Moist and tender, with charred bits too, these Honey Garlic Baked Pork Bites are delicious and easy to prepare. Despite the long cooking time, this main is perfect for a family dinner anytime. Sweet and garlicky, with an optional kick of spice and heat. Yum!
Pork. I love pork. Isn’t it just the prettiest word? It’s short and simple; easy to say and spell, and for me, it conjures up memories of good food. Pork has always been a staple in my childhood home. So, it’s no surprise that I would choose a pork dish over the most expensive steak. Do you know which pork dish I would choose? Yes, Honey Garlic Baked Pork Bites, without doubt, or hesitation!
Lord Byron’s Kitchen is loaded with pork recipes. Again, because it’s my favourite and I love to cook with it! Even though Honey Garlic Pork Bites might just be my favourite, it’s followed closely by Baked Pork Belly and these Barbecue Pork Riblets. Oh, I can’t forget this Sweet Jalapeno Pork!
Today, I made this recipe all over again in order to clarify the baking instructions. I think it’s sometimes easy for us home cooks to take certain things for granted. Especially when cooking for ourselves or our family. You know, we add something there – a pinch of that – or whatever. We pay little attention to baking times because we just eat it when it’s ready.
But, there are some of us home cooks who need very clear instructions to make a complete dish. There are many comments on this post, which tell how the home cook struggled to make this dish work.
So, I have baked the pork once more, and have updated the photos. I even threw in some photos of the uncooked pork, and what the pork will look like in the middle of the baking process.
This dish does take just over three hours from start to finish. I know not everyone has that much time, so if you’re looking for a delicious pork recipe that takes much less time, why not check out this easy pork dinner from my friend, Catalina? It’s an air-fryer pork recipe which takes less than 30 minutes and it’s absolutely delicious!
PREPARING THE PORK BEFORE COOKING
Pork cooks quickly, and some might argue that three hours is too long, but you need to trust me. You will need some patience and some time to get this dish right. Also, pay close attention to the size of the pork when you are cutting it into pieces.
Don’t cut the pork too small, and whatever you do, do not trim away all of the fat! Trim the fat cap if it’s still on the piece of pork you buy. But, don’t trim away every little bit. You need some fat to make this dish work.
Also, do not be tempted to use a leaner cut of pork. A lean cut of pork, like pork loin, will cook way too fast and dry out way too quickly. Be sure to use four pounds of pork shoulder picnic roast for this recipe. You will not regret it!
Once complete, you’ll be left with a pan of tender, moist, sweet, and garlicky pork. And, don’t forget about that touch of heat with those dried red chili flakes. Those are completely optional, by the way, if you’re not a fan of a bit of heat.
SERVING WITHOUT THE GREASE
When you serve Honey Garlic Baked Pork Bites, use a slotted spoon. This will help to drain the liquid from the meat when plating. There will be quite a bit of grease in the pan, and I would not recommend consuming that.
This dish will not have a sauce that you can pour over your side dishes. And, it’s not needed. The pork is not dry at all and remember, you didn’t add any sauces. What you see in that pan is grease and water from the pork. The only liquid you added, was honey.
THE PROCESS
I have inserted pictures here just to show you what you can expect during the execution of this dish. This first picture will show you how large the pork pieces and the onion slices actually are. Try to keep the pork close to one and a half to two inches in size while cutting.
These next two photos show how the pork looks after baking for one hour covered with aluminum foil. Do you see how much liquid is in the pan? Do not drain this liquid. Your pork will dry out and the garlic you add in the next step will burn and ruin your dish.
I do trust that my updated photos and updated cooking instructions will result in a better understanding of how to prepare this dish. When it comes to writing this blog and posting my favourite recipes, I enjoy it fully and I want you to be able to recreate these amazing dishes at home with the same results.
CONCLUSION
So there you have it; pork! There’s that word again. Of all the animal products that can be consumed, pork is by far my favourite. It’s always tender and moist. And, even the cheapest cuts can be prepared in such a way that a gourmet meal is a result. That’s the case with this Honey Garlic Baked Pork Bites recipe.
Notice the charred bits on the pork? Even those bits are still moist and tender. The fact that they are baked in a honey and garlic sauce, and the fact that I don’t trim the fat when cutting the pork, certainly helps! This is an easy, toss-everything-together-at-once type of recipe; my favourite!!
Do You Like This Recipe?
You should consider trying these other delicious recipes too!
Honey Garlic Baked Pork Bites
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork shoulder, fat cap removed, cut into 1.5 – 2” pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 8 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
- parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large oven-safe baking dish, gently toss the pork with salt, pepper, onion, and olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
- In the meantime, stir together the honey, dried red chili flakes, and garlic. Set aside.
- Remove the pan from the oven and add the honey and garlic mixture. Stir into the pork bites. (There will be a lot of water in the pan – do not drain!) Bake for 30 minutes, uncovered.
- Remove dish from oven, stir, and bake for 30 minutes. Then, repeat this step once more.
- Lastly, remove the dish from the oven again, add the sesame seeds, stir, and return to the oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and allow to cool for five minutes. Sprinkle with chopped, fresh parsley and sesame seeds. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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simon says
I wonder how these would taste on the BBQ I bet this recipe would be delicious too! And it already is in the oven version! Thanks for posting! I shared it around
Cheers!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Simon. Greatly appreciated!
Dianne says
If I’m reading your recipe correctly, the meat is only covered for one hour and uncovered for 2 hrs. Is that right? Thank you.
WhitBit's Kitchen says
Look at you with a pork recipe! Love it!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Holla! 😉
Denise Wright says
These look very yummy. pinning
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Denise! That’s very kind of you. 🙂
Brian Jones says
Nice to see you flaunting your meat on the web good sir 😉 I’m in complete agreement with you on Pork, I love the stuff, quite often not the prettiest of pieces of protein to use but always wonderfully tasty with an excellent variety of the fattier cuts and really lean cuts that enable it to be used in such a wonderfully varied number of ways.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Mr. Jones, you and I both know that’s not the first time I’ve posted pics of my meat on the web! Need I remind you of that file on your desktop named after me!? 😉
I’m with you on pork too. Love it! I would choose pork over steak any day. It’s true! Now that I’ve decided to add some meat dishes to this blog, I’m going to recreate – Canadianify, if you will – some of your awesome recipes. 🙂
john ewing says
Yes, I am a vegetarian, have been for half my life now, but I gotta say that I misses me eating meat sometimes. Especially when I come home to something like this. I can’t say it tasted amazing, though I’m sure it did. Sniff, sniff :'(
Can we make tofu look and taste like that?
😉
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m not one to tell a person to change their whole point of view on being a vegetarian, so I won’t tell you that it was freakin’ delicious! I’ll see what I can do to hook you up with some Honey Garlic Baked Tofu Bites. 🙂
goodiegodmother says
Between this recipe and the many toast recipes on your site, you may soon become my husband’s favorite food blogger. I’m a bit jealous, to be honest. :-p
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hahaha – tell him thanks!
Jacqueline Manaigre says
This looks delicious. Would I be able to make this and freeze? And simply reheat once thawed in microwave?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’ve never frozen it and I don’t recommend it. Reheating cooked meat will most always change the consistency and taste.
Whitney says
I’m so excited to see your new meaty recipes! haha. This pork looks freakin’ amazing, and I know you’ll have some more winning non-vegetarian recipes on the way 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’ve got a couple lined up. 🙂
Jenn says
I love honey garlic anything and these pork bites look amazing. I’ve got to give these a try and I really like the simplicity of the recipe – it is right up my alley. Thanks for sharing Byron.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Jenn. I love a good easy recipe as well!
Paige says
Byron! This looks awesome 🙂 These kinds of meals are perfect for weeknights at my house 🙂
Hillary Reeves says
Yumm!! I too eat pork sparingly, but this looks like it’s worth my cheat day for sure.
Also speaking of foodie spelling bees… I worked RUHL hard today trying to memorize “orecchiette.” Took me a while, but I made it!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hahaha – I’m so glad you get me!
Denise L says
Hi, you might want to change “Parmesan” in the end of your instructions to “parsley”. I was a little confused how chopped Parmesan would taste on pork then realized it was a typo!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Denise. It’s time to fire my proofreader. 😉
Crystal says
Hi!!! I’m making this (RIGHT NOW) and after the initial bake time, there was a ton of liquid fat in my baking dish. I didn’t drain it…
Am I suppose to? Because I’m in the last ten minutes of baking, and that fat hasn’t really cooked off. The pork has browned, but nowhere near as much as yours did in your final pic.
Next time….drain all the fat? Drain some of the fat? Drain none of the fat?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Crystal! I did not drain the fat from mine, but it does depend on the cut of pork. If you’re worried about too much fat, take the pan out of the oven and let it rest for a minute or two. Lay paper towels over the top. They will soak up the fat. Be careful. It will be hot. Remove the paper towels with tongs. Put the pork back in the oven and it should brown up. If not, place it under the broiler for a minute. It will be fine! And delicious!! 🙂
Katie Sybouts says
Mine had alot of liquid in the bottom as well I drained most of it and then added the honey and garlic…. it came out awesome!!! And wasn’t soupy at all!
Hayley says
Is there soy sauce in it? It looks like it in your picture but I don’t see it in the recipe.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Hayley! 🙂 No, there is no soy sauce in the recipe.
Hayley says
Thank you! I’m making this tonight ☺
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I hope you loved it as much I did! 🙂
Hayley says
It was really good! I didn’t have enough honey so it was on the dry side. Can’t wait to try it with the proper amount ☺
byronethomas@gmail.com says
It’s my favourite way to prepare pork. I’m so glad you liked it!
Stacie says
Then what is making your pork dark brown? Mine is not…
byronethomas@gmail.com says
The last part of the recipe asks you to remove the foil and bake for 45 minutes. That’s when most of the browning will occur. You do bring up a very good question. I think sometimes the brownness level can depend on the type of honey you use too. A darker honey will obviously result in a darker colour pork.
Joanne says
It actually states to uncover after 1 hour and then stir every 30 minutes after that.
Is it supposed to actually remain covered until the last 30-45 minutes and then be uncovered?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Joanne – after the first hour of cooking, the aluminum foil cover is removed. The rest of the cooking time is uncovered.
Roxanne says
Thank you for the super easy but, incredibly tasty dish! I was searching for a sweet and sticky pork recipe that didn’t require a plethora of ingredients to chop, dice and slice. This one hits the mark and may I say…. Wowzers, it’s a very tasty easy to put together treat. It didn’t last at the dinner table long.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Roxanne. Glad you and your family enjoyed it! 🙂
Nicole says
Hi! I’ve made something similar to this before without making them “bites” and it’s also my favorite way to prepare pork! My wonder is: What sides do you recommend with it?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Nicole! This is a great dish and very versatile. You can certainly pair it with a green salad, or piled high onto a crusty bun (it makes a great sandwich!) I have two favourite ways of serving this pork. The first, is with some sweet corn as a side, and the second, is with potato salad. If you choose to go the potato salad route, serve the pork at room temperature.
Atalie says
I made this last night. When I found the recipe I was THRILLED to see I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. So easy!!! This dish has the perfect amount of heat, my husband especially thought so. The ONLY thing I would change is I found the pork to be very dry. I used a cast iron skillet, so that could be the culprit. Should I have decreased the oven time to allow the meat a little more moisture? And if so, what would you recommend?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Atalie – thank you! I have found that if you trim the fat from the pork, it tends to get a little dry. If you notice in the pictures, there is some grease near the perimeter of the pan. I did not trim any fat from the pork at all. I cook it all together and then remove the fatty bits of pork before serving. Also, I think this one is best baked in a glass baking dish.
Lynn says
I must have screwed up somewhere. I thought the cook time & temp sounded like a lot for such small pieces and mine did burn. The flavors and idea are great – mine were just way too well done. I’ll try again – maybe in my slow cooker next time. Thanks for the recipe.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Lynn… I’m sorry to hear that. Next time around, don’t trim the fat; that helps to keep the meat moist during the cooking process. Also, if you find it’s getting dry during the cooking process, cover the baking pan with aluminum foil or a lid to help keep the moisture inside. You could also try increasing the sauce mixture so that there’s more liquid as well. I’ve never tried a slow cooker, so I could not offer any advice on that. If you do try it that way, come back and comment so that other readers might use that method too if it works well. Cheers!
Roxani Vrahimi says
Do you put water with the pork cubes garlic and onions in the oven??
byronethomas@gmail.com says
No, there’s no water.
Gail says
Thank you for posting a great recipe. The picture had me at first sight. I screwed up somewhere. I didn’t cook the meat as long and needed to add more honey. My question (and possibly where it all went downhill). Do you drain the pork juice before adding sauce. I had a lot in the pan and did drain. Adding the honey sauce to all that liquid just didn’t seem right. The flavor was excellent!!! The meat was way to dry to eat, tho I did suck on a few pieces, I had too. Don’t judge…..:)
Will definitely try try again.
Gail
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Gail… thanks for dropping by! No, you do not need to drain the liquid. In fact, the liquid is needed to keep the pork moist and tender. Don’t worry, the liquid will evaporate quite a bit during the cooking process. And, hey, I would never judge! In fact, I may or may not have licked my plate! #justsayin
Irene says
Pork is not my favorite meal, but this one is super yummy. I cook this almost everymonth. Thank you for sharing!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m so happy to hear that, Irene. Thank you! 🙂
Louise says
made this last night, I did not drain off the liquid after the 1st hr, it was good but too garlicky for me, I might make it again but only use 5-6 cloves of garlic and cook for only 30 mins uncovered at the end to help keep it from drying out, I also added steamed green beans to mine over cauliflower rice, went together well.
Amanda says
WOW that was amazing! I added significantly more salt (I blame my Hungarian grandmother for that) but that was incredible. Trying hard not to eat it all by myself. Sweet, spicy, savory, garlicky, porky goodness. I just cleared my plate and have already shared the recipe twice. SO impressed!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Amanda. 🙂 I try not to make it too often, because I’m the only meat-eater in our home and I always end up eating way too much. 🙂
Caitlin says
Do you think there is a way to crockpot this??
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Confession time: I’ve never used a crockpot before. I would love to help you out with this, Caitlin, but I really couldn’t provide any specifics.
Barbara says
You would not get the good caramelization in the crockpot that you do in the oven. The crockpot doesn’t allow evaporation of liquid that this recipe requires. The oven’s dry heat is what is needed, even better if you have a convection oven.
Stephanie says
Wow! That is about all I can say. I love to cook and I love to eat. However, I enjoy a meal with little to no meat every now and then. NOT a vegetarian but after gastric bypass surgery, I prefer at times to skip meat to make the digestion easier. My husband, as many men, has to have meat at every meal. I made this thinking that he would like it and I would just eat a few bites and just indulge more so in some side dishes. Well…..I must say that he did not like it because he LOVED IT! hat is evendors crazier is that I too LOVED IT! Shocker to me. If that wasn’t enough, my picky 8-yo daughter loved it too. Because my daughter and I are more sensitive to the spicinessential of the red pepper, I just left that ingredient out until ready to serve and then everyone could customize their own heat. I have made it on multiple occasions, shared it repeatedly and am so happy that I gave it a chance. I rarely leave comments (because, as you see, I can be long-winded) but as I sit here smelling the wonderful fragrance coming from my oven, I felt the need to throw out encouragement to give this dish a chance. I would not lie to you when I say it melts in your mouth. I would also encourage you to only plan for this dish if you have enough time to bake it the full amount of time that the directions instruct. Otherwise, it may lose the tenderness that I so love and that also helps to give the full on flavor. THANK you so much for this recipe. It most definitely will be a staple in our family that will be made on regular occasions.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Stephanie, you have made my day! Thank you so very much. You know, a food blogger (unless they have a gazillion followers and run numerous ads on their sites) makes very little in return for the effort they put into each and every post. In many instances, I’ve found myself questioning if it’s worth the work to continue blogging my recipes. But, when I get a message like this, from someone like you, who has tried the recipe and offers honest feedback, it really does make the work and the effort worth it. Thank you so very much! And, I don’t care if your comment was long-winded! LOL. I appreciate the shares, Stephanie. All the best to you and your family! Cheers!!
Patricia says
Thank you for the amazing looking recipe suggestion! I can’t wait to try it out and let you know!
Patricia says
I’m definitely going to give this on a try as I too have had the same surgery and have same issues with digestion and husband (kids too but we’re empty nesters now) also as you can see long winded lol! Thanks for the suggestion and will let you know how it goes!
char says
This looks great any ideas on side dishes
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Char. I would serve this dish with plain steamed rice or quinoa. I wouldn’t over-complicate the entire dish by introducing new flavours, because the pork is so delicious just the way it is, so you wouldn’t want to mask that. Some simple corn on the cob would be a great side, and so would a simple tossed salad.
Britney Miller says
I made these pork notes. But there’s so much liquid! The first time I made it I didn’t drain it off before adding the honey and my sauce was so thin and not like a glaze. The second time i made it, I drained all the pork fat off. But it’s still soupy and it never turned dark! Every thing is just a bland boring tan color and no dark like your picture! It looks nothing like the picture and I followed every step to the letter. Idk wat I’ve done wrong! Aside from looks and thin watery glaze, my hubby LOVES this dish! so I must be doing something right!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Britney. Thanks for your comments! I would start by asking what cut of pork you’re using. If you’re following the instructions step by step, there’s really no reason it wouldn’t work for you. If your not getting the ‘brown’ colour, I would suggest turning your oven to broil in the last few minutes to brown the pork a little.
JoAnn Louviere says
You can always put the pork bits under broil for 5 to 7 minutes to get the crispy burnt ends. I am trying this recipe for the first time and hoping it comes out well….I am sure it will.
Sheila says
I just made this tonight, it came out looking just like yours. I love the flavor but mine came out dry. I used pork loin and left some fat but not all and I cooked it in a large roaster in a single layer. What would you recommend I do differently so that the pork is not dry?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
It’s hard to say where things go wrong, Sheila. I would not recommend removing any of the fat from the pork before cooking it. Most pork loin is already very lean, so I would keep the fat on to help keep the dish moist. Since the temperature of your oven settings might be different, I would try cutting back on the cooking time by about 20 minutes or so. Just keep an eye on it.
Barbie says
This was delicious!!! I make dinner every night (we both prefer to eat home cooked) and this is definite add to the meal rotation! I love to vary our meals so that no one gets bored, this exceeded my expectations (I have been disappointed with online recipes before having a lack of flavor). Thanks so much for sharing!!!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you for such a lovely comment, Barbie. It’s certainly one of my favourite recipes. 🙂
Virginia says
Any thoughts on adapting this for a “drawer type” air fryer? Also the cubed pork I have on hand is loin cut and very lean. Could I add bacon drippings to bring in some fat?
Jane says
I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but was looking forward to it until I noticed the total cooking time for this dish which includes pork cut in 1 ” cubes is 2 1/4 hrs. at 350 degrees. My experience tells me this meat would be very dry. Why would the cooking time be so long?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
The pork will lose a lot of moisture, but keeping the dish covered will keep the moisture locked in. In essence, the pork will be tender and moist on the inside, but browned on the outside. I know it seems like a long time, but it really does work. 🙂
Carolina Lee says
Hi there,
This looks yummy, do you think we can do this in the slow cooker?
Thanks in advance,
🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Carolina. To be completely honest, I’ve never used a slow cooker. I don’t own one. So, I can’t comment on if this recipe will work in a slow cooker or not. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Julia says
Wow! Delicious. My husband and I were skeptical about the browning/carmelization when we were about half way through cooking, but the time uncovered really did the trick! We only had a pound of meat, so I cut back the cooking time about 15 minutes total (5 minutes from each stage). We left out the pepper flakes so our toddler daughter could try some too. Just cut up some Thai peppers and used them as a garnish with the parsley for us adults. We will definitely be making this again and with more meat so we have leftovers!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m glad you all liked the dish so much, Julia. 🙂 And thanks for dropping by to leave a note. I love hearing from my readers. 🙂
Diana says
Hi! Maybe a silly question but I only have .75kilo of meat (roughly 1.5lbs). Should I adjust recipe accordingly and by how much? I’m so excited to make this tonight!!!!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
The recipe was prepared with two pounds of meat. I would leave the other ingredients the same if using 1.5 pounds of meat. You’ll just be left with a little more sauce, which is never a bad thing. 🙂
Kay says
I was very excited to try this tonight. I’ve made honey garlic chicken in the past, using a different recipe, and thought it would be fun to try this one. I found that it is wayyy too sweet for my liking. Very disappointing. Neither myself or my boyfriend could finish our plates. I thought it needed some type of acidity to cut the sweetness.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m sorry to hear that, Kay. In my experience, anything labeled honey garlic is usually on the sweet side, but it hasn’t been too sweet for my personal taste. But, I can totally understand where you’re coming from. Thanks for letting me know.
Rebecca says
I bought a few pork roast on sale, but got sick of pork roast rather quickly. I googled to see what else I could do with it and came upon your site. I cooked the pork exactly like you described and it came out wonderfully. I made the mistake of making my cubes a bit too small so a few pieces were a bit tough, but they still were delicious. My family has been hinting they want the pork again so I’m making it tonight-I just won’t tell them how easy it is lol. Thank you for this recipe.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you for the lovely comment, Rebecca. 🙂 I could never grow tired of pork. LOL Glad you and your family liked this dish – it’s one of my favourites!
Morgan says
Do you think I could use boneless sirloin diced pork and put it in the crockpot? If so, how long would you put it in for? Thanks!!!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Morgan, I wish I could help, but to be perfectly honest, I’ve never used a crock pot in my life. I don’t know how long they take to cook or what their temperatures are. I really wouldn’t want to misguide you.
CJ Julian says
I’d brown the pork chunks in bacon fat before putting them in the crock pot. Then add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 8-ish hours, stirring every couple of hours.
CJ Julian says
So i made it in my crockpot today and it turned out perfectly
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Good to know, CJ! Thank you. 🙂
Lana says
I was tired of my same old pork recipes and decided to give this a try last night. I had 5 grandkids over (ages 8-16) and three adults. They all (and me too) loved it and went back for seconds. This is definitely a keeper. Thanks so much for sharing. I am now sending this recipe from AZ to IN! Yum.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Lana. Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Cheale Meats says
As pork producers it is so great to see so many delicious recipes for pork online! This looks so good – we do something similar – honey is the key here as it adds a richness and stickiness to the meat! This type of glaze is also yum on a ham at Christmas – honey, chilli, mustard and smoked paprika – give it a try!
Angela says
Yummy! I followed the directions (leaving out sesame seeds and parsley) exactly. Mine looked like the pic and tasted as good as it looks. My hubby and daughter loved it too!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Angela. 🙂 It’s my favourite dish!
Lisa says
I am trying this with a pork roast, and had everything in my kitchen to make this, I’m making it tonight, I can’t wait to see how it turns out, because it looks amazing, I will let you know how it goes. Thank you
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Lisa, pork roast is my favourite cut of meat. I’m coming to your house for dinner! 🙂 Let me know how it goes.
Sarah says
Hi Byron! So I tried reading through the comments to see if my question has been asked but there are so many! Haha.
I was wondering if this dish could be made with a much shorter cooking time? It’s 5pm and when I saw it I was hoping for about an hour to make. I have pork chops and was planning to chop them up into bites and bake them. If it’s not possible, then I will wait until I have more time to make this because it looks delicious! Thank you!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Sarah,
I think to get the darkened pork and the tender meat, you will need the longer cooking time. Let me know if you try it with a thinner cut pork chop though!
Lisa Landry says
I had some pork stew and had no idea what I wanted. Didn’t want gravy or jambalaya but I found this recipe. When it was cooking the last 45 minutes, after 20 minutes it smelled like it was burning. So I checked and it was! It was dry and hubby describes it as half burnt. I’m just thinking as I write this, I was using only 1/2 of the pork required for the recipe. That might have been the problem. Nevertheless, I will cook this again because we liked the taste and watch it more carefully.
Thank God I found your site because I was out of ideas how to cook pork stew meat differently.
Tony says
Just made this tonight flavor was great but i don’t know if i did something wrong or just had the wrong cut of meat? I used the loin with a small fat cap on the one side. As i said flavor was great but the pork was dry i will try again but adjust my cooking times.
Thank you for giving me something new to try with pork. Pork chops were getting old
Thanks again
Vivian Coello says
Hello! This recipe looks delicious!! Wondering if it’s possible to use chili powder instead of chili flakes? 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Yes, just go easy on the chili powder. Some chili powder’s can be very spicy!
Bree says
Hello,
I made your recipe earlier today and after the first time being in the oven for about an hour, there was this liquid at the bottom. When I added the honey it dissolved and didn’t really make it sticky. Was this supposed to happen?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m sorry to hear that, Bree. I have updated the recipe just recently with better instructions. I hope that helps.
June says
Just took these out of the oven. OMG they are delicious. I thought they would be dry but they aren’t.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, June. 🙂
Andrew says
Hello Lord Byron! Thank you for such a great recipe. I was a little skeptical at first bdue to the amount of oil/juices that was left over before adding the honey. Even though I wanted to, I didn’t drain it and cooked as directed. It turned out amazing! This will be a new family fav! I was fresh out of parsley but had a bit of cilantro left over from last night and topped it off with that and the sesame seeds. I love cilantro so this made it great for me. I’ve bookmarked you site and look forward to making some more of you delightful recipes.
Cheers,
Andrew
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Glad to hear it, Andrew. Thanks for dropping by – stick around! 🙂
MARYBETH THOMPSON says
Sir Lord Byron,
I have become a devotee of yours on the strength of your Honey Garlic Baked Pork recipe alone … and I don’t even cook! Never have, never will. The Husband does though. I find the recipes and we spend the evenings in the kitchen as I read them to him step by step and he cooks. The most wonderful man in the world, after he feeds us he even does the cleaning up! I know I am
the Quintessential Princess, perhaps a Toad Princess, but well esconced on my toadstool! Quite the lovely arrangement for the both of us. I do think we are going to have a wonderful time with many of your recipes! Our thanks ahead of time!
me,
SquiggyPopcorn aka MaryBeth
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Marybeth! You comment literally made me laugh out loud! 🙂
Christine Creamer says
Hi,
Can you use thick boneless pork chops instead?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Christine, I would certainly say yes, as long as the pork chops are really thick and have some good marbling.
Liz says
Hi Byron
This recipe sounds delicious. My husband & I are huge garlic addicts & I love cooking with honey. I want to try this tonight. My question is I have pork loin tenderloin already cut up as i make another dish with cut up pork but I only have a little under 3 lbs & your recipe calls for 4 lbs…do I need to adjust the time? I always overcook my pork except when I make empanadas which is what I us this cut up pork for. I also always like to double my sauce from any recipe because my husband & I are sauce freaks lol. Can you please help me with the time to cook so I don’t overcook it? Thanks in advance.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I would go ahead and use the three pounds. If you love sauce, then you’ll just have more of it! I would never complain about too much sauce. 🙂 A pork tenderloin does tend to dry out quickly, so watch out for that.
Barbara says
I have a question. The photos show rather large pieces of onion, about the size of the pork pieces yet the ingredients call for the onion to be finely chopped. Which is correct? I love pork and am always looking for new ways to cook. This looks amazing.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Good catch, Barbara. It really doesn’t matter, but I have updated the recipe to reflect the photos. If you prefer smaller pieces of onion, then just chop the onion smaller. I prefer larger pieces in this pork dish, because they do cook down quite a bit with the long cooking time.
Barbara says
Thanks, I’ll be trying this!
Linn says
I can’t imagine a better way to spend a very snowy Michigan day than making this recipe, stirring every 30 minutes, and watching the snowfall. Luckily I had everything I needed ( except the parsley). Dinner was absolutely delicious. We can’t rave enough about this recipe. Thank you!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
So happy to hear that, Linn. And I’m totally jealous of the snow. I love snow and can never get enough of it!
davidqmccarter says
Hi there we came across recipe and instantly looved it, however we made a few changes since we last cooked it.
1/ we used smaller cuts to the onion so that it would help lock in the juices and become honey like in texture when cooked
2/ we first used the pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time and then cooked in the oven as you suggested.
3/ we also used smoked garlic…
Realy loved other ways but the above changes did make cooking it much less time consuming and the smoked garlic added a different layer in taste.
Thankyou for you recipes, keep them cominmg.
Cheers Dave.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you so much. 🙂
Rita says
Your easy recipe for Honey Garlic pork was exactly what I was looking for last night and so I made it today. I used pork loin but did not trim the fat and, although tempted, did not drain off any of the liquid. It came out looking precisely like your photo, tender and tasty. It actually tasted like the meat of well done honey garlic ribs but better-no bones. I made a Chinese fried rice to go along with it and my guys and I enjoyed it very much. It is now officially in our recipe collection as a family favourite. Thanks so much for sharing…cheers!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you so much Rita. It’s my favourite dish!
crystal says
I have to say, this is DELICIOUS! My family also eats a ton of pork. the rotation for our suppers is pork, chicken, fish, seafood, and more pork. occasionally there will be some beef in there, but we like our pork and this recipe was a winner! I also did not find it dry at all, followed your directions and only trimmed the fat cap, and left all other fat. I do have one question though, have you ever tried to make a sauce out of the drippings? it seems to be a shame to just let all that flavor just go to waste.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you so much, Crystal. I have never tried to make a sauce from the leftovers in the pan. It would be a good idea to refrigerate it first and skim off the fat.
Becky says
Hey.
I’m in the UK. I made this yesterday and it was AWESOME!!
I only had pork loin so I was a bit worried about it being dry but I cut the last 30 min in the oven and it was delicious (going to make it with the proper cut next time though as I think it will be next level!!!
With regards to the liquid…I don’t know if it’s because I used loin but I put my pork pieces in a very large baking dish so the pork coated the bottom but with spaces exposed. I wonder if the larger surface area evaporated most of the water because I was simply left with a very little bit of sticky AMAZING tasting sauce.
Anyway…this recipe is now on the family favourites!!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Becky. I think the lack of water would also be the result of the pork loin. The other cut of pork would have more water content. I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
Kindra Mosher says
In the final stages now…I love them, and they’re not even done yet. I needed a surprise recipe (one I didn’t know I wanted until right in the moment) that would get me excited! Thank you–you made my day. 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
No, Kindra, you just made my day! 🙂 Thank you so much!
Kathryn O says
Well Sir…I did this recipe in my Tfal Actifry. About 2 lbs, marinated, with a touch of sesame oil.
About 15 minutes, tender, abit of char…the sauce was gorgeous.
I then put 2 cups of cold cooked rice with wee bit of this pork, soya sauce, frozen peas, some onion, and a splash of sesame oil. Into the Actifry again for 10 minutes. Asparagus on the side.
Fantastic!!!! Moist, tender meat….love my Actifry. Thanks
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Kathryn, that sounds so delicious!
Joyce says
I’ve been making this on and off for about a year now… It’s in the oven now and I decided to just take a look at the original recipe (I wrote it down on a note card after making it the first time and loving it) and was pleasantly surprised that you’ve recently updated it with more instructions and photos! Thank you so much for doing that, especially showing how much water there would be after the first hour. I’ve always wondered if I was just doing something wrong all this time… 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Joyce. I’m glad that I took the time to update the recipe too. I want everyone to get it just right and I thought including some of the process photos would help things along. Glad you like the recipe and the updated photos. 🙂
Ann Cillessen says
Since there are just the two of us, I’m wondering if you could reduce the amount of this recipe because i don’t want to have it for too many days. I’m also wondering if it can be reheated because I usually love leftovers? Thanks. Ann
Jody says
Question about the sauce. Do I use of the sauce the first time I put sauce on, or all of what the recipe calls for and double it?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m sorry, Jody. I don’t understand the question. Could you rephrase?
Lynne says
I followed the recipe exactly and although the flavour was good the “bites” were dried out and almost impossible to chew. I will try the crock pot next time as I think it does have the potential to be delicious.
Maggie says
So 2.5hrs it cooks for? Seems a bit much.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Yes, I know it might seem that way, but it really does work. 🙂
Lydia lambrecht says
My husband got sick of crockpot shredded meat and asked for chinese and pork. He loved it! He said this is exactly what I imagined when I asked for chinese and pork. Thanks for your recipe I’m making it again right now!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m happy to hear it, Lydia. 🙂
Michel says
Made this last night for family & my girlfriend. About a half hour into baking my son was impressed with the aroma & he’s hard to impress! Super easy to put together & it turned out perfect! Poured it over some white rice. Everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing what will be a regular on our home dining menu.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Michel. 🙂
Nathalie Chevrier says
I want to prepare freezable meals for my kids in college. Do you think once all done, I could put it in a zip lock bag and they could just put it in a glass dish and reheat it? If so, would you decrease the cooking time, to make sure once they reheat it that it does not over cook? Thanks for any suggestions…
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I think it should be okay, Nathalie. Pork is usually very forgiving when baked in a sauce. As long as you don’t use a lean pork product, like pork loin for this recipe, it should be fine.
Angela M says
Way too sweet…it looked so good.
Lisa says
I haven’t tried this but I am interested in trying it tonight with a pork tenderloin. Any thoughts?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Lisa! I hope my reply isn’t too late. Pork tenderloin will not work; it will dry out way too fast, because tenderloin is just too lean.
Shan says
I’m making this for the second time in two weeks because my store has been steady putting sirloin boneless pork chops on sale and this is a *perfect* use for them, cubed. I’ll steer it a bit Asian with some grated ginger in the sauce and I’m going to roast pineapple slices as well, but I have to say, when you make this, roast carrots with it!! The sauce is absolutely to die for with carrots, particularly with the red pepper flakes. Literally almost better than the pork, and I’m a full-on carnivore. The last time I made it I did actually drain some of the liquid, but I drained it into a quick and dirty lo mein of noodles, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, the kitchen sink, and a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies, which I had NO idea are actually kind of wonderful. Who knew. lol Anyway, thanks for the recipe and inspiration for the never-ending sale-priced pork chops. 😉
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Oh, lucky you! I wish my store would have a sale on pork! 🙂 I’d like to hear more about those noodles – sounds delicious!
Danielle says
What would I serve this with? Rice?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Danielle! I think rice is great with this pork, but you could also consider some steamed veggies or even a side salad.
Gina says
I have a package of pork that’s only 1.5 lbs. should I reduce sauce and time down 1/2 or little more?
Thanks! Recipe sounds amazing!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Gina, if it were me, I’d keep it the same. I never shy away from extra sauce! 🙂
Emily says
Wondering how I should adjust time for a smoked picnic ham?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’m sorry, Emily, I have never prepared a smoked picnic ham in my entire life.
Anna says
This is definitely in the must try list very soon! I have to laugh at some of the questions and comments you are getting. Don’t people know how to read? It clearly states in the recipe to use a pork shoulder, not pork loin or ham and it clearly says to not drain off the liquid. Duh. It looks and sounds amazing and I despise dried out pork so I may not cut ANY of the fat off unless the meat appears to be too lean after cubing it. Looking forward to making this in the near future….probably around Christmas time when I invite friends over for food and good cheer. I will be back after I make it to share my outcome!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Anna. I’m sure this recipe will be a great success for you. Please do come back and leave me your thoughts; I look forward to it! 🙂
Susan says
Hello! Have you ever made this recipe ahead and reheated? Trying to plan some make-ahead recipes for Christmas. Thanks!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Susan – I have not. I’m sure it would be just okay. Meat does tend to get a little dry if reheated.
Jessica says
WOW!! THANK-YOU!
I was a little worried because I lost track of time with the kids and got it in the oven an hour later than I wanted! I uped the temp to 375 and was able to omit the final 30 minute cook time! It was still super crispy! Only a few pieces were dry (likely from the higher temp) but overall they were moist and crisp! This was a huhe hit with my husband and my boys! Will definitely make again (with the proper timing LOL).
For anyone curious I used Pork Loin. I didn’t drain any of the liquid. If you read the full blog post – it says to serve with a slotted spoon – so yes there will be lots of liquid left over! But its still crispy – so don’t fret!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Sometimes life gets in the way, Jessica. I’m glad the timing didn’t ruin the who dish for you. 🙂
Loki says
This is an excellent dish! I make it at least twice a month for the family and we love it! My son is not a big meat eater and this is one of the very few meat dishes he will eat.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Loki! That’s great! 🙂
Maggie Unzueta says
This Honey Garlic Bake Pork Bites looks SO deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right now!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Maggie. 🙂
Theresa says
This recipe sounds amazing and would love to try it, however 3 hours at 350 degrees sounds like a very long time. Am I reading these directions correctly?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Yes, Theresa, that is correct. 🙂
Julie Scales says
Do you think you could use ribs instead ! Thanks !
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I’ve never tried the recipe with ribs, but I’m sure it’s possible. You may want to adjust the baking time, or at least check the oven more frequently to ensure the ribs don’t over cook.
Monica says
I look forward to making this, it looks amazing! I wanted to clarify something. The recipe says to cook for 2 full hours AFTER uncovering (step 4), but I see several comments about cooking uncovered only for the last 45 minutes. Which is correct?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Monica! Yes, you will want to cook for the full two hours.
Beth says
Just finished making this and holy yum! Reminds me of the spare ribs you get from Chinese restaurant only way more delicious and healthier! I even cut down the honey a little bit and still sweet. I’d probably add more crushed red next time but I like things spicy. Will definitely be making this again!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Beth. Glad you enjoyed it!
Jane says
This looks great. Wondering if You think substituting maple syrup for the honey would work?
Thanks.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Jane. To be honest, I don’t think it will. The sweetness/sugar levels in honey and syrup are different. Also, honey is much thicker than syrup and the taste will most definitely be affected.
Michelle says
Do any other cuts of pork work with this recipe? I have chunks of pork tenderloin and I am certain they will dry out if cooked for 3 hours. Thanks!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Michelle – it has to be a cut of meat that has some good fat and marbling, otherwise, it will be too dry to eat!
Clare says
Could you use red onion instead?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Yes, I think that would be just fine. Red onion is not as strong in terms of flavour, but it will work just fine.
Clare says
Can you recommend a sauce for rice on the side
Jack says
This came out really fatty, the taste was very good aside from that.
Orla Kenny says
Hi I am in the middle or cooking it, just wondering is I am cooking it at the right temperature . It says 350 degrees, but my oven only goes up to 230c ,
Wondering if maybe I have to convert something. Thanks x
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Orla – In Canada, our ovens use Fahrenheit for the most part. You’re using a Celsius oven. For 350 degrees, set your Celsius oven to 180-190 degrees.
Ben says
Aww yeah. I’d eat my weight in those bad boys! OM nom nom.
Martha Jane says
I cut the recipe in half. It smelled so good for 2 hours. I reduced the temperature to 250° and covered the pan, but it still burned.
I’m wondering where I went wrong. 🤨
Kaylei says
This recipe was delicious! It will definitely be apart of my rotation meals. Thank you for sharing. 🙌🏻
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Kaylei. 🙂
Michelle says
I don’t even know how I came across this luscious recipe but I am so glad I did! A store near me had a sale on bone-in pork sirloin roasts so I got 10 pounds. I normally don’t use much pork (shame on me!) but at $1/pound I couldn’t pass it up. Other than using a different cut of roast the only changes I made were adding a sploosh (technical term…lol) of horseradish mustard to the honey glaze and to also use wasabi sesame seeds. Everything else was followed to the letter. I had to sit on my hands to give it the resting time after the pan came out of the oven! Juicy, crunchy edged, tangy…everything I’ve missed about pork, this dish had! This may be my 1st recipe from your blog but it sure won’t be the last. Thanks!!
Lorraine Willis says
Help! I accidentally started this recipe with pork loin chops. They are very thick but I know I need to drastically reduce the cook time. So far I’ve only completed the first step and baked them in a 350 oven for 45 minutes instead of an hour. I hope I can make this work! Thanks in advance!
Helene says
3rd time making this tonite and I’m always impressed with how well it turns out. I am a picky meat eater and tend towards lean cuts but this is the best recipe to make with a fatty pork shoulder roast, who knew?! Super easy and so delicious. Thanks for sharing!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Helene, you are a rock star! You actually made this recipe 3 times in one night? You’re dedicated! 🙂 So glad you liked it!
R Dawkins says
Just made this for the first time, and will definitely make it again! It’s very easy and I followed the cooking instructions exactly and it turned out perfect. Was a bit hesitant about the not draining but definitely make sure to follow the recipe exactly if you have any trouble!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you! I’m so glad you followed the recipe exactly. It works every time that way. 🙂
Ali says
Hello! I’m hoping to make this tomorrow – just wondering if I should cook for less time if I use a smaller portion of pork? (There’s only two of us!!) Thank you! Can’t wait to try ^.^
Stephanie West says
I admit I was a bit skeptical that this recipe would work. I followed the directions exactly and it turned out just like the photos. It was delicious. I used a slotted spoon to remove the pork and served over a bed of rice. Will definitely make again. I left the remaining pork in the juice and froze it. I will put it in the oven to reheat. I hope the leftovers taste just as good!
Ruth says
This is a super easy and delicious recipe. Love it. Thank you.
Chef Katy says
Followed exactly, looks identical, tastes amazing.
Beck & Bulow says
Ive been cooking for close to 50 years so I know my way around a kitchen, but I do appreciate the comments and advice from the cook who is experienced with the recipe.
Andrei Marinus says
Cooked this yesterday, family went for second helpings. Thank you for the clear recipe and abundance of pictures.
The cut of the meat definitely matters, that was the third time I tried it, and first time that I used the pork shoulder.
Well, it works not so bad with the leaner pork loin, but you definitely need to cut the oven time in half.
Will definitely do this again, but using the pork shoulder.
Karen Vetvik says
This looks wonderful! My husband is Type 1 Diabetic so carbohydrates can be an issue. Recipe indicates 10 servings, 30 g carbs per serving. Could you please tell me the size per servings, a cup? Thanks so much because I would love to make this.
Sharon North says
Hello! could you please tell me if the oven temp for the pork bites are in C or F?
Looking forward to trying these, they look scrummy!! Thanks for your help.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Sharon – it is F.
Prtlndblnd says
Used 2” pork shoulder leftover from canning. OMG this is SOOOOO good. And easy!
Chontea says
This recipe worked out great, I was pleasantly surprised. You must follow the instruction don’t skip a step or try to speed up the process. Trust me it will be worth it.
Sary says
So simple and delicious! I only had about 1/4 cup of honey so I added some brown sugar and it turned out great.
Tyler says
Bought some pre-diced pork that was on sale. Didn’t know what to use it for so I’m currently making this right now! I’m very excited! However, everything that I have read has all been with fat. There’s not much fat on this pork so I’m hoping it’ll be okay!
Deblet says
Hi Byron, I made this recipe a few weeks ago and it turned out perfectly, colour was great, super tender and tasty, so this week I am using your recipe as a template but adding chopped ginger and chinese five spice to mix it up a little. I am going to try and save some of the cooking liquor, spoon off the fat, add some stock and reduce to make a sauce. Will let you know how it turns out 🙂
Jennifer VanZandbergen says
I was scared these would be overdone since it was to cook for 3 hours, but they were absolutely delish. going into my favorite folder to make again and again. my boyfriend isn’t a fan of pork since it has a high fat count, but he loved it.
Gabriella Ertl says
Exactly the sauce that i love. This is the best recipe that is like Chinese pork ribs honey garlic that I used to order in Canadian Chinese Restaurants.
Danna Blackledge says
Really wish I had read the entire post before making this recipe about the importance of using a pork shoulder. I used pork stew meat already cut. Ugh. Big mistake. It was horrible. So burned. So I will make it again with the correct cut of meat, I promise!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Oh, that’s too bad, Danna. Pork shoulder has more fat, and it’s needed in this recipe to keep the meat moist and tender.
Cindy warner says
This has become one of my favorite meals to make on a chilly day using the oven for hours. Absolutely delicious!!
Michelle says
My family enjoyed these pork bites. I added fresh pineapple and jalapeños, wow what a great way to cook a pork shoulder .
Cathy W says
I did not want to spend three hours waiting on this so I improvised and did it in my instant pot. I cooked the first step for 25 minutes on high pressure then I added the honey garlic mixture and put it on the brown/sauté feature. there was still plenty of liquids so at first, I just stirred it every five minutes or so. As it got thicker, I stood over it more closely and stirred until it got nice and thick and sticky. It’s not quite as dark as the photos here but still turned out very nice and tender.