The takeaway version is deep fried twice. The air fryer gets close enough with a cornflour coating and a spritz of oil, and you keep your kitchen clean. Toss the pork in the sauce at the very last second, or the coating you worked for goes soft.
Everything you need
- 600 g pork shoulder, cut into 3 cm cubes
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 cup (165 g) pineapple chunks, drained
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (68 g) tomato ketchup
- 2 red and green peppers, chunked
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- as needed oil spray
Single layer, always. Crowding the basket steams food instead of crisping it. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
0 of 6 done-
Toss the pork with the soy sauce and beaten egg, then tip in the cornstarch and mix until every piece is thickly and dryly coated. Shake off the excess.
For this step
- 600 g pork shoulder
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
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Preheat the air fryer to 200°C / 400°F for 3 minutes. Lay the pork in a single layer, not touching, and spray it generously with oil.
For this step
- 600 g pork shoulder
- as needed oil spray
-
Air fry for 10 minutes, turning and re-spraying halfway. Any dry white patches of cornstarch will stay powdery, so spray them.
For this step
- ½ cup (60 g) cornstarch
- as needed oil spray
-
Add the pepper chunks to the basket and cook another 5 to 6 minutes until the pork is deep golden and the peppers have blistered edges.
For this step
- 600 g pork shoulder
- 1 cup (165 g) pineapple chunks
- 2 red and green peppers
-
Meanwhile simmer the vinegar, sugar, ketchup, garlic and pineapple in a small pan for 4 minutes until syrupy enough to coat a spoon.
For this step
- 1 cup (165 g) pineapple chunks
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (68 g) tomato ketchup
- 2 garlic cloves
-
Tip the hot pork and peppers into the sauce, toss for 20 seconds, and serve immediately over rice.
For this step
- 600 g pork shoulder
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 red and green peppers
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Air fryer notes
- Cook at 200°C / 400°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
- Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
- Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.
Cook's tips
- Spray, don't drizzle. Pooled oil makes the coating greasy and patchy, while a fine mist crisps the whole surface evenly.
- Pork shoulder stays juicy through this. Loin is leaner and dries out badly in the last few minutes.
Make it your own
- Use chicken thigh instead, cooking for 12 minutes total rather than 16.
- Add a splash of the pineapple juice and a spoon of chilli sauce to the pan for a sharper, hotter sauce.
Storing & reheating
Refrigerate for 3 days, keeping sauce and pork separate if you can. Re-crisp the pork at 200°C for 4 minutes before saucing.
Frequently asked
How many grams is a cup of cornstarch?
About 120 g per US cup, so the ½ cup here is roughly 60 g. Cornstarch is what gives the shatter, so don't swap it for flour.
Can I use frozen pork?
Defrost it fully first. Frozen pork releases water into the coating and you end up with a pale, pasty crust instead of a crisp one.
Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.