Go Lo Yuk | 慢烤咕噜排骨 Recipe
- Daniel
- Jul 28
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Go lo yuk has always been one of my parents’ favourite dishes to eat with rice. I love its sweet, tangy sauce, colourful vegetables, and pineapple, but I have never been particularly fond of the pork itself.
Too often, the meat is chewy or dry, and once the fried batter absorbs the sauce, everything turns into a soggy mess. I wanted to keep everything we enjoy about this beloved dish while changing the one part that has always bothered me.
Go lo yuk, written as 咕噜肉, is the Cantonese name commonly used for sweet and sour pork. It is closely associated with Cantonese cooking and usually consists of battered pork served with a glossy sweet-and-sour sauce, vegetables, and sometimes pineapple.
The origins and exact meaning of its name are debated: one explanation connects gu lou to the sound of swallowing, while another links it to an older name suggesting an “ancient” or long-established pork dish. My version is not intended to replace the traditional preparation. It simply borrows those familiar flavours and rebuilds the pork using a different method.
Instead of battering and deep-frying small pieces of lean pork, I slowly roast seasoned pork ribs until tender, remove the bones, and roughly shred the meat before tossing it through the sauce.
You still get the peppers, onions, pineapple, garlic, and that unmistakable sweet-and-sour character, but the pork remains soft and juicy without a layer of batter becoming soggy. It takes longer than the usual version, but the oven does most of the work.
Give it a try when you have a little extra time, especially if you love go lo yuk but have always wished the pork could be more tender.
Ingredients:
(Serve 4)
Pork Ribs:
Pork Ribs Sliced, 1 KG
Light Soy Sauce, 1 TBSP
ShaoXing / Hua Tiew Wine, 1 TBSP
Sea Salt, Pinch
White Pepper, Pinch
Garlic Powder, 1 TSP
Chinese 5 Spice Homemade, 1/2 TSP
Sauce:
Tomato Paste / Ketchup, 2 TBSP
Pineapple Juice, 50g
Go Lo Yuk:
Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola / Peanut Oil, 2 TBSP
Red Bell Pepper Coarsely Wedged, 1
Yellow / Green Bell Pepper Coarsely Wedged, 1
Yellow Onion Coarsely Wedged, 1
Fresh Pineapple Chunks, A Handful
Sea Salt, Pinch
Black Pepper Pinch
Garlic Finely Minced, 3 Cloves
Slurry, 1 TBSP Potato Starch + 1 TBSP Water
Toasted Sesame Oil, 1 TBSP
Scallions (Green Parts) Coarsely Sliced, A Handful
Equipment:
Wok / Skillet
Oven
Directions:
Please visit my "General Tso's Chicken" page for the sauce recipe.
Please visit my "How To Make Chinese 5 Spice" page for the recipe.
Prepare and Roast the Ribs
Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F).
Line a baking tray with foil and place the sliced pork ribs on top.
Add the light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper, garlic powder, and Chinese five spice. Massage the seasonings thoroughly over the ribs, making sure every piece is evenly coated.
Wrap the ribs tightly with foil. Sealing the tray helps trap steam and keeps the meat moist while it slowly cooks.
Bake for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the pork is tender and separates easily from the bones. The exact cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of the ribs.
Carefully open the foil, watching out for the hot steam. Allow the ribs to cool until they are comfortable to handle.
Remove and discard the bones, then roughly shred or break the pork into bite-sized pieces. Do not shred it too finely; you still want satisfying pieces of meat in the finished dish.
Prepare the Sweet-and Sour Sauce
While the ribs are roasting, combine the General Tso’s sauce, tomato paste or ketchup, and pineapple juice in a bowl.
Stir until the tomato paste is fully incorporated and the sauce is smooth.
Taste the sauce before cooking. Add a little more pineapple juice if you prefer it fruitier or less concentrated.
Set the prepared sauce aside.
Prepare the Vegetables
Cut the bell peppers and onion into chunky wedges of roughly similar size so that they cook evenly.
Prepare the garlic, slurry, sesame oil, and scallions before heating the wok. Once stir-frying begins, the dish comes together quickly.
Stir-Fry the Vegetables
Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat.
Add the cooking oil and swirl it around to coat the cooking surface.
Add the bell peppers, onion, and pineapple. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Stir-fry until the vegetables are hot and the onion begins to turn translucent. Keep them slightly crisp rather than cooking them until completely soft.
Add the garlic and continue stir-frying briefly, just until aromatic. Be careful not to burn it.
Finish the Go Lo Yuk
Pour the prepared sweet-and-sour sauce into the wok.
Stir well, scraping the bottom of the wok so that the sauce combines with the vegetables and their juices.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
Stir the slurry again immediately before using, as the starch may have settled at the bottom. Pour it gradually into the simmering sauce while stirring continuously.
Cook until the sauce becomes glossy and thick enough to cling to the meat and vegetables.
Add the shredded pork ribs and gently toss until every piece is thoroughly coated and heated through. Avoid stirring too aggressively, or the tender pork may break apart.
Turn off the heat and drizzle in the toasted sesame oil.
Give everything one final toss, then transfer it to a serving plate.
Garnish with sliced scallions and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Succulent...
Perfect over some rice...
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