Sweet and Sour Pork – best ever!

This is the best Sweet and Sour Pork recipe ever. It’s loaded with tricks that the Chinese have used for centuries. double dredgeFor extra crispy results, double fry with cornflour and flour instead of flour Cheap pork used for juiciness, but Tenders with baking soda so you’d swear they’re pricey chops, and a sauce that’s not sickeningly sweet.

BONUS:Directions for oven baking Sweet and Sour Pork

Pork that’s both sweet and sour

There’s a lot of information in this Sweet & Sour Pork recipe, so I’m going to skip all the usual attempts at a charming story and just give you the high points!

1. Crispiest pork you’ll ever make – too many recipes make grand promises but fall short;

2. Double fry high temp – fast becoming the worst kept Asian secret, double frying is THE secret to crispy, Less oily food;

3. Cornflour/cornstarch, not flour – for a crispier coating. Flour isn’t even crispy fresh out of the oil;

4. Double dredge – the first layer seals the juices inside, acts as a glue for the 2nd dredge and is a second layer of crispiness;

5. Tenderise cheap but flavourful pork using baking soda – a trick used by Chinese restaurants all around the world. It’s called Velvet – here’s how to velvet chicken and beef; and

6. Really great sauce – newsflash: Sweet & Sour Sauce is made with more than just sugar, ketchup and vinegar!

Wait a sec – did I just convince you that you’ve gotta try this?! 😂

How to make Sweet and Sour Pork – OVERVIEW

1. Marinate pork to infuse with flavour and tenderise the meat (we’re using economical shoulder and scotch pork);

2. Double dredge in cornflour/cornstarch, not flour, for extra crispy;

3. Double fry for extra crispy – a trick Asians have been using for centuries; and

4. 10 seconds tossTo coat pork with Sweet and Sour Sauce

Pork Marinade Ingredients

Here’s what you need for the pork and marinade:

• Pork – the best cut (in order of preference): pork scotch (aka pork neck, pork collar), pork shoulder, leg, tenderloin then loin. You can find more information below about each cut;

• Baking soda (aka bi-carb) and cornflour/cornstarch – meat tenderising method widely used across Asia (notably in Chinese cooking) that is starting to be discovered by Western countries! Called VelvetIt works great with beef and chicken.

For thin strips used in stir fries (as per the velveting chicken and beef directions), I use more baking soda to meat weight, marinate barely (20 – 40 min), then rinse it off before cooking. This won’t work for Sweet & Sour Pork because it would over tenderise the outside before the inside is tenderised because the pieces are chunkier. In this recipe, we use less baking soda, marinate for longer and do not rinse off – this tenderises the pork more evenly;

• Onion, ginger, and garlic – flavour, flavour, flavour! Grated to make them “juicy” so the flavour penetrates better; and

• Soy sauce – for seasoning and flavour.

The longer the marinade period to tenderize pork cuts, the more economical they are.

Sweet and Sour Pork: The best pork

In order of preference

1. Pork scotch and steaks – also known as The neck of porkIt is also known as pork collar or pork collar butt in the US, this is a common pork cut in Australia sold in both roast form and steaks (pork scotch steaksOder scotch fillet steaks). Highly versatile cut that can be slow cooked (such as this slow roasted brown sugar pOrk and Char Siu) orIt can be quickly cooked as steak, or used in any of my pork chop recipe. Pork scotch has good flavour and is ribboned in fat. This is what we believe high-end Chinese restaurants use.

2. Pork shoulder – while typically known as a slow cooking cut to break down tough connective tissue (like for pulled pork and Momofuku Pork Bossam), the baking soda and cornflour in the marinade tenderises the pork so it’s tender even after a quick fry. Without the marinade, the pork becomes tough and chewy. Not quite as tender as scotch, but almost – it’s on par with the really good local Chinese restaurants;

3. Pork leg – with similar cooking qualities to pork shoulder, this is an excellent option for Sweet & Sour pork as well. The only reason I don’t use it for things like stir fries is because I get it on the bone and cook it whole;

4. Pork tenderloin – This pork is very tender and lean, with a milder flavor. You can use it, but you should be aware that it is more susceptible to drying out due to overcooking for crispy pork. Marinating helps alleviate this problem but still a bit harder to get cook timing exactly right;

5. Pork loin – bringing up the rear because it is lean like tenderloin, but it is not quite as tender and is even harder/drier than tenderloin if you overcook.

Any generic “pork steaks” would fall under #4 or #5 assuming it’s intended for quick cooking.

Not recommended for pork cuts: Pork belly (too fatty), spare ribs (unless deboned), pickled pork (just – no).

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Here’s what goes in Sweet and Sour Sauce. It gets the red colour from ketchup – Food coloring not necessary!!

• Ketchup – provides sweetness, flavour and some thickening;

• Cider vinegar – To balance out the sweetness

• Sugar – just 1/3 of a cup, far less than most recipes and definitely less than restaurants. Trust me, this is delicious enough!

• Worcestershire sauce, oyster and soy sauce – so it actually tastes like what you get at restaurants rather than just a ketchup sugar sauce! Oyster sauce is available. It can be substituted for vegetarian oyster sauce that is now widely available in Australian grocery store Coles and Woolworths. (Asian section and/or food section, Ayam)

• Pineapple juice – from the can of pineapple pieces used in the stir fry, because why waste it? Fresh pineapple is best You can skip it and just add more water.And

• Cornflour/cornstarch – for thickening. Sweet and sour sauce thickens more than other stir fries, so it ClingsEnjoy the pork pieces

You’ll notice that my sauce is not It is quite the crazy red you get at restaurants. That’s because I choose not to use food colouring!

Ingredients in the Stir Fry

And here’s what goes in the Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry. I know people who are huge advocates for fresh pineapple. I never use fresh – because they’re in season in summer and I (typically) don’t deep fry in summer!

Newsflash: Even restaurant Sweet & Sour Pork doesn’t stay crispy!

I know we all aspire to it, but the fact is that the pork in Sweet and Sour Pork doesn’t stay crispy for long once coated in sauce – even at restaurants. The pork IS crispy without sauce, but once coated, it stays pretty crispy for around maybe 5 minutes, then after that you’re left with the coating the sauce clings to but it’s not as crispy anymore.

Restaurants cannot use this type of batter unless they use special ingredients such as Xanthum gum or a puffy batter for Honey Chicken.

You can avoid deep-frying. The BEST oven baked sweet & sour pork is in the recipe too!

Crispiest pork comes from double frying and double cornflour coat

So now that’s out of the way, the steps below show how to make the Crispiest pork for Sweet & Sour Pork:

1. MarinateTenderize the pork. To tenderize the pork, you can leave it for up to 3 hours for harder cuts (such as shoulder or scotch/collar) and for longer periods of time for tenderer cuts (like tenderloin and loin). Unlike with chicken and beef, there is no need to rinse the baking soda off because we’re using less and marinating for longer;

2. Coat in cornflour/cornstarch – This is dredge #1 for extra crispy pork. After it is cooked, let it rest for 5 minutes. It will be super sticky at this stage – which is why no egg is required for the coating to adhere;

3. Dip into cornflour – this is the coating for Sweet & Sour Pork. Be sure to shake off excess otherwise you’ll end up with white specks on your pork;

4. Fry #1 – Fry at 180°C/350°F for 3 minutes to cook the pork through and make it golden. It won’t be that crispy at this stage – this step is mainly to cook the pork through;

5. Drain on RACK – elevating the pork on a rack will help keep the pork crispy. It sweats on paper towels, making them softer.

6. Fry #2 Hotter Temp – This is a trick that Asians have used for centuries (e.g. in Japanese Karaage!)), this will make your pork stay crispy for longer once it’s tossed in the sauce. Fry for 1 1/2 minutes or until the pork is golden brown. Without double frying, the pork starts losing crispiness within 2 minutes once it hits the sauce. The surface of a double fry softens in about 5 minutes, but it takes much longer to completely soften than if you only fry one.

Fast becoming the worst kept Asian secret – double fry is THE secret to ultra crispy Less greasyFried food

Here’s a comparison of how the pork looks after Fry #1 and Fry #2. The pork will be less oily if the temperature is higher.

Single Fry Option

However, all that said and done, a single fry (for slightly longer) is excellent too if you need an express version. I was doing single fry for most of my life until I discovered the double fry – and nobody ever complained!

You can reuse the oil from this recipe up to two more times, as the pork coating is neutral in flavor.

How to make Sweet and Sour Pork

We’re on the home stretch! Here’s how it comes together:

KEY TIP Toss the pork QUICKLY in the sauce – aim for 10 seconds – to prolong its crispy life!

You can serve it with plain rice, or fried rice if you prefer. And if you’re making the effort to make Sweet and Sour Pork at home, why wouldn’t you?? Tip: Fried Rice can be reheated perfectly at 100%. So make sure you prepare it first and then heat it up.

You can add more vegetables to your Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce, a popular restaurant favorite!), or for fresh options, try Smashed Cucumbers, this Asian Salad or Asian Slaw, or Chinese Lettuce with Creamy Sesame Sauce.

Last but not least, because I am aware someone’s going to ask, and for all those times you’re desperate for a Sweet & Sour Pork fix but can’t face the oil….Instructions for baking are provided. 

Is it as good deep fried as deep fried? Of course not – and anyone who tells you otherwise is outright lying. I’ve tried it every which way I can, and I can’t replicate it exactly.

But, you can still get 85%  80% of the way there, and once it’s all mixed up with the sauce you won’t really notice anyway. It will be a great thing for your hips! – Nagi x

How to make it

Video typo! Marinating time should not be shown as 2 hour, but 24 hours. 🙂

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Pork that’s both sweet and sour

4.99Starting at 104 votes

Servings5

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Below is the recipe video. The most delicious Sweet and Sour Pork recipe has many tricks that Chinese have used for centuries. double dredgeDouble fry to make it extra crispy. Use cornflour in place of flour. Cheap pork used for juiciness, but Tenders with baking soda so you’d swear they’re pricey chops, and a sauce that’s not sickeningly sweet. 

Do not let the long list of ingredients intimidate you. There are many repeat ingredients!

OVEN optionNotes Sometimes, you only have to ….

Ingredients

CupsMetric

Tenderized Marinated Pork

• ▢ 400g/14oz Pork scotch roast, also known as pork neck, collar butt or shoulder/butt, cut into 2cm / 4/5″ cubes (Note 1)
• ▢ 1/2 Onion – Finely grated (Note2a)
• ▢ 1 tsp Garlic – Finely grated (Note2a)
• ▢ 1 tsp ginger Finely grated (Note2a)
• ▢ 3/8 tsp baking soda (bi-carb) (Note 2b)
• ▢ 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
• ▢ 2 tbsp light soy sauce Note 3)

For frying:

• ▢ 5 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch Mixing in
• ▢ 1/2 Cup cornflour/cornstarch Coating
• ▢ 2 – 3 Cups Vegetable or canola oil

Sweet & Sour Sauce:

• ▢ 1/3 Cup White sugar
• ▢ 1/3 Cup apple cider vinegar (or 1/4 cup normal vinegar).
• ▢ 3 tbsp pineapple juice (From a 227g/8oz pineapple juice can, preferably with no added sugar, Note 4
• ▢ 3 tbsp Ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 tbsp soy sauce Light
• ▢ 1 tsp Oyster Sauce (Note 5)
• ▢ 4 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
• ▢ 1/2 Cup Water

Stir Frying:

• ▢ 1 tbsp Oil
• ▢ 1 Clove of garlic Finely chopped
• ▢ 2 tsp ginger Finely chopped
• ▢ 1 Onion (medium), cut in 2.5cm/ 1” cubes (brown or white)
• ▢ 1/2 Bell pepper/red capsicum (large), cut into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes
• ▢ 1/2 bell pepper/green capsicum (large), cut into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes
• ▢ 1 Cup pineapple pieces (From the can of pineapple in Sauce).

Instructions

Marinade Pork

• Mix Pork and Marinade. Marinade for 18 to 24 hours. For marinating other cuts, see Note 1.

Preparation:

• Rack & warm oven: Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F and place rack on tray – to keep pork warm.
• Sauce: Combine all ingredients, except water, in a large or small bowl. Mix everything together, then add the water.
• Be Stir Fry Ready:All ingredients are ready to go. Fry #2 is the fastest way to move things along

Double dredge:

• Coating #1 Allow the pork to rest for five minutes before adding 5 tablespoons of cornflour. The pork will appear white at first due to the cornflour. But, over time, it will sweat, making the cornflour partially or fully wet. It will then become sticky, which is essential for the coating to stick.
• Coating #2In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup cornflour. Mix the cornflour in a shallow bowl. Place pork on a plate.
• You can reserve cornflour for when you need to dust the meat again. When you place pork in the oil, it should be at least half-white (if not sprinkle with reserved cornflour).

Fried Crispy Pork

• Heat oil In a small saucepan or pot, heat enough oil to cover 2.5 cm / 1 inch of the bottom. Heat to 180°C/350°F (or until pork immediately starts sizzling when you dip it in).
• Fry #1 Pork should be cooked in small batches. Drain on rack. This is the last step to cook the pork. It takes four batches.
• Fry #2 Turn the stove up slightly and heat oil to 200°C/390°F. Start with the coolest piece of pork. Add half of the pork to the pot. Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes or until the pork is crispy and golden. Transfer to rack. Repeat with the remaining pork.
• Keep warm in oven.

Sauce & Stir Fry:

• Oil can be heated in a large saucepan over high heat.
• Stir in garlic, ginger, and onion. Continue stirring for approximately 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in capsicum for 2 minutes.
• Add Sauce & pinappleLet it simmer for a few minutes. Let it simmer for 2 minutes, until thickened – drag the spoon along the base to create a path (see video at 1 minute 53 seconds).
• 10 Second toss Add the pork and toss it quickly to coat. You want to keep this going for at least 10 seconds.
• Serve as soon as possible Place on a serving platter and serve immediately. It will stay crispy for about 5 minutes, then it starts to soften but retains a firm coating. This is Sweet and Sour Pork as it appears in restaurants.

Recipe Notes

DOUBLE or SINGLE FRYDouble fry is more crispy than double fry once it’s been sauced. However, for an express version, you can fry just one fry for 1 minute, until it becomes deep golden brown. You can still get crispy results for just a few minutes.

1. PorkPork scotch, also known as pork neck / collar butt, and pork shoulder/butt is highly recommended for the best flavour and juiciest pieces of pork. To make them tender, they need to be cooked slowly. The secret to Chinese tenderising is the use of cornflour and baking soda in the marinade. Also see how to tenderise chicken and beef. This juicy cut is able to be cooked for a longer time, allowing the outside to become crispy without causing the inside to become dry and hard.

Although other cuts of pork can be used, they are less likely to dry out from overcooking. This is why the marinade helps prevent this. The rule of thumb is that the longer the marinade, the tenderer and more expensive the pork will be, the less time it should take to marinate.

• Loin, steaks, tenderloin (aka fillet) – 3 hours to overnight
• Anything labelled “cutlets” or “steak” -From 3 hours to the night
• Pork leg – per recipe, 24 hrs
• Avoid using –  You can choose from bone-in ribs, belly, or pickled pork

2a. 2a. Finely gratedA microplane is best for the best flavor. It allows you to grind your food very finely, making it wetter and more “juicy”.

2b. Bicarb / baking sodaIf you don’t own a 1/8 teaspoon measure, simply measure 1/4 teaspoon PLUS 1/2 teaspoon. This makes 3/8 teaspoons.

Baking soda is the secret ingredient in Chinese restaurants to tenderize meat. It can also be used for chicken or beef in all kinds of dishes, such as soups, stir fries, and noodles. The maximum amount of baking soda you can use before tasting it. For beef and chicken, I use less but get faster results. Rinse it off after using it.

3. Soy sauceDo not use dark soy sauce or sweet soya sauce. Find out more about soy sauces.

4. PineappleI prefer to use canned pineapples because I can add the juice to the Sauce, which adds more flavour. If you prefer to use fresh pineapple, just use more water instead (don’t worry, the Sweet & Sour Sauce has plenty of flavour already!)

5. Vegetarian Oyster Sauce – Nowadays you can find vegetarian oyster sauce (suitable for vegans) even at supermarket. For example, Ayam Vegetarian Oyster Sauce. It’s really quite delicious!

And here’s homemade Vegetarian Oyster Sauce recipe by Omnivore’s Cookbook, a Chinese recipe blog. I was extremely impressed with it.

6. Best baking method – I tried a bunch of ways, and this is the method that yields the best results. Not quite as crispy as deep frying, but certainly crispy enough for a very respectable Sweet & Sour Pork. To seal in the crispiness, the pan fry is crucial. Without this step, the coating will be a little too powdery and not crispy.

• BIGGER pieces: Cut the pork into 2.5cm/1″ cubes, and then marinate and coat according to recipe.
• Spray oil on rack and place it on a tray.
• Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet and heat on medium-high.
• Turn the pork over and then add the remaining ingredients.
• Place on rack, spray with oil, bake 13 – 15 minutes at 220°C/430°F until deep golden. Use per recipe.

7. Air fryer Haven’t tried but would love to. I would oil spray pork pieces and then air fry. It would work, and I don’t see any reason it shouldn’t.

8. Use oilThe oil is safe to reuse twice as long as the pork has a neutral flavor. After cool oil has cooled, place a mesh strainer with a towel and drain it. This can be used to fry any kind of savoury food.

9. Recipe source: terrific teachings from watching various Chinese YouTube channels but notably this recipe from Pups with Chopsticks for the double dredge method. I used potato starch, which she suggested I adapt to my recipe. I didn’t notice any difference in the results with cornflour once I tried it.

Paired with my Sweet and Sour Sauce (from this recipe and this one) though slightly amended to make it less rich (given we are frying here) and the tenderising method & times based on much experimenting done at RTE HQ! (The pork matrix can be huge!)

10. Nutrition – none. There is no way that I can estimate how much oil there is on the pork. One thing I can tell you is that a higher temperature double fry means a less oily surface.

Keywords: Crispy chinese pork, crispy pork and sweet and sour porc

Dozer life

He takes his job of Chief Taste Tester at RecipeTin Eats seriously. His concentration and focus would make any student studying for an exam look foolish!

(PS Those chopsticks are Dozers’ – sometimes I just don’t feel like getting slobber on my fingers🤷🏻‍♀️)