Sweet And Sour Pork (Video)

5 from 8 votes

Sweet And Sour Pork (Video)

Sweet and Sour Pork is a classic Chinese dish a full of crispy, flavorful pork tossed with crisp peppers and onions with a sweet and tangy sauce! It's one of my personal favorites and this is the BEST way to make it at home - restaurant style!

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Equipment

Ingredients

Pork

1 lb pork shoulder cut into 1/2" pieces
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg beaten
2 tbsp flour
1 cup cornstarch
2 tbsp neutral oil

Vegetables

1 tbsp ginger chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 cups bell pepper cut into 1" pieces; any colors work but I used red, yellow & orange
1/2 cup yellow onion cut into 1" pieces
1/2 cup pineapple cut into 1" pieces

Sauce

1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp white vinegar

Cornstarch Slurry

1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Slice pork shoulder on the diagonal across the grain into 1/2" pieces. In a bowl, marinate the pork with soy sauce, garlic powder, white pepper, and salt and let rest for at least 20 minutes
Chop ginger and garlic and set aside. Slice bell peppers, onions, and pineapple into 1" pieces. Place in a bowl and set aside.
Mix ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar, cornstarch, and water for your sauce. Set aside.
Beat 1 egg and add the beaten egg to marinated pork. Slowly add in 2 tbsp of flour to marinated pork and egg mixture. Mix to combine until you get a wet batter consistency (refer to the video). Coat pork pieces in cornstarch and squeeze with your hands to make the batter stick. Shake off any excess.
Heat neutral oil to 350°F and fry your pork for 4-5 min, ensuring the oil does not drop below 300°F. Remove the pork to a wire rack. Heat the oil temperature back up to 350°F and fry a second time for 1 min. Remove the pork and set aside.
Sauté vegetables over high heat for 2 minutes in 2 tbsp of neutral oil to get some color on the vegetables and remove.
Sauté ginger and garlic for 30 seconds. Add in your sauce from earlier and mix. Add in your cornstarch slurry and mix for 5 seconds. Add in your vegetables, pineapple, and pork. Stir to combine for one minute. Serve with freshly steamed rice and enjoy!

Notes

KEY TIPS

Cut Your Ingredients Into Similar Sizes

I recommend cutting your fruit and vegetables (bell peppers, onions, and pineapple) into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly. This little step makes a huge difference in the final result.

This goes the same for your pork - cutting your pork into similar sizes ensures that your Sweet and Sour Pork will be evenly cooked (versus some being under or over done). I intentionally cut the pork smaller because the cornstarch dredge will add volume to the pork once fried. They will end up being the same size as the vegetables and pineapple for the final dish!

Success is in the Prep: For a recipe that comes together extremely quickly, the key to pulling this recipe off successfully is having your ingredients prepped and in bowls right next to your wok or pan! Have your premixed sauce, pork, and vegetables ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.

Monitor the Oil Temperature: Do not let your frying oil drop below 325F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see it dropping below 325F, fry your chicken in batches. Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture (AKA SOGGY!)

Double Frying: Double-frying at 350°F will get your Sweet and Sour Pork extra crispy - it will also help the Sweet and Sour sauce stick better to the battery. I highly recommend not skipping this step!

Storage and Reheating

Storage: You can store Sweet and Sour Pork in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Air Fryer: Reheat at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy.

Oven: Heat oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. I don't recommend reheating Sweet and Sour Pork (or any fried food) in the microwave unless you don't care about the texture and just want to heat it back up as quickly as possible.

Nutrition