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    Home » Appetizer/Snack

    Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)

    Published 11/04/2018. Updated 09/29/2020

    Jump to Recipe

    Tangsuyuk is a popular Korean-Chinese sweet and sour pork (or beef) dish! Learn how to make this crispy deep-fried meat in a delicious sweet and tangy sauce at home with this easy to follow recipe.

    DSC 0210 e1541395225208 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)

    Tangsuyuk (탕수육) is crispy deep-fried pork (or beef) in a delightfully sweet and tangy sauce!It’s Chinese sweet and sour pork (or beef) dish adapted for Korean taste. Tangsuyuk (also spelled tangsooyuk) is another beloved Korean-Chinese dish along with the two noodle dishes – jajangmyeon and jjamppong.

    Every time my family goes out to a Korean-Chinese restaurant, we almost always order a large plate of tangsuyuk to share as an appetizer. At home, I often make this dish for special occasions or gatherings, especially when my extended family gets together. Everyone loves it!

    Tangsuyuk is easy to make, but the process goes very quickly. So, have all your kitchen equipment and ingredients ready before starting to cook. This tangsuyuk recipe was originally posted in September 2011. I’ve updated it here with new photos, more information, and an improved recipe.

    Meat choice for tangsuyuk

    Growing up, my mother usually made this dish with pork. I usually do the same thing except when my sister-in-law who does not eat pork will be coming. You can use any meat of your choice for this recipe.

    For a vegan tangsuyuk, try rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms. They are meaty, chewy, and packed with earthy flavor.

    DSC 0152 e1541395689262 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)

    How to make tangsuyuk batter

    You’ll need to pre-soak the potato starch used to make the batter for about an hour or two. This is a traditional method used to create a slightly chewy yet crispy crust. It is important to deep-fry the meat twice for extra crispiness.

    How to make tangsuyuk sauce

    The key to a successful tangsuyuk sauce is the balance between the sweetness and sourness. This tangsuyuk recipe produces a well-balanced sauce, but you can always adjust to your taste.

    The vegetables add different textures and a colorful touch to the dish. In this updated recipe, I used carrot, onion, cucumbers, and wood ear mushrooms. Red and green peppers and green peas are also good options. You can also add some fruits, such as pineapple or apple slices.

    Some people like to have the sauce on the side and dip the meat in the sauce as they eat. I prefer the sauce poured over the meat. One of my readers once called the former a “dipper” and the latter a “pourer”. Which one are you?

    DSC 0113 e1541395731822 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)

    DSC 0251 e1541395806663 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)

    Have you tried this tangsuyuk recipe? Please rate the recipe below and leave a comment! Stay in touch by following me on YouTube,Pinterest,Twitter,Facebook, andInstagram.

    DSC 0113 350x350 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)

    Tangsuyuk (Sweet and sour beef or pork)

    4.57 from 30 votes
    Appetizer
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Starch soaking: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 3
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 10 ounces tender cut of pork or beef (such as pork loin or beef sirloin)
    • salt and pepper
    • 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

    Batter

    • 1 cup potato starch or corn starch, soaked in 1 cup of water for 2 to 3 hours
    • 2 tablespoons lightly beaten egg
    • 1 tablespoon canola oil
    • 4 cups canola or vegetable oil for deep frying

    Vegetables -- See note

    • 1/2 small carrot
    • 1/4 small onion
    • 1 ounce wood ear mushrooms - optional
    • 1/2 small cucumber or 1/4 green bell pepper

    Tangsuyuk Sauce

    • 1 cup water
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 4 tablespoons sugar
    • 2 tablespoons vinegar (or to taste)
    • pinch salt
    • Starch slurry – 2 tablespoons starch* in 4 tablespoons water

    Dipping sauce - optional

    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 1 teaspoon vinegar
    • pinch black pepper
    • pinch red chili pepper flakes gochugaru

    Instructions

    • At least an hour before cooking this dish, combine 1 cup of the starch with 1 cup of water and refrigerate until ready to use. The starch and water will separate, and you will need to pour out the water on top to use the soaked starch at the bottom. 
    • Cut the beef (or pork) into 2 to 2.5-inch long strips (about 3/4-inch wide and 1/8-inch thick). Mix well with the grated ginger, and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let it sit until ready to deep fry.
      tangsuyuk1 e1453002281348 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    • Prepare the vegetables by cutting into thin bite size pieces.
      DSC 0007 1 600x402 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    • In a pan, add 1 cup of water along with the remaining sauce ingredients except the starch slurry. Boil just until the sugar melts and turn off the heat. You will finish the sauce when the meat has been deep fried.
      tangsuyuk3 e1453002972520 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    • Carefully pour out the soaking water from the starch. Use your hand to mix the soaked starch with the egg and oil. The starch will be very stiff. The addition of oil will help loosen it a little. 
      DSC 0005 600x402 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    • Coat the meat with the starch batter.
      tangsuyuk4 e1453002478577 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    • Add 4 cups of oil to a deep fryer, wok or large pot. Heat over high heat to 350°F. Using metal tongs or chopsticks, drop the meat in the oil one piece at a time. Do not crowd the oil. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, in two or three batches, reheating the oil to 350°F between the batches. 
      DSC 0025 600x402 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    • Remove them with a wire skimmer or a slotted spoon. Drain on a wire rack or in a large mesh strainer set on a bowl.
      DSC 0032 600x402 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    • Reheat the oil to 350°F. Add the meat (you can do this in one batch for the second frying) and deep fry again for 2 to 3 minute. Drain on a wire rack or in a large mesh strainer set on a bowl.
      tangsuyuk5 e1453002656522 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    • Bring the sauce to a boil again. Add the carrot, onion, and optional mushrooms, which take slightly longer to cook than the green vegetable. When the sauce boils, add the starch slurry, stirring well. Taste the sauce and add a little more sugar or vinegar if desired. Turn the heat off, and then add the cucumber slices (or green pepper if using). The green vegetables lose their color quickly if boiled in the sauce.
      tangsuyuk6 e1453002384971 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    • Place the meat on a large serving plate and pour the tangsuyuk sauce on top or serve the sauce on the side. Serve immediately with the optional dipping sauce.

    Notes

    Red and green peppers and green peas are also good options. You can also add a few bite size fruit slices, such as pineapple or apple, at the end of cooking.
    tangsuyuk e1453001505427 1 e1601393908504 - Tangsuyuk (Sweet and Sour Beef or Pork)
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kim says

      February 04, 2021 at 7:27 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for this recipe! My friend and I were in Seoul in 2020 and ate tangsuyuk and jajjanmyeon at a place in Myeongdong. This tastes exactly like what we had! It was so easy to follow!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 04, 2021 at 8:32 pm

        Aww so happy to hear that! Glad you were able to travel to Korea in 2020.

        Reply
    2. Jona says

      January 22, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      5 stars
      Ok this is really goood:) I’ve been trying to perfect this recipe and now I finally did<3 thank you so much :)!

      Reply
    3. Youshita Gashtil says

      December 27, 2020 at 6:38 pm

      5 stars
      This is my second time I’m making this dish! It is a great recipe, I had some guests over last time and my family and guests all loved it! Great success! one of the guests which is my daughter’s best friend later told her she keeps thinking about this food and dreams about having it again, since she unfortunately recently has been tested positive for COVID, I am making it again for her along with some Seaweed Soup (your recipe) hoping she feels better soon. Thank you so much, you are my reference for any Korean Food. You make it simple ,easy to follow and tasteful. Also great explanations regarding history of the food and sides that go with it.

      Reply
    4. HJ Lee says

      November 25, 2020 at 11:00 am

      I made this last night and it was awesome! It was restaurant quality.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        November 25, 2020 at 5:48 pm

        Aww so happy to hear that, HJ! Thank you so much for letting me know.

        Reply
    5. Irina says

      September 28, 2020 at 10:11 am

      Hi, I’m currently getting the various ingredients to make this. In the step by step guide, you mention adding green peppers and pineapple bits but it’s not in the ingredients. How much of these things do you add?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 29, 2020 at 11:45 am

        Okay sorry I missed that when I updated the original post which used green pepper and pineapple pieces. It’s been corrected. Thanks!

        Reply
    6. anonymous says

      September 23, 2020 at 10:36 am

      hi! im confused between the two sauces in the ingredients. In the directions, it doesnt say anything about the dipping sauce. Whats the difference between those two? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 23, 2020 at 9:30 pm

        The first one is the sweet and sour sauce which is the main sauce for this dish, and the other is a simple dipping sauce made with soy sauce for people who want extra saltiness, which is optional. Hope this clarifies.

        Reply
    7. Susie says

      July 07, 2020 at 3:36 am

      5 stars
      Made it for dinner along with fresh package of Jjajang Myun as a side and it came out better than most Korean Chinese restaurants. That’s saying a lot as I live in Los Angeles where there are probably the most Korean Chinese restaurants. Thank you, your website is always reliable.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 23, 2020 at 9:03 pm

        aww I’m incredibly happy to hear that! Thank you!

        Reply
    8. Wendy says

      April 28, 2020 at 8:18 am

      5 stars
      Made this for dinner. I was scared that I might have over soaked the corn starch… that the beef might be hard beneath the coating. It turned out great! My family loved this!
      Loved the crispy sound and the meat was tender.
      The green pepper and pineapple bits wasn’t on the list of veggies, but it’s ok. It turned out good.
      For the dipping sauce, since we’re on quarantine and Asian stores are closed, I substituted gochugaru with togarashi and it went well.
      I’m turning Korean!!! 감사합니다 gamsahabnida and God bless you! Take care and stay safe.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 23, 2020 at 9:08 pm

        Nice! I’m glad it turned out well for you and your family loved it! Thank you for stopping by to tell me the good news.

        Reply
    9. Jenifer Huynh says

      April 27, 2020 at 3:05 pm

      Hey haven’y tried it yet but when you say vinegar/or for tasting do we have to include it in the sauce when we put it in the pan or add it on the sauce to dip later. Not very experienced in cooking aha

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 27, 2020 at 10:09 pm

        In the sauce in the pan to get the sauce vinegary to taste. Hope you try it.

        Reply
    10. Alex says

      April 17, 2020 at 8:11 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks, Hyosun! The pictures are making my mouth water 🙂 I’ll try this recipe this weekend.

      Reply
    11. Keyla says

      March 12, 2020 at 10:50 pm

      5 stars
      Just got done trying out this dish. Wow!! completely worth the time and effort, it has the perfect balance of sweet and sour, savory, and the texture is pleasantly chewy. I can see why this would make an excellent party dish, thank you Hyosun for all the recipes you’ve posted on your blog. I have tried many and they have all been delicious!

      Keep up the amazing work!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        March 14, 2020 at 10:44 pm

        Hi Keyla! So happy to hear that! And thank you so much for such nice words!

        Reply
    12. Priscilla Moya says

      January 13, 2020 at 12:22 pm

      What type of vinegar do you use please? Thank you

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 14, 2020 at 2:03 am

        I usually use rice vinegar for Korean cooking, but for this dish any clear vinegar is fine.

        Reply
    13. Y says

      October 26, 2019 at 6:21 pm

      The ingredients do not list green bell pepper or pineapple

      Reply
    14. amy says

      August 11, 2019 at 1:00 pm

      ginger is listed as one of your ingredients. when do you add that in?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 13, 2019 at 2:18 am

        oh sorry! It should be mixed with the meat in step 2. Revised it. Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    15. SKim says

      February 14, 2019 at 7:38 am

      Hello,
      I really want to make this, but can I leave the egg out or is there a substitute? My kids are very allergic to eggs.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 15, 2019 at 12:56 am

        You can leave the egg out. Add more oil to loosen up the soaked starch. The texture and color will be different, but I’m sure it will still be delicious!

        Reply
    16. Ellie says

      November 17, 2018 at 5:59 pm

      Is there a way to adapt this recipe to avoid the deep frying; perhaps a baked version?

      Reply
    17. Adilah says

      November 15, 2018 at 10:27 am

      Saw this at kdram Wok of Love..

      Reply
    18. joongkoogjip says

      August 23, 2017 at 5:44 am

      Thanks for sharing such an amazing blog post.

      Reply
    19. luzviminda lola says

      May 18, 2015 at 10:25 am

      .this is a big help to those who wants to learn how to make korean food……now its easy for me to know how to make korean food..thank you

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        May 18, 2015 at 11:26 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    20. larni says

      May 12, 2015 at 4:27 am

      wonderful recipe and even better taste i want more 🙂

      Reply
    21. Annie says

      April 05, 2015 at 3:49 pm

      I love tangsooyuk but I cannot eat deep fried food. Can I bake the meat and dip in the sauce? Would it have the same taste? Is there a baked version? Thanks!! Love your site!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 05, 2015 at 5:59 pm

        hmmm I haven’t tried baking the meat for tangsuyuk. Try it! I am sure it will be different but it may still be good. Let me know how it turns out if you try. Thank you so much for the love!

        Reply
    22. Unknown says

      August 03, 2013 at 2:08 am

      Hi Hyosun, I tried your jabchae recipe and it was absolutely delicious. I wanted to try your tangsuyuk recipe but I was wondering- we have a deep fryer. Should I still fry twice? Thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        August 03, 2013 at 4:24 am

        So happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know. You don’t have to if you prefer not to, but it will be crispier with double frying. Thanks for trying out my recipes. Enjoy!

        Reply
    23. Anonymous says

      December 18, 2012 at 10:08 pm

      Wow, I love love your website. I’ve been looking for a good site for Korean food, but it’s been hit or miss. Everything looks wonderful. My husband is Korean and I’m not…so he doesn’t get to eat much of his native food…but now with your site, I will be sure to surprise him with all these dishes. Going to try this dish this week.

      Reply
    24. Sophia K. says

      February 26, 2012 at 10:45 pm

      I made your tangsuyuk for dinner tonight. My family enjoyed it very much and there were no leftovers! I’ve tried to make this many times before with other recipes, but your recipe was the yummiest! Thanks again for posting and I love your blog.

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        February 27, 2012 at 1:30 am

        Hi Sophia – I am so happy to hear your family enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    25. Hyosun Ro says

      October 18, 2011 at 3:22 am

      Jimin – I do that sometimes too when I want to add a nice citrus flavor. Thank you for the nice words, and hope to see you here often. Enjoy!

      Reply
    26. Anonymous says

      October 18, 2011 at 1:57 am

      I really enjoy your website. I will have to bookmark it and refer to it often. When I make my tansuyuk, I buy canned pineapples and use the juice in the can as part of the sauce. What do you think?

      Jimin Hong-Noden
      Oakville, Ontario. Canada

      Reply
    27. Hyosun Ro says

      September 17, 2011 at 4:40 pm

      Thank you, Soyeon! I know you can make this easily.

      Reply
    28. csk says

      September 17, 2011 at 4:37 pm

      Ooh! Your Tangsuyuk is so much more delicious than any restaurant’s… and now I can try making it myself! Thank you!

      Reply
    29. Hyosun Ro says

      September 10, 2011 at 12:01 am

      Evan – We used to do that when I was growing up – just plucked them off a pine tree. That was fun. But, it’s okay to steam songpyeon without pine needles. We have several places in the DC area we can buy good songpyeon from, but now I want to make some after talking to you about it.

      Reply
    30. bossacafez says

      September 08, 2011 at 2:44 pm

      hi again hyosun-ssi, i’m glad you like my blog as well. anyway i’ve linked you up, your blog is too good to be missed 🙂

      are you making anything for chuseok? i thought of making songpyeon but i’m not sure where to get pine needles. do you just pluck them off a pine tree? lol. i wonder if its ok to steam the songpyeon without the pine needles?

      Reply
    31. Hyosun Ro says

      September 08, 2011 at 1:17 am

      Hi Evan-ssi – Thank you so much! I am very happy to hear that you’ve been a big fan of my blog and liked my jeyuk bokkeum recipe. You have a lovely blog, which I am going to follow.

      Biren – Please try it. You will like it. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
    32. Biren @ Roti n Rice says

      September 07, 2011 at 6:03 pm

      Your sweet and sour beef looks delicious! I also like your photography as it alwaqys looks so clean and sharp. I have never tried using potato starch for batter but would like to try it next time. 🙂

      Reply
    33. bossacafez says

      September 07, 2011 at 7:15 am

      hi hyosun-ssi, thanks for dropping by my blog! i’ve actually been a big fan of yours for a long time, i made the jeyuk bokkeum few mths back and it was absolutely delicious!! thanks for sharing the recipe and i really look forward to trying more of yr fantastic recipes 🙂

      Reply
    34. 5 Star Foodie says

      September 06, 2011 at 1:12 am

      An excellent dish with sweet and tangy flavors!

      Reply
    35. sartorialselectivity says

      September 06, 2011 at 3:05 am

      I miss good tansuyuk, thanks for the detailed recipe. I’ll have to give it a shot and then compare my results to the “real thing” when I get to visit Korea again in a couple weeks!

      Reply
    36. myfudo says

      September 03, 2011 at 10:14 am

      Mmmmmlicious, terrific and sumptuous stuff. I could have this for my meat lover dad.

      Reply
    37. Hyosun Ro says

      September 03, 2011 at 4:38 am

      Thank you, Sandra. You have a good weekend too. I will come over soon to see what you’re cooking.

      Reply
    38. Hyosun Ro says

      September 02, 2011 at 12:47 am

      Bliss Bunny – Thanks for your kind words. You have a great labor day weekend too!

      Nami – That’s interesting! I didn’t know there was a Japanese version. I look forward to seeing it on your blog one day. Thanks!

      Hira – Apparently your coworkers need to have their priorities straight. Lunch first and then work! LOL. Hope you get to enjoy them over the weekend. Thanks for visiting and leaving comments!

      Andrea – It’s hard not to love them, isn’t it? Hope you had a great summer. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
    39. [email protected] says

      September 01, 2011 at 10:13 pm

      We love Korean-Chinese restaurants, and this one is one of our favorites, too! (Besides jajangmyeon and jambbong of course!) It’s going on my list!

      Reply
    40. Hira says

      September 01, 2011 at 5:24 pm

      This is a terrible site to go to, especially when the rest of your coworkers won’t hurry up and get their work done so we can go to lunch!

      thanks for another excellent recipe. I used to always order this with 짜짱면 so maybe I’ll make these two over the weekend!

      Reply
    41. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

      September 01, 2011 at 4:59 pm

      How interesting – we do have Japanese-Chinese sweet and sour pork too. LOL. Yours look MUCH closer to Chinese version and looks so delicious. My kids love this dish too and I should make your version one day. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

      Reply
      • Roger Z says

        November 03, 2017 at 2:06 pm

        I like that the sweet-sour sauce is not as sweet compared to the Chinese version

        Reply
    42. Bliss Bunny says

      September 01, 2011 at 6:39 am

      Yummy! This looks wonderful. Have a great Labor Day weekend! I really do love this blog.

      Reply

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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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