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4.6 from 426 votes

Peking Pork Chops

Peking Pork Chops, or 京都排骨 (jīngdū páigǔ) in Mandarin, offer a perfect blend of flavors. Tender pork meets sweet, tangy, and smoky Peking sauce for a truly irresistible dish. It's a satisfying meal packed with flavor!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 398 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (500g) pork tenderloin or pork spare ribs, cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) thick slices
  • oil for deep frying, about 2 cups
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds optional
Marinade:
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Peking Sauce:
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
  • 1/2 tablespoon plum sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons black vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 pinch Chinese five-spice powder optional
  • 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Chinese Pork Chops Marinade: Pat dry the pork tenderloin with kitchen paper towels, pound the sliced pork with a mallet or the back of a Chinese cleaver until tender. (If using pork spare ribs, skip this process.) Set aside. In a bowl, mix the marinade ingredients, add the pork, mix well, and marinade for 30 minutes.
  2. Peking Sauce. In a separate bowl, mix the sauce ingredients. You may adjust the amount of sugar or other sauce ingredients according to your preference. Set the sauce mixture aside.
  3. Heat up a wok with enough oil for deep-frying. Fry for for 5 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and become slightly crispy. Remove them from the wok, drain the excess oil with paper towels, and set them aside.
  4. Bring the sauce to a quick boil, then add the deep-fried pork chops, stirring until all the meat is well coated with sauce. Transfer the pork chops to a serving platter and sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds on top. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

  • In Chinese restaurants in the United States, Peking Pork (jin du pai gu) is typically made with pork tenderloin, which is what I used in this recipe.
  • Pork tenderloin or pork spare ribs – for meaty goodness, use pork tenderloin, or opt for pork spare ribs if you prefer a heartier bite.
  • Shaoxing wine – you can substitute it with Chinese rice wine, Japanese cooking sake, or dry sherry. If you cannot consume wine, skip it altogether.
  • Plum sauce – the secret ingredient that lends that iconic tartness to the sauce.
  • Sweet bean sauce – use hoisin sauce if sweet bean sauce is not available.
  • Worcestershire sauce – adds a punchy umami flavor to Peking sauce.
  • Black vinegar – use Chinese Zhenjiang black vinegar.

Nutrition Information

Serving 2people Calories 398kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 21g (7%) Protein 50g (100%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 229mg (76%) Sodium 1001mg (42%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 13g (26%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 398

% Daily Value*

Serving 2people
Calories 398kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 21g 7%
Protein 50g 100%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 229mg 76%
Sodium 1001mg 42%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 13g 26%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.