Pork agrodolce (literally, "sour-sweet pork" in Italian) is a classic Italian-Chinese dish that combines sweet and tangy flavors with tender pork. Originating from the Shandong province of China, this dish has become a popular staple in many Chinese restaurants around the world. It is typically made with bite-sized pieces of pork that are battered and fried, then coated in a sweet and sour sauce made with sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce. This dish is often served with a side of steamed rice or noodles. With its unique combination of flavors and textures, pork agrodolce is a delicious and satisfying meal that is sure to please any palate.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
PORK CHOPS WITH FIG AND GRAPE AGRODOLCE
Fresh figs and grapes cooked in balsamic vinegar and honey make an addictively sweet and sour sauce for pork chops in this seasonal fall dinner. A pleasantly bitter radicchio salad offsets all that sweet and sour in just the right way-you're going to want dip it in the sauce as you eat.
Provided by Anna Stockwell
Categories Gluten-Free and Fresh Wheat/Gluten-Free Dinner Pork Pork Chop Radicchio Grape Fig Rosemary Fall
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Season pork chops on both sides with 1 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.
- Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over high. Working in batches if needed, sear pork chops until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet; reserve pan drippings in skillet. Roast pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 135°F, about 15 minutes. Let pork rest 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat skillet with drippings over medium-high. Add vinegar and cook, scraping up drippings with a wooden spoon. Stir in red pepper flakes, if using, 2 Tbsp. honey, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add grapes, figs, and rosemary and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and fruit is softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
- Whisk lemon juice, mustard, and remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. honey, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Add radicchio and parsley and toss to coat.
- Divide radicchio salad and pork chops among plates. Top with agrodolce.
PORK AGRODOLCE
Agrodolce, a generic Italian term for any type of sweet and sour condiment, really shines when used for braising chunks of succulent pork shoulder. This soul-warming comfort food is amazing served on rice, pasta, polenta, or, as seen here, a big pile of ricotta mashed potatoes. I'm not sure if Italians barbecue like we do here in the States, but the sauce very much reminded me of something we'd brush on a rack of ribs while sipping a cold beer.
Provided by Chef John
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 2h45m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Brush a baking dish with olive oil.
- Whisk tomato paste, vinegar, honey, mashed anchovy, green onions, garlic, rosemary, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper together in a large bowl to make the agrodolce.
- Cut pork shoulder into roughly 3-inch pieces. Add to the bowl of agrodolce and mix by hand until coated. Transfer pork and sauce to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven, flipping pieces over halfway through, until pork is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Add a splash of water if pork appears too dry. Skim off fat as desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 198.5 calories, Carbohydrate 6.5 g, Cholesterol 52.3 mg, Fat 12.9 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 13.8 g, SaturatedFat 4.6 g, Sodium 555.5 mg, Sugar 5.7 g
PORK CHOP AGRODOLCE
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 40m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Combine the vinegar, garlic and thyme in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the honey and simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, another 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the butter and set aside.
- Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Season the pork chops evenly on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and place on the hot grill pan. Grill the first side until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Flip the chops and grill for an additional 5 minutes on the second side. Baste the chops with some of the sauce and then continue basting and flipping until the chops are caramelized and slightly charred and the meat registers 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the chops to a platter and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Serve drizzled with the remaining sauce.
SICILIAN GRILLED PORK LOIN WITH AGRODOLCE GRILLED PEACHES
Provided by Bobby Flay
Categories main-dish
Time 8h40m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Tie the loin with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals and add to the Honey-Rosemary Brine in a large container. Brine the pork loin in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours. Remove from the brine, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling.
- Prepare the charcoal in a chimney starter (allowing the charcoal to burn until all the charcoal is covered with a thin layer of gray ash) and add to the grill, creating a two-level fire by spreading the coals out over half the grill bottom, piling them up in a mound 3 briquettes high, leaving the other half with no coals. Spread the soaked wood chips evenly over the top and the rosemary sprigs or sage leaves, if desired. Put the cooking grate in place and open the grill lid vents halfway. Let the grate heat for 5 minutes. Use a grill brush to scrape the cooking grate clean.
- Brush the entire loin with the olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Place the pork on the opposite side of the coals but close to the fire. Cover with the lid and turn the lid so that the vents are opposite the fire to draw smoke through the grill. Use a grill thermometer and make sure the heat inside the grill is at 400 degrees F.
- Grill the pork, covered, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers about 135 degrees F. This will take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes, depending the thickness of the loin.
- Transfer the loin to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes before cutting into thick slices. Serve with the Agrodolce Grilled Peaches and drizzle some of the reduced peach glaze over the meat.
- Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the broth, salt, honey, sugar, peppercorns, rosemary and garlic, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and add the ice cubes to cool quickly to room temperature.
- Bring the vinegar, honey, nectar and some salt and pepper to a simmer in a large high-sided saute pan over medium heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Brush the cut side of the peaches with the canola oil, season with salt and pepper and place cut-side down on the grill over medium-high heat. Grill until lightly golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, cook 1 to 2 minutes then brush with the glaze and cook another minute or so. The peaches should be tender but hold their shape. Transfer the peaches to a platter and drizzle with some of the glaze.
PORK AGRODOLCE WITH FENNEL AND WHITE BEANS
Grilled bone-in-pork chops brushed with agrodolce, an easy Italian sweet-and-sour sauce made with vinegar and honey, are served alongside cannellini beans in this summery weeknight dinner.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Pork Recipes
Time 40m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat grill to medium-high. Combine shallot and vinegar in a medium bowl. Stir together 2 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons oil. Toss fennel slices with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.
- Season pork with salt and pepper; brush grill grates with oil. Grill pork, flipping once and brushing both sides with honey mixture, until a thermometer inserted in thickest parts near (but not touching) bones registers 145 degrees, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil. Grill fennel slices, flipping once, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Stir beans and remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon honey into shallot mixture; season with salt and pepper. To serve, divide bean mixture, grilled fennel, and tomatoes among plates; top with pork. Sprinkle with fennel fronds.
PORK CONSERVA WITH GREEN TOMATO AGRODOLCE
Categories Pork Tomato Appetizer Cocktail Party Low Cal Summer Bon Appétit Kidney Friendly Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield Makes 24 crostini
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- For pork conserva:
- Mix first 3 ingredients in 9 x 5 x 3-inch glass loaf pan. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Uncover pork mixture; mix in wine. Cover tightly with foil. Place in oven; cook until pork is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Cool to lukewarm. Uncover and mash with potato masher until finely shredded. Cover; refrigerate until cold. DO AHEAD : Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.
- For green tomato agrodolce:
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Add sugar; cook until juices are thick, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, vinegar, and mustard. Sprinkle with salt, increase heat to high, and bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until tomatoes are tender but not falling apart, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Strain tomatoes in sieve set over medium bowl. Return juices to saucepan and boil until reduced to scant 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Mix tomato mixture and reduced juices in same medium bowl. Cover and chill until cold, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 days ahead. Keep chilled.
- Spoon 1 tablespoonful pork conserva on each cracker. Spoon rounded teaspoonful agrodolce on top. Sprinkle with basil.
PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS AND PORK BELLY WITH POMEGRANATE AGRODOLCE AND BEURRE BLANC
Steps:
- Dry the scallops very well with a paper towel. Cut the pork belly into uniform cubes about the size of the scallops.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper and then add to the skillet. Add the butter to the skillet. When the bottom is golden brown, flip the scallop and cook for 1 minute.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Alternatively, in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
- Deep-fry the pork belly until crispy, but not too hard. Drain the pork belly on a paper-towel-lined plate.
- In a bowl, toss the arugula, sliced strawberries and pistachios with some of the Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette. Mound the salad on the plate, then arrange the scallops and pork belly around the salad. Top with some Beurre Blanc and drizzle with the Pomegranate Agrodolce to serve.
- Place the vinegar, honey, mustard and vanilla seeds in the food processor, and pulse until mixed. Slowly drizzle in the oil with machine running until emulsified.
- In a saucepan set over medium-low heat, bring the vermouth and vinegar to a low simmer. Add the shallots and season with salt and pepper. Simmer to cook until the liquid reduces by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 4 tablespoons of the butter until fully incorporated. Return the pan to low heat and whisk in the remaining butter, one piece at a time. Add the lemon juice, then remove from the heat, cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Combine the pomegranate juice, sugar and vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thick and syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes.
PORK CHOPS WITH STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB AGRODOLCE
Steps:
- 1. In a small saucepan, simmer vinegar and sugar over medium heat until liquid is reduced by half and resembles simple syrup in consistency, about 15 minutes. Add strawberries, ginger and rhubarb and simmer until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, olives and rosemary. Season agrodolce with salt, additional vinegar and/or additional sugar to taste. Turn off heat and set aside. 2. Meanwhile, set a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Swirl in oil and once hot, lay pork chops into pan. Sear until pork is browned and cooked to medium-well, about 7 minutes per side. Divide pork chops among four plates and spoon agrodolce over top.
Tips:
- To make sure the pork is tender, use a cut that is suitable for braising, such as pork shoulder or pork loin.
- Browning the pork before braising adds flavor and color to the dish.
- Use a good quality vinegar for the agrodolce sauce, such as balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.
- Add a little honey or brown sugar to the agrodolce sauce to balance out the acidity of the vinegar.
- Serve the pork agrodolce with a side of rice or mashed potatoes.
Conclusion:
Pork agrodolce is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. The combination of sweet and sour flavors is sure to please everyone at the table. So next time you're looking for a new pork recipe, give this one a try!
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