Who doesn't love the combination of sweet and sour? This classic dish has tantalized taste buds for generations with its delightful blend of tangy, sweet, and savory flavors. It is believed to have originated in China, where it is known as "Gu Lao Rou." Pork is coated in a crispy batter, then stir-fried and smothered in a luscious sauce made from sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and various spices. Served over rice, this dish is a perfect balance of flavors that will leave you craving for more.
Here are our top 14 tried and tested recipes!
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
Recipe video above. The best ever Sweet and Sour Pork recipe is loaded with tricks the Chinese have been using for centuries: double dredgeand double fry for extra crispy, cornflour instead of flour, economical pork used for juiciness, but tenderised with baking soda so you'd swear they're pricey chops, and a sauce that's not sickeningly sweet. Don't let the list of ingredients daunt you. There's a lot of repeat ingredients!OVEN option provided in notes. Because sometimes, you just have to....
Provided by Nagi
Categories Mains
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- Mix Pork with Marinade. Marinade 18 to 24 hours. (See Note 1 for marinating time for other cuts)
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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!
SWEET AND SOUR PORK RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: pork, salt, corn flour, egg, corn flour, oil, oil, garlic, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, pineapple, white caster sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup
Provided by Evelyn Liu
Categories Lunch
Time 30m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- In a bowl, combine all marinade ingredients with the pork. Cover and leave to marinade in the fridge 20 minutes.
- Place the corn flour in a large bowl and toss the marinated pork chunks until liberally coated.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the oil to 350˚F (180°C).
- Deep fry the pork pieces for about 3-4 minutes until the coating is golden brown and the pork is cooked throughout. Set aside.
- For the sauce, place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the oil.
- Sauté the garlic until fragrant, then fry the peppers until soften.
- Add in the pineapple and warm thorough.
- Add the sugar, vinegar, and ketchup, stir. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the pork to the frying pan and coat everything evenly with the sauce.
- Serve top with sesame seeds.
- Nutrition Calories: 2299 Fat: 220 grams Carbs: 55 grams Fiber: 3 grams Sugars: 44 grams Protein: 35 grams
- Enjoy!
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
While this quick recipe deviates from the American Chinese restaurant classic that inspired it-pineapple and bell pepper are replaced by carrots and snow peas and the pork is stir-fried rather than deep fried-the ketchup is not a shortcut. In fact, it helps give this dish its signature tanginess.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 25m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Toss the pork with 1/2 tablespoon vinegar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, the soy sauce, cornstarch, ketchup, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/3 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in another bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the pork and slowly stir until it turns mostly opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Discard the oil and wipe out the skillet.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in the skillet, then stir-fry the garlic with a pinch each of salt and sugar, 15 seconds. Add the carrots and scallions and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. (Add a little water if the garlic starts to stick to the skillet.) Add the pork, snow peas and soy sauce mixture; stir until the pork is cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 348, Fat 15 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Cholesterol 74 milligrams, Sodium 674 milligrams, Carbohydrate 27 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 28 grams
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
Provided by Alton Brown
Categories main-dish
Time 1h12m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- In a large non-reactive bowl, combine soy, garlic, ginger, flour, and cornstarch. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Place the pork in the bowl and toss to cover. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
- Drain off any excess marinade and dredge the pork in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan heat 1-inch of oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the pork in batches, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Reserve on a warm plate.
- In a separate bowl, combine the ketchup, sugar, vinegar, and honey. Whisk to blend.
- In a small roasting pan heat the canola and sesame oils. Place the pork and vegetables into the pan and cover with the ketchup mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pork is tender.
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
Pork is stir-fried with peppers, carrots, onions and pineapple in this version of the classic dish. Easy to make, and delicious.
Provided by Kikkoman
Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips Kikkoman
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Blend cornstarch and soy sauce in small bowl; stir in pork until well coated.
- Brown pork in hot oil in Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in 1/4 cup water. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir carrots, onion, bell pepper and sweet & sour sauce into pork mixture. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
- Add pineapple chunks; cook and stir only until pineapple is heated through.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 366.3 calories, Carbohydrate 36.1 g, Cholesterol 53.6 mg, Fat 16.1 g, Fiber 2.5 g, Protein 19.9 g, SaturatedFat 4.5 g, Sodium 669.7 mg, Sugar 25.8 g
SLOW-COOKER SWEET-AND-SOUR PORK
Chinese food is a big temptation for us, so I lightened up a favorite takeout dish. As the pork cooks, the aroma is beyond mouthwatering. -Elyse Ellis, Layton, Utah
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 6h30m
Yield 4 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- In a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker, mix the first 10 ingredients. Stir in pork, onion, green pepper and pineapple. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until pork is tender. , In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and broth until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices. Cook, covered, on low 15-20 minutes longer or until sauce is thickened. Serve with rice. To make ahead: In a large resealable plastic freezer bag, combine the first 10 ingredients. Add pork, onion, green pepper and pineapple; seal bag, turn to coat, then freeze. To use, place filled freezer bag in refrigerator 48 hours or until contents are completely thawed. Cook as directed.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 531 calories, Fat 10g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 83mg cholesterol, Sodium 705mg sodium, Carbohydrate 75g carbohydrate (63g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 35g protein.
SWEET AND SOUR PORK III
My husband's grandmother was Chinese. She taught me this one. This is the way Gramma made Sweet and Sour all her life (she died 6 years ago at age 94). The secret is apple cider vinegar.
Provided by PAM_1
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Asian Chinese
Time 2h
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- Place cubed pork in a medium bowl, and season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Mix in the egg white and green onions. Cover, and place in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.
- Heat 1 quart oil to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C) in a large, heavy saucepan or deep fryer.
- Coat the pork with 1/2 cup cornstarch, and fry in the heated oil about 10 minutes, until evenly browned. Drain on paper towels.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium heat. Stir in the celery, green bell pepper, and onion, and cook until tender. Season with salt and sugar. Remove from heat, and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, mix 1 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3/4 cup sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, and 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce. Bring to a boil, and stir in the cooked pork, celery mixture, and the pineapple chunks with juice. Return to boil, and mix in 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 cup water to thicken. Cook until well blended.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 663.1 calories, Carbohydrate 74.7 g, Cholesterol 42.6 mg, Fat 35 g, Fiber 2.3 g, Protein 13.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.8 g, Sodium 1085.4 mg, Sugar 52.3 g
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
This recipe was given to my wife in Seattle by a friend. My wife told her, I don't read chinese so her daughter translated it for us. It's authentic and it's delicious. LR Beckwith
Provided by LR Beckwith
Categories One Dish Meal
Time 45m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Pound pork with the back of a cleaver (this is to tenderize the pork), and then cut into 1-inch squares.
- Soak with marinade for at least half an hour.
- Cut green pepper into halves, remove seeds and membrane, and cut into 1" squares.
- Next cut 4 slices of pineapple into the same size squares.
- Set aside.
- Heat 6 cups oil.
- While oil is heating, coat each piece of pork in cornstarch.
- When oil is ready, fry pork until brown and done (about 2 minutes), take out, reheat oil then fry once more until crispy.
- Remove pork and drain off oil from frying pan.
- Put back into frying pan 2 T.
- of oil; fry the green pepper and pineapple, stirring constantly.
- Add the seasoning sauce continuing to stir fry, until thickened.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add the pork, mix well and serve immediately.
- Serve over rice!
SWEET & SOUR PORK
Don't call the takeaway - cook your own sweet & sour pork using a vibrant marinade and tinned pineapple. Swap the pork for chicken or prawns if you prefer
Provided by John Torode
Categories Dinner, Main course, Supper
Time 1h
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- Mix the pork with the marinade ingredients and leave to sit for at least 15 mins, or chill for a few hours. In a separate bowl, mix all the coating ingredients. Drain any excess liquid off the pork and toss the pork in the seasoned coating. Can be done 1 hr ahead.
- To make the sauce, heat the oil in a shallow saucepan and gently fry the garlic, ginger and peppers until just starting to soften. Now drop in all the rest of the ingredients except the sesame seeds. Bring everything to the boil and cook for a few mins until thickened, then take off the heat. To make the batter, whisk the flours and baking powder together with 200ml water to a smooth paste.
- Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer, large saucepan or a wok to 180C or until a drop of batter sizzles and browns in 20 secs. Dip the marinated pork in the batter mix (do it in two or three batches) and let any excess drip off. Fry the pork in batches for about 5-6 mins or until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper until all the batches are done. Make sure you bring the oil back to the correct temperature between each batch. Coat the crispy pork in the sauce, then sprinkle over the sesame seeds, coriander and serve with rice or noodles.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 650 calories, Fat 23 grams fat, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 75 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 20 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 31 grams protein, Sodium 3.7 milligram of sodium
SLOW-COOKER SWEET AND SOUR PORK
Looking for a hearty dinner? Then check out this slow-cooked sweet and sour pork recipe - a delightful meal.
Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 6h20m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker, combine pork, pineapple, bell pepper, brown sugar, ginger, vinegar and soy sauce; mix well.
- Cover; cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours.
- About 25 minutes before serving, cook rice in 1 1/3 cups water as directed on package.
- About 5 minutes before serving, in small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons water and cornstarch; blend well. Stir into pork mixture in slow cooker. Cover; cook on high setting for an additional 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve pork mixture over rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 500, Carbohydrate 52 g, Cholesterol 110 mg, Fiber 1 g, Protein 41 g, SaturatedFat 4 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 1110 mg, Sugar 20 g, TransFat 0 g
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
Sweet and sour are two of the five flavors of classical Chinese cooking (along with salty, pungent, and bitter). I like this version of the crispy pork recipe with fresh pineapple.
Provided by Diana Kuan
Categories Fruit Juice Pork Stir-Fry Dinner Pineapple Soy Sauce Dairy Free Tree Nut Free
Yield Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- 1. Prepare the batter: In a medium bowl, stir together the eggs, cornstarch, and flour. The batter should be liquidy enough to coat the pork. If the batter looks too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and stir again. Add the pork and stir gently to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- 2. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the water, ketchup, pineapple juice, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
- 3. Heat the peanut oil in a wok until it registers 350°F on an instant-read oil thermometer. Working in 2 or 3 batches, add the first batch of pork cubes and fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Remove any excess bits of batter from the oil with a slotted spoon or fine-mesh strainer. Continue frying the rest of the pork.
- 4. Transfer the oil to a heat-proof container. (It will take about 1 hour to fully cool, after which you can transfer it to a container with a tight lid to dispose of it.) Wipe up any food remains in the wok with paper towels, being careful not to touch the metal directly with your hands.
- 5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the wok or a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until just aromatic, about 20 seconds. Add the pineapple and the sauce and stir to coat the vegetables. Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the pineapple to become tender (about 1 minute for canned pineapple). Return pork to the wok and toss until well coated with the sauce. Transfer to a plate and serve.
SWEET-AND-SOUR PORK
After my sister moved away to the university, I used to visit her on weekends. She often made this wonderful and tangy pork dish. Now, every time I make it for my family, it reminds me of those special visits. Everyone who tries it loves it. -Cherry Williams, St. Albert, Alberta
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 25m
Yield 4 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set aside. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, brown sugar, salt, ginger and pepper. Stir in the water, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and reserved juice until smooth., In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry pork and onion in oil for 4-8 minutes or until tender. Stir pineapple juice mixture; add to skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened., Add green pepper and reserved pineapple. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Serve with rice and if desired, sesame seeds.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 333 calories, Fat 11g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 63mg cholesterol, Sodium 1190mg sodium, Carbohydrate 35g carbohydrate (24g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 25g protein.
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
At Mamahuhu, a Chinese takeout restaurant in San Francisco, a sense of history and appreciation for American Chinese cuisine is applied to a few classics. Mining historical Cantonese sweet-and-sour dish recipes for inspiration, Brandon Jew, a founder of the restaurant, and Noah Kopito, the head chef, created a sauce that incorporates pineapple, honey and dried hawthorn berries, which impart an earthy depth of flavor. The chefs use house-fermented Fresno chiles for a hint of heat, but a dab of commercially available sambal oelek will do. This dish can be made with chicken or cauliflower instead of pork; just skip the marinade if using cauliflower.
Provided by Cathy Erway
Categories dinner, meat, vegetables, main course
Time 2h45m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 29
Steps:
- Prepare the pork: Combine the pork with all the marinade ingredients, mixing well. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Make the sweet and sour sauce: Heat the oil, ginger and garlic in a medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute, stirring. Add the rice vinegar, pineapple juice, honey, hawthorn berries, sambal oelek and five-spice powder; stir to combine while bringing to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids; return to the saucepan.
- Reduce the sauce to about 1 ¾ cups over medium-high heat, uncovered, about 5 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, adding more as desired.
- In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Bring the sauce up to a boil again, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Stir as it thickens and bubbles, about 1 minute, then remove from heat. (Note: This sauce recipe may produce more than needed for your pork stir-fry; use as much as you desire and the rest can be saved for another use, such as a dipping sauce for crab rangoon.)
- Prepare to deep-fry: In a large wok (or deep skillet), heat the quart of oil to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the batter; add ½ cup water and whisk to combine. Drain any excess liquid from the marinated pork and discard. Working quickly in two batches, carefully dip each piece of pork into the batter one at a time, shaking off any excess, and drop into the oil. Fry the first batch of pork until golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the fried pork to a wire rack-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with the remaining pork, mixing the batter thoroughly before coating the meat. After frying, carefully discard the oil, reserving 1 tablespoon.
- Return the reserved 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok or pan and heat over high. Once the oil is popping, about 1 minute, add the bell pepper, onion, pineapple and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly charred in spots.
- Scrape the vegetables into a large bowl and toss with the fried pork and enough sweet and sour sauce to coat (about 1 to 1 ½ cups). Arrange on a serving dish and serve with steamed rice.
CLASSIC SWEET & SOUR PORK
Excellent recipe! Found it in my Joy of Cooking cookbook years ago. I've made a couple of adjustments to suit my family's tastes. Original recipe can be found on page 480.
Provided by Carol
Categories Pineapple
Time 1h15m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Cut pork into 1/2 inch strips, 2 inches long.
- Heat oil in a wok or electric fryer, brown meat.
- When brown drain meat on paper towel.
- Set aside.
- To make sauce, in the same fryer add the pineapple juice, chicken stock, vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
- Cook until slightly thickened and has changed color.
- Add meat and simmer, covered, for about 1 hour.
- Add pineapple chunks, green pepper and onion.
- Cook for another 10 minutes until vegetables are just tender.
- Serve over cooked rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 553.5, Fat 27.1, SaturatedFat 8.8, Cholesterol 124.5, Sodium 477.8, Carbohydrate 33, Fiber 1.2, Sugar 26.6, Protein 42.8
Tips:
- When choosing your pork, opt for a lean cut such as pork tenderloin or pork loin. These cuts will result in a more tender and juicy dish.
- To ensure that your pork is cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check that it has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For a crispier batter, double-coat your pork pieces before frying. This will help to create a golden brown and crispy exterior.
- If you don't have rice vinegar, you can substitute white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. However, rice vinegar will give your dish the most authentic flavor.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar and vinegar in the sauce to suit your own taste preferences.
- Serve your sweet and sour pork immediately, while it is still hot and crispy.
Conclusion:
Sweet and sour pork is a classic Chinese dish that is loved by people all over the world. This dish is a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and savory flavors, and it is sure to please even the most discerning palate. Whether you are a beginner cook or a seasoned pro, this recipe is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen. So next time you're looking for a delicious and easy-to-make meal, give sweet and sour pork a try. You won't be disappointed!
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