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Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and sour pork with crispy golden pork pieces coated in a vibrant red-orange sauce, studded with bell peppers and pineapple chunks. A Chinese-style method uses a quick egg-and-cornstarch marinade, then deep-fries for crunch before tossing in a thickened sweet and sour sauce.
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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: 700
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Marinate and Coat the Pork
  1. Marinate the pork in the egg, soy sauce, and cornstarch for 15 minutes.
  2. Mix cornstarch and flour, then coat the marinated pork pieces thoroughly.
Deep-Fry
  1. Deep-fry the pork at 350°F in batches for 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through, then drain on paper towels.
Make the Sweet and Sour Sauce
  1. Whisk the ketchup, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and pineapple juice together until smooth.
Stir-Fry and Toss
  1. Stir-fry the bell peppers and pineapple in 1 tablespoon oil over high heat for 2 minutes, until bright and slightly softened.
  2. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil until thickened, then add the crispy pork and toss to coat before serving over rice.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the oil at 350°F and avoid overcrowding so the coating stays crisp. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat in a hot oven or air fryer to help re-crisp (microwave softens). Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in the coating.