If I had to recommend one recipe from my website, it would be the Sweet and Sour Pork. I have been perfecting this recipe for over 15 years, and I am confident that it tastes better than even the best Chinese restaurants.
Can't get enough of Chinese-American cuisine? Try my Chinese Coconut Chicken next!
๐ฅก About This Recipe
Sweet And Sour Pork has been my all-time favorite food since I was a kid, and I know it might sound like a clichรฉ blogger statement, but it is actually true for me.
Growing up, my family did not eat out often, but when we did, my parents would always order me a plate. Even today, when I visit a food court, my first stop is always the Chinese food stall for an order of sweet and sour pork.
The best sweet and sour pork has a thin, crispy crust with juicy, fatty pork inside. The sauce is sweet, tangy, subtly fruity,ย and should not taste like any of its individual ingredients. One of my biggest pet peeves with many sweet and sour pork recipes is that they taste too much like ketchup.
โญ The Secrets To Sweet And Sour Pork
These are the secrets I have discovered after dozens of iterations over the last 15 years.
- Tapioca Starch + Cornstarch: This is the best combination of starches for the crispy coating. I have experimented with flour, but it never gets as crispy as a 100% starch-based coating. Tapioca starch is the real secret. It adds a beautiful, chewy texture that is simultaneously crunchy.
- Balancing the Ketchup: Most online recipes use ketchup to flavor the sauce. However, I have found that the ketchup flavor always dominates the finished dish. You definitely need ketchup in the sauce, but it has to be balanced somehow. My solution is to add lemon juice and stir-fry the sauce with garlic and onion. The lemon juice adds a fruity component and the garlic and onion really soften the edge of the ketchup.
- Double Fry: This is how you produce an exceptionally crispy crust that STAYS crispy. This should be done at a high temperature for a short time to quickly expel the crust's moisture without overcooking the inside.
๐ง Ingredients
For the meat marinade:
- Boneless Pork Shoulder: I always use pork shoulder for sweet and sour pork. Pork shoulder has a ton of intramuscular fat, which keeps the meat juicy even after deep-frying.
- Egg White: This helps tenderize the pork because it is slightly alkaline. It also makes the marinade slightly thicker so more starch can stick to the pork.
- White Rice Wine: This is a clear-colored Chinese cooking wine. It is available at most Asian grocery stores. I recommend this over Shaoxing wine because it has a neutral flavor profile.
- Salt
- White Pepper
For the sweet and sour sauce:
- Ketchup:
- Brown Sugar
- White Vinegar: I have played around with many types of vinegar and white vinegar is the best for me.
- Lemon Juice: I have tried all variations of fruit juices, including pineapple juice, lychee juice, fruit syrup, and orange juice, but lemon juice is my favorite. Freshly squeezed in a must.
- Cornstarch: For thickening the sauce.
- Water
- Salt
For the rest:
- Cornstarch and tapioca starch for the dry coating. It is the best combination, period.
- Garlic, onions, bell peppers, and oil for frying.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: Cut the pork into cubes and combine it with the egg white, rice wine, salt, and ground white pepper. Mix and massage the meat for 30 seconds, then let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 40 minutes.
STEP 2: In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt, and water. Set aside.
STEP 3: Combine cornstarch and tapioca starch in a large bowl. Dust about ยฝ cup of the mixture onto a baking sheet. This will help the dredged pork from sticking to the baking sheet.
STEP 4: Remove the meat from the fridge and give it a mix to redistribute the marinade. Working one at a time, coat a piece of pork in the dry mixture, then place it on the prepared baking sheet.
STEP 5: Heat about 1 inch of oil to 350ยฐF and fry the pork in batches until golden brown, approximately 6-7 minutes. Transfer the fried pork to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Allow the pork to rest for at least 15 minutes.
STEP 6: Increase the oil temperature to 400ยฐF and fry the pork a second time for 1-2 minutes. This additional fry ensures a super crispy crust.
STEP 7: Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the peppers, and cook for another 2 minutes. Finally, add the sauce mixture and cook until it thickens. Add the cooked pork and toss to coat everything. Serve immediately!
If you want it extra crispy, you can serve the sweet and sour sauce and the pork separately. This will keep the pork crispier for longer.
๐ Recipe
Best Sweet And Sour Pork
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 pound boneless pork shoulder
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tablespoons white rice wine
- ยฝ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- โ teaspoon ground white pepper
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ยผ teaspoons cornstarch
- ยฝ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ยผ cup water
For Frying
- โ cup cornstarch
- โ cup tapioca starch
Stir-Fry
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- ยฝ small onion (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 small red bell pepper (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 small green bell pepper (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
Instructions
- Cut the pork into cubes and combine it with the egg white, rice wine, salt, and ground white pepper. Mix and massage the meat for 30 seconds, then marinate it in the refrigerator for at least 40 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt, and water. Set aside.
- Combine cornstarch and tapioca starch in a large bowl. Dust about ยฝ cup of the mixture onto a baking sheet.
- Give the meat a mix to redistribute the marinade. Working one at a time, coat a piece of pork in the dry mixture, then place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Heat about 1 inch of oil to 350ยฐF and fry the pork in batches until golden brown, approximately 6-7 minutes. Transfer the fried pork to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Allow the pork to rest for at least 15 minutes.
- Increase the oil temperature to 400ยฐF and fry the pork a second time for 1-2 minutes. This additional fry ensures a super crispy crust.
- Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the peppers, and cook for another 2 minutes. Finally, add the sauce mixture and cook until it thickens. Add the cooked pork and toss to coat everything. Serve immediately.
Rob Walmsley
Cooked this tonight, very impressed,. The double cooking of the pork worked well with a good crispy coating as suggested.
My wife and I both thoroughly enjoyed our meal.
Grump
So happy to hear that, Rob! Thx for trying the recipe