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Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and sour pork with crispy golden pork pieces coated in a vibrant red-orange sweet and sour sauce. Stir-fried bell peppers and pineapple add bright crunch and juicy sweetness for a homemade Chinese-American takeout style dinner.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pork
  • 1.5 lb pork shoulder or loin cut into 1-inch cubes
Marinade
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
Coating
  • 0.5 cup cornstarch
  • 0.5 cup flour
Frying
  • 1 oil for deep frying
Fruit and vegetables
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
Sweet and sour sauce
  • 0.33 cup ketchup
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 0.25 cup pineapple juice

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Marinate and coat
  1. In a bowl, marinate the pork with egg, soy sauce, and cornstarch for 15 minutes so the pieces look lightly coated.
  2. Mix cornstarch and flour, then coat the marinated pork pieces thoroughly until each cube has an even dusting.
Deep-fry the pork
  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F and deep-fry the pork in batches for 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through.
  2. Drain the fried pork on paper towels so excess oil is absorbed and the coating stays crisp.
Make sauce and toss
  1. Whisk ketchup, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and pineapple juice until smooth and unified in color.
  2. Stir-fry red bell pepper and green bell pepper with pineapple in 1 tablespoon oil over high heat for 2 minutes, until the peppers brighten and pineapple looks glossy.
  3. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce and bring it to a boil until thickened, then add the crispy pork and toss until fully coated.
  4. Serve the sweet and sour pork right away over rice while the exterior stays crunchy.

Notes

Pro tip: fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays near 350°F, which helps the pork turn crisp instead of greasy. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot oven or skillet briefly to re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the coating can soften after thawing. For a lower-sugar swap, use a reduced-sugar ketchup and add a small amount of extra pineapple juice to keep the sauce tangy.