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Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and sour pork with crispy golden pork pieces tossed in a vibrant red-orange sweet and sour sauce with bell peppers and pineapple chunks. This Chinese-American Chinese sweet and sour pork recipe delivers crunchy coating and glossy sauce, better than takeout sweet sour pork.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pork
  • 1.5 lb pork shoulder or loin cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce for marinade and sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch for marinade
  • 0.5 cup cornstarch for coating
  • 0.5 cup flour for coating
  • 0.33333333333333 cup oil for deep frying
Vegetables and Fruit
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
Sweet and Sour Sauce
  • 0.33333333333333 cup ketchup
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce for sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch for sauce
  • 0.25 cup pineapple juice

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate and coat
  1. In a bowl, marinate the pork with egg, soy sauce, and cornstarch for 15 minutes.
  2. Mix cornstarch and flour together, then coat the marinated pork pieces thoroughly.
Deep-fry the pork
  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F.
  2. Deep fry the pork in batches for 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through, then drain on paper towels.
Make the sauce and finish
  1. Whisk ketchup, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and pineapple juice together until smooth.
  2. Stir-fry red bell pepper and green bell pepper with pineapple in 1 tablespoon oil over high heat for 2 minutes.
  3. Pour in the sauce, bring to a boil until thickened, then add the crispy pork and toss to coat before serving.

Notes

For crispier pieces, fry in small batches so the oil stays near 350°F. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot oven or skillet to re-crisp. Freezing isn’t recommended for the best texture. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar-free ketchup and reduce sugar slightly to match your taste while keeping the thickening from cornstarch.