Sweet and Sour Pork isn’t just a Chinese food takeout favorite; it can also be a home-cooked comfort food that will amaze your taste buds and your dinner guests! Crispy fried pork and crunchy capsicum are slathered in a sweet, tangy, and deeply savory sauce that will leave lips smacking and smiles brightening. Sweet and Sour Pork takes a little patience to master, but the end result is the juiciest and most flavorful pork you could hope to enjoy. Try getting that from takeout!
Ingredients
For the pork and marinade:
- 1/2 onion, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger, finely grated
- 3/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cornflour or cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 14 ounces pork, cubed
For the sweet and sour sauce:
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons pineapple juice
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 4 teaspoons cornflour or cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- For frying:
- 5 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup cornflour or cornstarch
- 2-3 cups vegetable or canola oil, plus more as needed
For stir-frying:
- 1 tablespoon oil, neutral flavored
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 red capsicum or large bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 green capsicum or large bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup pineapple pieces
Directions
Step 1 –In a large resealable bag, add the grated 1/2 onion, the 1 teaspoon of the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the ginger, 3/8 teaspoon of the baking soda, 2 teaspoons of the cornflour, and the 2 tablespoons of the light soy sauce. Massage to mix.
Step 2 –Add the pork to the marinade and massage so that every piece is thoroughly coated.
Step 3 –Refrigerate the pork and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours
Step 4 –Preheat the oven to 175 degrees F.
Step 5 –Put a roasting rack on a baking tray.
Step 6 –Pour the white sugar, apple cider vinegar, pineapple juice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and the 4 teaspoons of the cornflour into a small bowl, combining until it is mixed.
Step 7 –Add in the water.
Step 8 –Add the 5 tablespoons of the cornflour into the bag, shaking the bag to combine and letting it absorb for about 5 minutes. The cornflour should become sticky.
Step 9 –Spread out the remaining 1/2 cup of cornflour in a bowl.
Step 10 –Add the pork and toss to coat, shaking off any excess cornflour.
Step 11 –Transfer the pork to a plate. Save the cornflour in case you have to dust the pork again before frying.
Step 12 –Pour the vegetable oil in a large-sized pan or pot so that it is about 1-inch deep.
Step 13 –Heat it up to 350 degrees F.
Step 14 –Fry the pork in batches, making sure not to crowd the pot with too many pieces, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer the pork to the prepared rack.
Step 15 –Raise the stovetop heat and heat the oil to 390 degrees F.
Step 16 –Starting with the coolest pork, add in half of the pork and fry it until the pork is a deep golden brown and the outside is crispy for about 1 minute 30 seconds.
Step 17 –Return the fried pork to the prepared rack.
Step 18 –Repeat the process with the remaining pork, keeping the fried pieces warm in the oven.
Step 19 –Heat up the 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil in a very large skillet or pan on high heat.
Step 20 –Mix in the garlic, ginger, and the chopped onion, stirring it for about 1 minute 30 seconds.
Step 21 –Mix in the red and green capsicum and stir it for about 2 minutes.
Step 22 –Mix in the prepared sauce & pineapple, allowing the mixture to come up to a rapid simmer.
Step 23 –Let it simmer until it thickens, about 3 minutes. When you drag the spoon across the base of the skillet, a path should briefly appear.
Step 24 –Add in the pork, quickly tossing it to coat, around 20 seconds.
Step 25 –Pour the pork onto a serving plate, and serve immediately.
