This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy.
Fried Pork Shoulder Recipe
Fried pork shoulder is one of the most popular Chinese recipes made with seasoned pork strips deep-fried to crispy perfection. It’s easy to make and is a delicious meal everyone loves.
This easy pork shoulder recipe makes the best crunchy, airy, fried pork without any greasy feeling. Serve the dish hot with some sesame seeds sprinkled on top and dipping sauce such as ketchup. It’s flavorful and dangerously addictive.
Why This Recipe Works?
It is the perfect recipe to serve for either everyday dinner or an appetizer on game night.
Unlike other pork shoulder recipes which require long preparation, this recipe will bring dinner to the table within 30 minutes.
This recipe is also one of the favorite takeouts from local Chinese restaurants. Making this mouthwatering dish at home is always better and the total cost is a fraction of the price in restaurants.
Pork Shoulder
Pork shoulder is a cut from above the pig’s front leg and comes with more marbling in the meat. However, pork shoulder is always labeled with two names in the market, such as Boston butt or picnic shoulder.
Although both Boston butt and picnic shoulder are from the same region, they have different textures. Boston butt is soft, tender, and contains more fat. This part of the meat is an excellent choice for this recipe.
Picnic shoulder is the cut below Boston butt, which has less intramuscular fat and is relatively less expensive. It’s also frequently sold with skin on.
A large cut of boneless or bone-in pork shoulder is perfect for roasting, slow-cooking, and grilling. Try pork shoulder to make a delicious pulled pork dish.
Fried Pork Shoulder Ingredients
The best homemade fried pork shoulder is made from pork shoulder and seasoned with Chinese five-spice, ground white pepper, salt, and Chinese cooking rice wine. Prepare the batter with tapioca starch (or corn starch), all-purpose flour, egg, and water.
How to Make Fried Pork Shoulder?
First, season the pork shoulder strips with Chinese five-spice, ground white pepper, salt, and cooking wine. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Next, prepare the frying batter by mixing the ingredients together.
Finally, coat the pork in batter and deep-fry until crispy.
Cook’s Tips
For the best result, please follow my tips:
- The best frying batter is a mixture of both tapioca starch and all-purpose flour. It’s also the key to making these fried pork extra crispy and airy on the inside.
- Double-frying with a high-temperature oil will help the crispy texture last for hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should you fry pork shoulder strips?
Fry pork shoulder strips with high-temperature oil at 325°F to 350°F (176°C to 190°C) for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides. Remove and heat the oil higher and fry a second time for just 10 seconds.
Can I freeze fried pork shoulder?
Yes, store the fried pork shoulder in an airtight plastic bag when it’s completely cooled. To serve, preheat the oven to 350°F (190°C) and bake for 5 minutes until crispy. You can also use an air fryer to reheat the frozen fried pork shoulder for 10 minutes at 350°F (190°C).
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe has 525 calories per serving.
For more great recipes like this, sign up for our newsletter. We’ll send daily recipes you’ll love!
Sign up for our newsletter!
Fried Pork Shoulder
Ingredients
- 10 oz pork shoulder (sliced into small strips)
- 1/3 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
- 1/3 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking rice wine
- cooking oil for frying
Frying Batter
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 egg (2 oz with shell)
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Add pork shoulder strips, Chinese five-spice, white pepper, salt, and cooking rice wine to a bowl. Stir to combine well and marinate for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix tapioca starch, all-purpose flour, egg, and water in another bowl. Whisk until smooth with no lumps.
- Pour the frying batter onto the meat and stir to coat evenly.
- Heat cooking oil to 325°F to 350°F (176°C to 190°C) in a deep fry pan. Fry pork shoulder strips in two batches. Use long chopsticks or tongs to drop pork strips one by one into the pan. Quickly loosen up the meat and deep fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Dish out. Then, fry the second half of pork shoulder strips in the same manner.
- Heat up the oil a little bit higher than before and drop all fried pork shoulder strips into the pot in one batch. Deep fry again for 10 seconds. Dish out with a strainer and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
This recipe is great for those on a budget, and it doesn’t have to be pork shoulder, it can be any cheap cut of pork meat you can find. The best thing is to feed a family of four, you only need a piece of pork the size of an iPhone, about 1 inch thick.
I like rinsing the meat until the water runs clear after I make the slices. Then squeeze all of the water out. Also freshen it back up with crushed fresh ginger and green onion mixed with a 1/2 cup of water until milky. Then use the liquid to add moisture back to the meat.
Then I continue with the rest of the recipe.
Doing this step will ensure the meat is moist and tender, and it gets white almost like BK Chicken Fries.
Good Advice!😊
I finally made this, and my husband was disappointed there wasn’t more for second servings. Next time I’ll double the recipe for more! Never again will we order this from a restaurant. I followed exactly and used peanut oil. The only item I’ll change is to use a little less Chinese Five Spice.
I cooked this last night, using the exact ingredients, and OMG …. we’ll never order this again when dining out or ordering take-out. My husband ate his with a teriyaki dipping sauce and kept asking for more. I used peanut oil which I use when frying meats or poultry. Thank you, Rasa!
Awesome!
What is a good dipping sauce for this dish?
Chili sauce of your choice.
Is there a substitute for tapioca starch ?
You can use corn starch as a substitute.
Can I air fry instead of deep fry the pork?
what is a good substitute for all purpose flour that is gluten free?
Can I substitute Japanese mirin for Chinese rice wine?
Use gluten free flour. Yes you can use mirin.