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Chinese Sweet & Sour Pork
5 from 12 votes

Chinese Sweet & Sour Pork

Chinese Sweet & Sour Pork features pork butt or shoulder marinated with soy sauce and white pepper, coated in flour, then deep-fried until crisp. The dish is finished with a sauce combining pickle juice, pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, and vegetables like onion, bell pepper, and pineapple chunks. This preparation balances tender, crisp pork with a tangy, sweet, and savory sauce for a well-rounded dish.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Additional Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 50 mins
Servings: 10
Calories: 223 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Dinner
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Ingredients

Pork:
  • 2 lbs pork butt cut into 1" chunks, or pork shoulder, 豬肉
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce 醬油
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper 胡椒粉
  • 1 egg large, 蛋
  • 1 C all-purpose flour or as needed, 麵粉
For frying:
  • 4 C peanut oil or high smoke-point vegetable oil, 花生油
Sweet and sour sauce:
  • ½ C pickle juice 泡菜汁
  • 6 oz pineapple juice from the can of pineapple chunks, 180ml, 菠蘿汁
  • ½ C ketchup 茄汁
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch Chinese name 鷹粟粉
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar 紅糖
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 菜油
  • 1 C onion white, 洋蔥
  • 1 C red bell pepper or combination of orange, yellow, green bell pepper), cut into chunks, 甜椒
  • 1 can pineapple drained, but reserve the liquid for the sauce, chunks, 菠蘿

Instructions

Prepare the pork:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl, place the chunks of pork along with soy sauce and white pepper.
  2. Stir combine the pork with the seasonings.
  3. Cover with a lid and place into the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours.
  4. Remove the pork from the fridge and add 1 beaten egg to the diced pork.
  5. Add enough flour (anywhere from ¾ C to 1 C or more) all-purpose flour to evenly coat the pork.
  6. Cover and let the flour-dredged pork sit in the fridge for another hour.
Fry the pork:
  1. Heat up a wok or large pot of oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Once the oil temperature reaches 350°F/177C, add pieces of flour-dredged pork into the frying oil and fry it batches, about 6-7 minutes per batch, until golden brown and crisp.
  3. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and drain onto a baking sheet lined with paper towel.
  4. Repeat with the remaining pork.
Make the sauce:
  1. Combine pickle juice, pineapple juice, ketchup, cornstarch, and brown sugar in a bowl and stir well. Set aside.
  2. In a wok over medium-high heat, add in 1 tablespoon oil and add in the white onion and bell peppers.
  3. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic.
  4. Add in the pineapple chunks, along with the sauce mixture.
  5. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 5-7 minutes.
  6. Add in the fried pork, and lightly toss to combine with the sauce.
  7. Transfer to a dish and serve with steamed rice.

Nutrition Information

Calories 223kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 22g (7%) Protein 20g (40%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g (10%) Trans Fat 0.04g (2%) Cholesterol 71mg (24%) Sodium 574mg (24%) Potassium 455mg (10%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 583IU (12%) Vitamin C 24mg (27%) Calcium 29mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 223

% Daily Value*

Calories 223kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 22g 7%
Protein 20g 40%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.04g 2%
Cholesterol 71mg 24%
Sodium 574mg 24%
Potassium 455mg 10%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 583IU 12%
Vitamin C 24mg 27%
Calcium 29mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.