About
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.
