ C all-purpose flour (麵粉)
For frying:
- 4 C peanut oil (花生油)
Aromatics & seasonings:
- 2 tablespoon white onion (洋蔥) diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic (蒜) minced
- ¼ red bell pepper (紅甜椒) diced
- ¼ green bell pepper (青椒)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (鹽)
- ½ teaspoon white pepper (胡椒粉)
Instructions
Prepare the pork:
- In a bowl, combine pork chunks with soy sauce and white pepper.
- Stir to combine and place into the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Add 1 beaten egg to the pork and mix ½ C to ¾ C of all-purpose flour to coat the pork pieces.
Fry the pork:
- Heat up a wok or large pot with peanut oil over medium high heat.
- Once the oil temperature reaches 350°F/177°C, add in the pork pieces and fry in batches, until crispy and golden brown, about 6-7 minutes.
- Remove the fried pork and place onto a baking sheet lined with paper towel.
- Repeat with the remaining pork.
Fry the aromatics:
- Drain and remove excess oil from the wok, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Heat the wok over medium heat and add in the onion.
- Sauté, stirring the mixture constantly, for about 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the fried pork into the wok and add in the garlic, red and green bell peppers, chili (if using), salt and pepper and continue to toss to combine.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
David @ Spiced
I usually just slow cook pork shoulder and turn it into smoked pork or just shredded pork, but I love this idea of using that cut to make salt and pepper pork. This sounds absolutely delicious!!
Michelle
Hope you'll try it, David - it's a classic dish in Chinese restaurants!
Kim Lange
Sign me up! Looks so good!
Michelle
Thanks Kim! I'll be sure to save you a plate! 🙂
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
This pork looks so, so good. Did you say this is a restaurant-worthy dish? Way better! (And cheaper)
Michelle
Thanks Ben, indeed much better and way cheaper than going out to get it at a restaurant! 🙂
Raymund | angsarap.net
This recipe for Chinese Salt & Pepper Pork sounds fantastic! The crispy golden pork chunks coated in a simple yet flavorful seasoning definitely tick all the boxes for a satisfying meal.
Michelle
Thanks Raymund! One of our favorite dishes to make especially since the kids love it!