Sweet and Sour Pork
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Marinating:
1 d
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Servings
5
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Sweet and Sour Pork
Description
This Sweet and Sour Pork recipe uses pork scotch roast or pork shoulder, which is marinated with grated onion, garlic, ginger, baking soda, cornflour, and light soy sauce for 18 to 24 hours to tenderize the meat. The pork is then double-coated: first with cornflour mixed in for 5 minutes to create a sticky surface, then dredged in dry cornflour before frying. This double dredging yields a crisp texture that holds up well under the sauce.
The sweet and sour sauce combines sugar, apple cider vinegar, pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cornstarch slurry to create a thickened, tangy glaze. The pork is briefly pan-fried and then baked at a high temperature to ensure even crispness. The stir-fry step brings together garlic, ginger, onion, red and green bell peppers, and pineapple chunks, which add freshness, sweetness, and texture. The balance of the sauce and the tender crispy pork creates a dish with contrasting flavors and textures.
This recipe is suitable for preparing in advance due to the marinade and works well served with steamed rice or noodles. The marinade's use of baking soda is a traditional Chinese tenderizing technique that helps retain juiciness even after frying. The recipe notes also discuss flexibility with other pork cuts, single versus double frying, and suggested oil reuse.
The careful coating and frying method, combined with the flavorful sauce and vegetables, give a recognizable sweet and sour pork that is crispy on the outside but tender inside with balanced flavors of sweet, sour, and umami.
Ingredients
Tenderised Marinated Pork:
- 400g/14oz pork scotch roast cut into 2cm / 4/5" cubes (Note 1, aka pork neck, collar butt; or shoulder/butt
- 1/2 onion , finely grated (Note 2a)
- 1 tsp garlic , finely grated (Note 2a)
- 1 tsp ginger , finely grated (Note 2a)
- 3/8 tsp baking soda Note 2b, aka bi-carb
- 2 tsp cornflour or cornstarch
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or all purpose (Note 3, light
For frying:
- 5 tbsp cornflour for mixing in, or cornstarch
- 1/2 cup cornflour for Coating, or cornstarch
- 2 - 3 cups vegetable oil or canola oil
Sweet & Sour Sauce:
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or 1/4 cup normal white vinegar)
- 3 tbsp pineapple juice (from a 227g/8oz can pineapple pieces in juice, preferably no added sugar, Note 4)
- 3 tbsp ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce , light
- 1 tsp oyster sauce (Note 5)
- 4 tsp corn starch or cornflour
- 1/2 cup water
Stir Frying:
- 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1 garlic finely chopped, clove
- 2 tsp ginger , finely chopped
- 1 onion (medium), cut into 2.5cm/ 1" cubes (brown, white, yellow)
- 1/2 red bell pepper large), cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes
- 1/2 green bell pepper large), cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes, aka green capsicum
- 1 cup pineapple from the can of pineapple under Sauce, pieces
Instructions
Marinade Pork:
- Mix Pork with Marinade. Marinade 18 to 24 hours. (See Note 1 for marinating time for other cuts)
Preparation:
- Rack & warm oven: Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F and place rack on tray - to keep pork warm.
- Sauce: Place all Sauce ingredients EXCEPT water in a large jug or small bowl. Mix until combined, then mix in water.
- Be Stir Fry Ready: Have all ingredients lined up, ready to toss in. After Fry #2, things move quickly.
Double dredge:
- Coating #1: Mix 5 tablespoons cornflour into the pork and leave for 5 minutes. At first, it will be white from the cornflour, but after a while it will sweat and make the cornflour (mostly / partially) wet, and will be sticky (this is key for coating to stick).
- Coating #2: Spread 1/2 cup cornflour in a shallow bowl. Coat pork, shaking off excess, and pile onto a plate.
- Reserve cornflour in case you need to dust again just prior to frying. Pork should be at least half white when you put it into the oil (if not, just sprinkle with reserved cornflour).
Fried Crispy Pork (Note 6 for oven):
- Heat oil: Pour enough oil into a large saucepan or small pot so it's 2.5cm / 1" deep. Heat to 180°C/350°F (or until pork immediately starts sizzling when you dip it in).
- Fry #1: Cook pork in batches, being sure not to crowd the pot, for 3 minutes until golden. Drain on rack. This step is just to cook the pork. It takes me 4 batches.
- Fry #2: Turn the stove up slightly and heat oil to 200°C/390°F. Starting with the coolest pork, add half the pork (you can crowd the pot) and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, or until pork is deep golden brown and crispy. Transfer to rack, repeat with remaining pork - I do 2 batches.
- Keep warm in oven.
Sauce & Stir Fry:
- Heat oil in a very large skillet over high heat.
- Add garlic, ginger and onion, stir for 1 1/2 minutes. Add capsicum and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add Sauce & pinapple, then let it come to a rapid simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens - when you drag the spoon across the base, a path should briefly appear (see video at 1 min 53 s).
- 10 second toss: Add pork, then QUICKLY toss to coat - aim for 10 seconds!
- Serve asap! Pour onto serving plate, serve immediately! Will stay crispy for around 5 minutes then starts softening but still has a solid coating. This is just the reality of Sweet and Sour Pork, even at restaurants!
Notes
- The double frying method keeps the pork crispy longer, but a single fry works as a quicker alternative.
- Preferred pork cuts are pork scotch (neck/collar butt) or shoulder for juiciness; leaner cuts may dry out more easily.
- Grate onion, garlic, and ginger finely using a microplane to maximize flavor and moisture in the marinade.
- Baking soda in the marinade is a key tenderizing secret to keep meat juicy while allowing longer cooking for crispiness.
- Use light soy sauce, not dark or sweet soy sauce, for the marinade and sauce.
- Canned pineapple juice is recommended to add authentic sweetness and flavor to the sauce; fresh pineapple can substitute with adjusted water content.
- The oil used for frying can be strained and reused up to two more times for frying other savory foods.
- After frying, baking the pork at 220°C/430°F for 13-15 minutes enhances crispness without excessive oiliness.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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