Sticky Asian-style Pulled Pork is cooked until fall-apart tender, then served with fresh, crunchy vegetables. Stuff it into Peking duck-style pancakes, rice paper or mini tortillas, or serve with rice or noodles!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Peking duck pancakes on a menu without ordering them. 😋 This Sticky Asian-style Pulled Pork is my take on those same sweet flavours and fall-apart meat, except we swap the duck for melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork instead.
This recipe was inspired by a similar dish I tried at Chin Chin in Sydney, when I caught up with my fabulous Instagram friend Nabs from Supermarket Swap. Their version featured pulled pork with plum sauce, served with the fresh vegetables and the pancakes you’d serve with Peking duck. I was instantly hooked and knew I wanted to create my own take on it at home. I love the challenge of translating restaurant-style meals into easy, approachable dishes for home cooks, using simple ingredients and straightforward techniques so everyone can enjoy that eating out experience at home.
Slow-cooked pork Scotch roast (pork butt roast), or pork shoulder, is cooked until it’s fall-apart tender, then tossed through a rich, sticky hoisin-based sauce packed with garlic and ginger. I love to pile it into the soft pancakes with crunchy julienned vegetables and fresh herbs for a delicious dinner … I’m already salivating just thinking about it!
I absolutely love the Peking duck-style pancakes, and discovering you can buy them in the freezer section of the supermarket here in Australia honestly blew my mind. I felt like I’d been living under a rock! 😂 (If you live overseas, don’t worry, as you can find the pancake pastry at Asian grocers, or serve the pork in one of the many other ways I suggest below.)
I do have strong opinions about what should go inside the pancakes, though! The filling has to be hoisin-based (just like traditional Peking duck) and must include something fresh and crunchy to balance all that sticky, rich flavour. I never thought anything could beat Peking duck for me, but this pulled pork version just might …
It took me 10 attempts (yes, really!) to get the balance of flavours just right, but I’m so proud of the final result. My poor family ate this recipe more times than I can count over those three months, and somehow they never got tired of it – that’s always a good sign!
This is one of my favourite recipes to make on the weekend. The prep couldn’t be easier, but it does need a little time to cook. I like to pop the pork in the oven or slow-cooker and let it roast away while I get on with my day.
It’s also a fun meal to enjoy with family and friends. I like to lay out all the toppings in the middle of the table, and the kids love filling and wrapping their own pancakes – usually daring each other to add extra sriracha or try some fresh chilli!
Any leftovers freeze beautifully, but you can also get creative and use the delicious pork and sauce in all sorts of dishes. After making this again recently, we enjoyed rice bowls the next night, but it’s also fantastic in lettuce cups, fresh rice paper rolls, mini tortillas, bao buns or even stirred through fried rice. I love recipes that keep on giving, and this one definitely does. One cook, multiple dinners, all from an affordable cut of pork. That’s exactly my kind of recipe.
Can I use pork shoulder instead of pork Scotch roast (pork butt roast)?
Absolutely! Boneless pork shoulder works beautifully in this recipe and is often a more budget-friendly option. I personally prefer pork Scotch roast because it’s easy to find and typically comes with the rind already removed, making prep even quicker. If you use pork shoulder, just ensure it’s boneless and the rind is removed.
Where do I buy the Peking duck pancake pastry?
You can find frozen Peking duck pancake pastry in the freezer section of most major supermarkets in Australia, or at Asian grocery stores internationally – make sure you buy the packets that only include the round pastry wrappers (not the full kits that include the duck). They’re the same style commonly served with Peking duck in Chinese restaurants. I usually let them thaw in the packet at room temperature, then place them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 1 minute before serving. Don’t worry if you can’t find these pancakes, as there are many other things you can use, from rice paper rounds and mini tortillas to lettuce cups and bao buns. See below for more ideas.
How else can I serve Sticky Asian-style Pulled Pork?
Here are some of my favourite ways to enjoy Sticky Asian-style Pulled Pork:
- Rice bowls – Serve over steamed jasmine rice with edamame, avocado, cucumber, carrot, spring onion (scallion), kimchi, coriander (cilantro) and sriracha mayo.
- Fresh rice paper rolls – Rice paper roll wrappers with vermicelli noodles, cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, coriander (cilantro), mint and a drizzle of the sticky sauce.
- Lettuce cups (san choy bow-style) – Fill crisp iceberg or cos (romaine) lettuce leaves with cucumber, carrot, spring onion (scallion), coriander (cilantro), crushed peanuts (optional) and fresh chilli.
- Fried rice – Stir the pork through homemade fried rice with peas, carrots, egg and spring onion (scallion).
- Noodle bowls – Toss egg noodles or rice noodles with wombok (napa) cabbage, bean sprouts, spring onion (scallion), coriander (cilantro) and extra sticky sauce.
- Bao buns – Fill steamed bao buns with pulled pork, spring onion (scallion), coriander (cilantro), and sriracha mayo. You could also add some quick pickled cucumber (finely sliced cucumber tossed with equal parts rice wine (or white) vinegar and water, ½ teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of salt; let sit for 20–30 minutes).
- Loaded fries – Top crispy fries with pulled pork, sriracha mayo, spring onion (scallion), sesame seeds and fresh chilli.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Definitely! This recipe is perfect for making ahead because the flavour only gets better with time. Cook the pork up to 2 days in advance and store the pork and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Reheat the sauce until hot, then warm the pork with a bit of sauce to keep it juicy. For caramelised edges, pop the pork under a high grill (broiler) for 5–8 minutes before serving.
If you enjoyed Sticky Asian-style Pulled Pork, I think you’ll love:
Slow-cooked Sticky Pork Belly Recipe – Sticky, sweet, fall-apart pork flavoured with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Chinese five spice and star anise. Serve with steamed rice and greens.
Sticky Pork Bao Recipe – Sweet and savoury, succulent pork belly is encased in a fluffy bao bun with fresh herbs and veggies and a creamy, spicy sauce.
Pork Belly Banh Mi Recipe – Crusty rolls are filled with melt-in-the-mouth pork belly with the best crackling you’ll ever eat. Fresh toppings and mayo complete the picture and are customisable to suit your preferences.
San Choy Bow Recipe – A delicious dinner that’s easy to make and fun to eat. Lettuce cups are filled with a flavoursome minced (ground) pork and veggie mixture (and optional vermicelli rice noodles). Takes just 20 minutes!
Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos Recipe – Pork shoulder is cooked low and slow until melt-in-the-mouth tender, then stuffed into soft tacos with pickled red cabbage and avocado. Enjoy on your next Mexican night!
Sticky Asian-style Pulled Pork (Slow-cooker, Oven and Pressure Cooker!)
Share Pin Recipe PrintIngredients
- 2 kg (4¼ lb) pork Scotch roast (pork butt roast) or boneless pork shoulder, rind removed if required (see note 1)
- 185 ml (¾ cup) hoisin sauce
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 60 ml (¼ cup) oyster sauce
- 55 g (¼ cup) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 6 garlic cloves, julienned or roughly chopped
- 1 large piece ginger (about 8 cm/3¼ inches), finely sliced or roughly chopped
- 250 ml (1 cup) reduced-salt chicken stock
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tbsp water
- 2 x 130 g (4½ oz) packets (20 wrappers) frozen Peking duck pancake pastry (see note 2)
- 2 Lebanese (short) cucumbers, cut into thin strips lengthways
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 3 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced into long thin batons
- ¼ bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves picked
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- Fresh red chilli, finely sliced (optional)
- Sriracha mayo (optional)
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F) (140°C/275°F fan-forced).
- Prepare the pork – Pat the pork dry with a paper towel and place it in a large heavy-based ovenproof pot or Dutch oven with a lid (see step 4 if you only have a baking dish).
- Make the sauce – In a large bowl, stir together all the sauce ingredients, except the star anise and cinnamon, until well combined.
- Add the sauce – Pour the sauce over the pork. Add the star anise and cinnamon stick. Cover with the lid (or tightly cover with a double layer of foil if using a baking dish), ensuring it is well sealed so no steam can escape.
- Cook the pork – Cook for 4 hours, turning the pork halfway through, or until it easily pulls apart with two forks. If needed, continue cooking in 30-minute intervals until tender.
- Caramelise the pork – Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the pork is lightly caramelised around the edges.
- Thicken the sauce – Stir the cornflour mixture into the cooking liquid until well combined. Transfer the pot to the stovetop over medium heat and simmer for 2–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened into a rich, sticky glaze. Ladle 185 ml (¾ cup) of the sauce into a small bowl and set aside for serving.
- Shred the pork – Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and star anise. Shred the pork directly in the pot using two forks, gently tossing it through the remaining sauce in the pot as you go, until well coated.
- Serve – Prepare the pancakes according to the packet instructions. Arrange the pancakes, sticky pulled pork, reserved sauce, cucumber, carrot, spring onion, coriander, red onion, fresh chilli, sriracha mayo and sesame seeds in the centre of the table and let everyone build their own pancakes.
- Prepare the pork – Pat the pork dry with a paper towel and place it into the base of a slow-cooker.
- Make the sauce – In a large bowl, stir together all the sauce ingredients, except the star anise and cinnamon, until well combined.
- Add the sauce – Pour the sauce over the pork. Add the star anise and cinnamon stick.
- Cook the pork – Cover and cook on Low for 8–10 hours or High for 5–6 hours, or until the pork easily pulls apart with two forks.
- Shred the pork – Carefully transfer the pork to a tray. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and star anise if they have come out with the pork. Shred the pork using two forks, then loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
- Thicken the sauce – Skim any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Ladle 500–750 ml (2–3 cups) of the cooking liquid (or whatever remains if there is less) into a saucepan (see note 3). Transfer to the stovetop over medium heat and simmer for 8–10 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Stir through the cornflour mixture and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened into a rich, sticky glaze. Ladle 185 ml (¾ cup) of the sauce into a small serving bowl and set aside for serving.
- Combine the pork and sauce – Return the shredded pork to the slow-cooker. Pour over the thickened sauce and gently toss until well coated.
- Caramelise the pork (optional) – For extra caramelised edges, transfer the pork to a baking tray, spoon over a few tablespoons of the sauce and grill (broil) on high heat for 5–8 minutes, or until lightly caramelised around the edges.
- Serve – Prepare the pancakes according to the packet instructions. Arrange the pancakes, sticky pulled pork, reserved sauce, cucumber, carrot, spring onion, coriander, red onion, fresh chilli, sriracha mayo and sesame seeds in the centre of the table and let everyone build their own.
- Prepare the pork – Pat the pork dry with a paper towel and place it into the pressure cooker.
- Make the sauce – In a large bowl, stir together all the sauce ingredients, except the star anise and cinnamon, until well combined.
- Add the sauce – Pour the sauce over the pork. Add the star anise and cinnamon stick.
- Cook the pork – Secure the lid and cook on High pressure for 90 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure. The pork should easily pull apart with two forks. If needed, cook on High pressure for a further 10–15 minutes.
- Shred the pork – Carefully transfer the pork to a tray. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and star anise if they have come out with the pork. Shred the pork using two forks, then loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
- Thicken the sauce – Skim any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Ladle 500–750 ml (2–3 cups) of the cooking liquid (or whatever remains if there is less) into a saucepan (see note 3). Simmer over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Stir through the cornflour mixture and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened into a rich, sticky glaze. Ladle 185 ml (¾ cup) of the sauce into a small serving bowl and set aside for serving.
- Combine the pork and sauce – Return the shredded pork to the pressure cooker. Pour over the thickened sauce and gently toss until well coated.
- Caramelise the pork (optional) – For extra caramelised edges, transfer the pork to a baking tray, spoon over a few tablespoons of the sauce and grill (broil) on high for 5–8 minutes, or until lightly caramelised around the edges.
- Serve – Prepare the pancakes according to the packet instructions. Arrange the pancakes, sticky pulled pork, reserved sauce, cucumber, carrot, spring onion, coriander, red onion, fresh chilli, sriracha mayo and sesame seeds in the centre of the table and let everyone build their own.
Nutrition information
Make it lighter
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Recipe notes
Make Ahead
This recipe is perfect for making ahead because the flavour only gets better with time.- Cook the pork up to 2 days ahead.
- Store the pork and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
- Reheat the sauce in a saucepan or microwave until hot.
- Reheat the pork in a covered baking dish at 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) for 20–25 minutes, stirring through a little of the sauce to keep it juicy.
- For caramelised edges, place the pork under a high grill (broiler) for 5–8 minutes before serving.
- The pancakes can be thawed overnight in the fridge and reheated according to the packet instructions.
Leftovers
Store the pulled pork and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. To reheat- Microwave – Reheat the pork and sauce together in 30-second bursts, stirring occasionally, until piping hot.
- Stovetop – Warm the pork and sauce gently in a frying pan over medium–low heat until heated through. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Oven – Place the pork in a covered baking dish, spoon over a little extra sauce and bake at 200°C (400°F) (180°C/350°F fan-forced) for 20–25 minutes, or until hot.
- Rice bowls – Jasmine rice, edamame, avocado, cucumber, carrot, spring onion (scallion), kimchi and sriracha mayo.
- Fresh rice paper rolls – Rice paper wrappers with vermicelli noodles, cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, coriander (cilantro), mint and extra sticky sauce.
- Lettuce cups (san choy bow-style) – Iceberg or cos (romaine) lettuce, cucumber, carrot, spring onion (scallion), coriander (cilantro), fresh chilli and sriracha mayo.
- Fried rice – Stir through homemade fried rice with peas, carrots, egg and spring onion (scallion).
- Noodle bowls – Egg noodles or rice noodles with wombok (napa) cabbage, bean sprouts, spring onion (scallion) and coriander (cilantro).
- Bao buns – Steamed bao buns with quick pickled cucumber, coriander (cilantro) and sriracha mayo.
- Loaded fries – Crispy fries topped with the pulled pork, sriracha mayo, spring onion (scallion) and sesame seeds.
