Orange Glazed Pork Recipe

Orange Glazed Pork isYou know that moment when sweet meets savory and your taste buds just go, “Wait, what was that?!” That is exactly what happened the first time I made this Orange Glazed Pork. Something crispy, glossy, sticky, sweet, and citrusy – I honestly didn’t expect it to be this addictive. Try this Filipino-Korean recipe to be enjoyed by the whole family.

In this version, the pork is seasoned, coated in cornstarch, and deep-fried until golden brown. The glaze is made by combining different ingredients, then reduced to a syrupy consistency. By the way, I used pork shoulder (called “kasim” in Filipino) as it is tender and juicy. Its marbling allows it to soak up the orange glaze beautifully. The result? A perfect harmony of textures and flavors that feels like a delicious crossover episode between a Filipino fiesta and a Korean street food night!

What is Orange Glazed Pork

Orange Glazed Pork is a recipe that features pork coated in a sweet and tangy orange-flavored sauce. Thanks to inspirations from Asian cuisines, including Korean and Chinese. In these areas, sweet and savory combinations are popular. And you know what? Philippines is also addicted to the mixture of these flavors. That’s why a lot of Filipino dipping sauces, sarsa-rich dishes, and marinades are sweet and savory.

So, the Filipino-Korean orange glazed pork that we have here has crispy bite and sweet-savory sticky coating glaze, making it a favorite in many restaurants and households. This is really similar to another recipe that I made, Korean Fried Chicken, which also features a crispy exterior and a flavorful sauce. Let’s try this recipe today, and I’m sure you’ll be hooked. As they say in Korea, 맛있게 드세요! (Mas-iss-ge deu-se-yo!) — “Enjoy your meal!”

How to Cook Orange Glazed Pork

1. Seasoning the Pork – Begin by cutting 2 lbs of pork shoulder into small cubes. Season the pork evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper. Allow the seasoned pork to rest for 20 minutes. This step helps the meat absorb the flavors and guarantees a well-seasoned result.
2. Preparing the Glaze – In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of water, 1/4 cup of cane vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Stir the mixture and bring it to a boil. Add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 cup of brown sugar to the saucepan. Continue stirring and cook the mixture until it reduces by half, forming a syrupy glaze. This reduction concentrates the flavors and achieves the desired consistency.
3. Coating and Frying the Pork – Heat 2 cups of cooking oil in a deep pot over medium heat. While the oil is heating, dredge the seasoned pork cubes in 1 cup of cornstarch, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the coated pork pieces in batches. Fry them for 5 to 8 minutes or until they turn golden brown and crispy. Remove the fried pork from the oil and place them in a large mixing bowl.
4. Combining the Pork and Glaze – Pour the prepared orange glaze over the fried pork in the mixing bowl. Toss the pork pieces to ensure they are evenly coated with the glaze. This step allows the sweet and tangy flavors to adhere to the crispy pork.
5. Garnishing and Serving – Transfer the glazed pork to a serving bowl or platter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of finely chopped green onions over the top as a garnish. The green onions add a fresh, mild onion flavor and a pop of color to the dish. Serve the Orange Glazed Pork immediately to enjoy!

Best Way to Enjoy Orange Glazed Pork

Enjoy this Orange Glazed Pork fresh and hot, right after cooking, to keep its crispy texture. Letting it sit too long will make the bites soggy – definitely not what you want! Typically, people serve this as a main dish during lunch or dinner, paired with steamed rice. They are commonly in cute rice bowls with chopsticks. Next to the bowls are glass of chilled beverages, carbonated drinks or juice.

How Orange Glazed Pork Stands Out

Not because of its vibrant orange color, but because of its taste and preparation! This version of Orange Glazed Pork that I made has a straightforward preparation – I used cane vinegar and brown sugar in the glaze. Other glazed pork recipes often call for white sugar or more complex spices, but this one is very simple. Not only are cane vinegar and brown sugar common ingredients in your pantry, but they also complement the flavor, making it more “orange-y.” They really bring out the “orange” in the pork more than many other recipes found online.

What to Have With Orange Glazed Pork

Steamed white rice is a favorite pair, obviously. But for a more traditional Korean meal, consider serving it with kimchi, which adds a spicy and fermented contrast. Other suitable sides include stir-fried vegetables, pickled radishes, or a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette. These sides are the real deal – have these served in front of you while watching a late night evening show is what’s life is all about!

Suggested Recipes

If you enjoyed this Orange Glazed Pork recipe, you might also like these other “orange” variations but with different proteins:

• Orange Chicken – An amazing dish featuring crispy chicken pieces coated in a sweet and tangy orange sauce, similar in flavor to Orange Glazed Pork but with chicken as the main protein.
• Simple Orange Chicken Tenders – A straightforward recipe that uses chicken tenders for a quick and easy meal, offering the same delightful orange glaze. They are much easier to prepare because, well, they are tenders.
• Orange Crispy Burger – A creative twist that combines the flavors of orange-glazed meat with a burger format. Easy to cook, kid-approved, and speedy!

These recipes offer different ways to enjoy the sweet and tangy flavors of orange-glazed dishes. Give them a try and discover new favorites! It might just become your chok chok (촉촉) favorite – juicy, sticky, and full of flavor, Korean-style!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we can see your creations!

4 from 1 vote

Orange Glazed Pork

Crispy bite-sized pork coated with sweet and tangy orange sauce

Prep: 20 minutes minutes

Cook: 40 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour

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Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lbs. pork shoulder cut into small cubes
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 cup cornstarch
• ▢ ¼ cup cane or apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/4 cup green onions finely chopped
• ▢ 1 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 3/4 cup water
• ▢ 2 cups cooking oil

Instructions

• Sprinkle salt and ground black pepper all over the pork. Toss the pork to distribute the seasoning. Let it stay for 20 minutes.
  1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 lbs. pork shoulder
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a cooking pot.
  2 cups cooking oil
• Once the oil becomes hot, dredge the pork in cornstarch then deep fry for 5 to 8 minutes or until the color turns golden brown and the texture becomes crisp.
  1 cup cornstarch
• Remove the cooked pork from the cooking pot. Place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
• Make the orange glaze by combining water, vinegar, and soy sauce in a saucepan. Stir and let boil.
  ¼ cup cane or apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3/4 cup water
• Add the garlic powder and brown sugar. Stir and cook until the liquid reduces in half.
  1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 cup brown sugar
• Pour the glaze all over the pork. Toss to coat the pork completely.
• Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the chopped green onions on top.
  1/4 cup green onions
• Serve. Share and enjoy!

Notes

1. Pork shoulders – Pork shoulder has a good balance of lean meat and fat, making it perfect for this Orange Glazed Pork recipe. I recommend not using other cuts like pork belly or loin. Pork belly is fattier and may result in a richer dish, while pork loin is leaner and could turn out drier if not cooked carefully. Pork shoulder strikes the ideal balance for this recipe.
2. Alternative to cane vinegar – But first, I highly recommend cane vinegar in this recipe! But if you really can’t find one, apple cider vinegar has a fruity tang that might complement the orange glaze. Replace cane vinegar in a 1:1 ratio, but you might want to add a pinch of sugar to mimic the sweetness of cane vinegar.
3. Use high-heat oil – Choose oils with a high smoke point, like vegetable or canola oil, for frying. Both oils have a smoke point of around 400°F (204°C). They’re suitable for high-heat cooking methods like frying, as it can handle the temperature without breaking down or producing smoke. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 6g Calories: 1112kcal (56%) Carbohydrates: 56g (19%) Protein: 30g (60%) Fat: 85g (131%) Saturated Fat: 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g Monounsaturated Fat: 52g Trans Fat: 0.3g Cholesterol: 101mg (34%) Sodium: 1046mg (44%) Potassium: 599mg (17%) Fiber: 0.4g (2%) Sugar: 36g (40%) Vitamin A: 51IU (1%) Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) Calcium: 59mg (6%) Iron: 2mg (11%)

© copyright: Vanjo Merano