Sweet and Sour Pork
Sweet and Sour Pork recipe is a great way to liven up your weeknight dinner! Tender pork with juicy pineapple chunks and bell peppers in sweet and tangy sauce. A cup of rice is not enough!
The sweet and sour sauce alone will keep you coming back for more. With tender meat, crisp vegetables and pineapple chunks added, it’s near impossible to stop. You’ll be amazed at how simple this Chinese restaurant dish is to make. Forget going out for takeout or delivery, enjoy this sweet and sour pork at home with this easy recipe.
Why make it?
It is straightforward, and easy to follow. The result will knock you off your socks. You should try it for yourself.
- The pork dish have vibrant colors with red and green bell pepper that is inviting and appetizing once you set it on the dinner table.
- Right balance of sweetness and tanginess that is enjoyable to the palate.
- Few simple steps to make yet big on taste! Every bite size pieces of pork delivers amazing flavors.
- The recipe can also be used for sweet and sour meatballs.
Double fry the pork!
Double frying is the secret to less oily and crispy food. I decided to double fry for an extra crispy pork even when tossed with the sauce. Double frying involves deep frying the battered pork once then turning up the heat and fry it again for 2 minutes.
How to make Sweet and Sour Pork
- Start off with marinating the cutlets of pork shoulders with spices and seasonings plus cornstarch and flour to batter them at the same time.
- Make the sauce in a separate mixing bowl by mixing together tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce ( you can also use light soy sauce) pineapple juice and cornstarch.
- Deep fry marinated pork and double fry if you want that extra crisp even when tossed with the sauce.
- Sauté some onion and garlic then stir fry the bell peppers. Add the sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring to avoid lumps.
- Lower the heat to low and let it simmer for 2 more minutes then adjust seasoning as per preference.
- Tip in the fried pork and toss until coated with sauce then add pineapple chunks and cook for a minute. Serve and enjoy!
Marinating the pork
Here are what you’ll be needing for pork marinade ingredients.
- Pork shoulders -You can also use pork tenderloin, pork loin, pork neck, pork scotch.
- Cornstarch and flour – Help tenderize the pork.
- Seasoning – For flavorful meat.
Making the sweet and sour sauce.
Making the sauce is easy, just mix everything in a bowl and let it cook a while before tossing in the deep fried pork pieces. Here are the sauce ingredients.
- Tomato sauce – You can also substitute this with ketchup.
- White vinegar – Cider vinegar can also be used to balance out the sweetness of the sauce.
- Brown sugar – Helps with thickening the sauce and has little more flavor than white sugar.
- Soy sauce -This can be replaced with Worcestershire sauce for some umami in the sauce.
- Cornstarch – This will thicken the sauce and make it stick to the fried pork when tossed.
- Pineapple juice -Don’t throw the juice from the can where you got the pineapple chunks from. It will be used for the sauce to make it tangy.
Stir fry ingredients
Once the pork is marinated and the sauce is ready, stir fry these ingredients before adding the sauce and pork pieces.
- Minced garlic cloves.
- Quartered red onion.
- Slices of yellow, green and red bell peppers.
- Pineapple chunks – I added this after tossing the pork in the sauce to retain their crispiness.
Tips for an amiable experience
- If you do not want to double fry the pork you can also just fry it once to save time.
- To reduce oil splatter, pat the wings dry with paper towels. This will also ensure they are crispy.
- Make the sweet and sour sauce in advance, just reheat the sauce before tossing freshly fried pork cuts.
- This pork dish is great with steamed rice or fried rice.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
You may also like
- Pork Katsu Curry with strips of crispy pork cutlets served with thick flavorful Japanese curry. Oh, and don’t forget the rice! Enjoy this easy yet delicious pork curry recipe with friends and family!
- Pork barbecue skewers cooked the Filipino way are simply delicious! Tender pork slices grilled just right on charcoal or in the oven.
- Pork Char Siu – If you love a juicy, sweet & sticky barbecue, give this easy Chinese barbecue recipe a try!
Sweet and Sour Pork
Sweet and Sour Pork recipe is a great way to liven up your weeknight dinner! Tender pork with juicy pineapple chunks and bell peppers in sweet and tangy sauce. A cup of rice is not enough!
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: servings
Calories: 1084kcal
Ingredients
Pork marinade and deep frying ingredients
- 700 grams pork shoulders (cut into bite size pieces or cubes)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 medium egg
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup cornstarch (for coating pork)
- 2 cups cooking oil (for deep frying)
Sauce ingredients
- 7 tbsp tomato sauce or ketchup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
Stir fry ingredients
- 1 large red onion (quartered)
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper (sliced)
- 1/2 green bell pepper (sliced)
- 1/2 red bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 tbsp oil
- salt and pepper for seasoning
Instructions
Marinating the pork
- In a bowl place pork pieces then add marinating ingredients.700 grams pork shoulders, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 medium egg, 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 1/2 tbsp flour
- Mix well to incorporate and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.
Making the sauce
- In a separate bowl. mix together tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, cornstarch.7 tbsp tomato sauce or ketchup, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- Mix well until fully incorporated or until cornstarch is dissolved.
Deep frying the pork
- 1st Fry – In a pot, heat 2 cups oil over medium heat. Coat marinated pork with cornstarch then fry for 3 minutes. Do the same with the rest of the marinated pork then drain in a rack.2 cups cooking oil, 1 cup cornstarch
- 2nd Fry – Double fry cooked pork pieces for 1 1/2 minutes to make the extra crisp. Drain in a rack.
Cooking the sweet and sour pork
- In a large skillet or pan, heat oil over low-medium heat.
- Sauté onion and garlic then add bell peppers and stir fry for 3 minutes.1 large red onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 yellow bell pepper, 1/2 green bell pepper, 1/2 red bell pepper, 1 tbsp oil
- Lower the heat and pour the sweet and sour sauce. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring to avoid lumps from forming. Season with salt and pepper if needed.salt and pepper for seasoning
- Tip in the deep fried pork and toss it in the sauce until all of the pork are coated with sauce.
- Add pineapple chunks and mix to distribute. Cook for 1 more minute then remove pan from heat. Serve and enjoy. Bon appetit!
Video
Notes
[mailerlite_form form_id=1]
Nutrition
Serving: 6g | Calories: 1084kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 29.6g | Fat: 126g | Saturated Fat: 101g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 627mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 14g | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Share it with us! @amiablefoods or tag #amiablefoods!
