Crispy Honey Garlic Pork (Korean Style)
Ready in under 30 minutes, this Korean-style crispy honey garlic pork is the ultimate weeknight fix — pan-fried pork bites tossed in a sticky soy-honey glaze with golden garlic chips. Sweet, savory, and dangerously easy to love
The first time I made this honey garlic pork, I couldn’t stop sneaking bites before dinner. Every piece was crisp on the outside, tender inside, and soaked up that garlicky glaze just right — it practically begged for a bowl of rice.
Think of this crispy honey pork as a Korean take on a Chinese classic. Over the years I’ve seen similar dishes pop up in Korean home cooking — crispy fried pork tossed in a glossy, sweet-salty sauce that’s dangerously good with rice.
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Unlike the usual Chinese honey pork made with chops, this recipe uses diced pork chunks for better texture and quicker cooking. A light potato-starch coating and shallow fry create that irresistible restaurant-style crisp — no deep fryer needed.
It’s somewhat similar in spirit to Tangsuyuk (Korean Sweet and Sour Pork or Beef), another dish that blends crisp fried meat with a glossy, tangy-sweet sauce, or Dakgangjeong, with bite-sized chicken pieces coated in a spicy-sweet glaze. In Korea, these glossy “yangnyeom”-style sauces are beloved for turning simple fried meat into pure comfort food.
Easy enough for a Tuesday, impressive enough for company. If you’ve got some pork in the fridge, this might just become your new go-to.
Ingredients That Make This Korean-Style Pork So Good
Pork: I prefer pork shoulder (it has a perfect fat-to-meat balance), cut into large bite-size chunks. It stays juicy and develops the best crunch after frying. Lean pork loin works too; just trim off any thick fat layers.
Garlic: Thinly sliced garlic is fried until golden to make crispy chips. Koreans often use fried garlic to infuse oil with depth, and here it layers flavor into both the pork and the glaze.
Potato starch: Gives that ultra-light, shatter-crisp coating you get in Korean fried dishes. It’s more delicate than cornstarch, though cornstarch works if that’s what you have.
Glaze: Made with soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, vinegar, and rice wine. They are common Korean pantry staples that create a sweet-salty glaze with a hint of tang.
Veggies: I add Korean chives (buchu) and red chili. Chives pair beautifully with pork and give that signature Korean aroma, but green onio
How I Make Honey Garlic Pork (Step-by-Step Guide)
Fry the Garlic for Flavor
I like to start by frying the garlic until golden and crisp — tilting the pan helps the slices stay submerged so they brown evenly without using much oil. These little chips add crunch and infuse the oil with a mellow garlic aroma that carries through the whole dish.
Crisp Up the Pork
Next comes the pork — I season it lightly and shake it in a bag with potato starch for an even, thin coating. This trick keeps your fingers clean and gives that delicate Korean-style crisp.
For frying, a shallow pan works perfectly. The pork turns golden fast, and setting the pieces on a wire rack (instead of paper towels) keeps them crispy as you move on to the glaze.
Make the Glaze & Toss Together
The glaze comes together right in the same pan — soy, oyster sauce, honey, and a splash of vinegar bubble down into a glossy coating. Keep an eye on it; once it clings to your spatula, it’s ready.
If you enjoy that balance of crispy meat and glossy sauce, check out my Crispy Beef (Chinese Style), a similar technique with a tangy Chinese-style glaze that inspired this version.
Finally, toss everything together — the pork, the garlic chips, maybe a few chili slices if you want a little heat — then finish with fresh chives. The warmth of the sauce wilts them just enough to release their flavor.e residual heat, so no need to cook further.
That’s it — no deep fryer, no fancy steps, just golden, sticky perfection you’ll want to spoon straight over rice.
Tip: I’ve tested this recipe a few times, and the secret is timing the glaze just right. Cook it too long and it turns stiff; too short and it won’t stick. Once you nail that sweet spot, it’s addictive.
Serve or Store: Best eaten right after tossing, but leftovers re-crisp beautifully in an air fryer or skillet.
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Korean-Style Crispy Honey Garlic Pork
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 10 cloves garlic, sliced
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) cooking oil
- 2/3 lb (300 g) pork shoulder or pork loin, diced into large bite size chunks
- pinch salt and peper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sweet rice wine (mirim)
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ginger paste
- 2 tbsp (16 g) potato starch, or cornstarch
- 1.7 oz (50 g) chives, sliced
- 1 fresh red chili, sliced, optional
- 1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
For sweet sticky glaze
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp (7.5 ml) oyster sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) sweet rice wine (mirim)
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) white vinegar, or rice vinegar
- 2-3 tbsp (30–45 ml) honey
- 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and cook until golden and crispy on both sides, tilting the pan slightly so the garlic is submerged. Stir frequently for even browning. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- In a bowl, season pork pieces with salt, pepper, sweet rice wine, and ginger paste. Toss to coat evenly. Place the pork into a plastic bag with potato starch and shake until fully coated.
- Reheat the skillet with the remaining oil over medium heat. Shake off any excess starch and add the pork in a single layer. Fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a wire rack to keep crisp.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the glaze ingredients. Wipe out most of the oil from the skillet, then heat over medium-high until very hot. Pour in the sauce—it should bubble immediately and begin to thicken.
- Add the fried pork, garlic chips, and red chili (if using) to the bubbling sauce and toss quickly to coat. Remove from heat, stir in the chives, and toss just until wilted. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve hot with rice.
Delicious pork dish. Thank you!
Yeah! Glad that you liked it. Thank you.
Very delicious thank you from Hawaii, very easy. Keep up the good recipes, I’m excited to try more.
I am so glad that you enjoyed this honey garlic pork. Thank you for your sweet comment. I appreciate it.