The best ever Sweet and Sour Pork recipe is loaded with tricks the Chinese have been using for centuries: double dredge and 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.
BONUS: oven baked Sweet and Sour Pork directions included!
Sweet and Sour Pork
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!
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Crispiest pork you’ll ever make – too many recipes make grand promises but fall short;
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Double fry high temp – fast becoming the worst kept Asian secret, double frying is THE secret to crispy, less oily food;
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Cornflour / cornstarch, not flour – for a crispier coating. Flour isn’t even crispy fresh out of the oil;
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Double dredge – the first layer seals the juices inside, acts as a glue for the 2nd dredge and is a second layer of crispiness;
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Tenderise cheap but flavourful pork using baking soda – a trick used by Chinese restaurants all around the world. It’s called velveting – here’s how to velvet chicken and beef; and
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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
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Marinate pork to infuse with flavour and tenderise the meat (we’re using economical shoulder and scotch pork);
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Double dredge in cornflour/cornstarch, not flour, for extra crispy;
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Double fry for extra crispy – a trick Asians have been using for centuries; and
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10 second toss to coat pork in Sweet and Sour Sauce!
Pork Marinade Ingredients
Here’s what you need for the pork and marinade:
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Pork – the best cut (in order of preference): pork scotch (aka pork neck, pork collar), pork shoulder, leg, tenderloin then loin. See below for more information on each cut;
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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 velveting, it also works brilliantly with chicken and beef.
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;
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Garlic, ginger and onion – flavour, flavour, flavour! Grated to make them “juicy” so the flavour penetrates better; and
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Soy sauce – for seasoning and flavour.
The more economical the pork cut, the longer the marinade time to tenderise.
Best pork for Sweet and Sour Pork
In order of preference:
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Pork scotch roast or steaks – also known as pork neck, and called 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 steaks or scotch fillet steaks). Highly versatile cut that can be slow cooked (such as this slow roasted brown sugar pork and Char Siu) or quick cooked like steak (use it for any of my pork chop recipes). Pork scotch is ribboned with fat which keeps each piece juicy and has a good pork flavour. This is the cut that we believe higher end Chinese restaurants use;
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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 is tough and chewy! Not quite as tender as scotch, but almost – it’s on par with the really good local Chinese restaurants;
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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;
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Pork tenderloin – this is a very tender, lean cut of pork with a milder flavour. It can be used but be aware it is more prone to drying out from overcooking in pursuit of crispy pork. Marinating helps alleviate this problem but still a bit harder to get cook timing exactly right;
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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.
Pork cuts not recommended: 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 colouring not required!!
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Ketchup – provides sweetness, flavour and some thickening;
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Cider vinegar – to balance out the sweet
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Sugar – just 1/3 of a cup, far less than most recipes and definitely less than restaurants. This is sweet enough, trust me!
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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 can be substituted with vegetarian oyster sauce which nowadays is widely available in Australian grocery stores like Coles and Woolworths (Asian section and/or health food section, Ayam brand);
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Pineapple juice – from the can of pineapple pieces used in the stir fry, because why waste it? Using fresh pineapple? Just skip this and add extra water; and
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Cornflour/cornstarch – for thickening. Sweet and sour sauce is thicker than most stir fries so it clings to the pork pieces!
You’ll notice that my sauce is not 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 some people are big advocates of 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.
This is the case even with restaurants, unless they use a different type of batter (like the puffy batter for Honey Chicken which truly stays crispy for hours) or they use speciality ingredients like Xanthum gum.
Want to avoid deep frying? The BEST oven baked sweet & sour pork is in the recipe too!
Double frying and double cornflour coating = crispiest pork
So now that’s out of the way, the steps below show how to make the crispiest pork for Sweet & Sour Pork:
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Marinate to tenderise the pork. Overnight for tougher cuts (like scotch/collar and shoulder) and 3 hours for more tender pork (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;
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Coat in cornflour/cornstarch – this is dredge #1, for extra crispy pork. Coat it, then leave for 5 minutes and the cornflour will become wet from the juices from the pork. It will be super sticky at this stage – which is why no egg is required for the coating to adhere;
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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;
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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;
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Drain on RACK – elevating the pork on a rack will help keep the pork crispy. It sweats on paper towels, making it softer;
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Fry #2 Hotter Temp – A trick used by Asians for centuries (eg in Japanese Karaage!), this will make your pork stay crispy for longer once it’s tossed in the sauce. Just fry for 1 1/2 minutes until it is deep golden brown. Without double frying, the pork starts losing crispiness within 2 minutes once it hits the sauce. WITH double fry, the surface starts to soften after around 5 minutes but the rate at which it completely softens is far slower than with single fry.
Fast becoming the worst kept Asian secret – double fry is THE secret to ultra crispy less greasy fried food!
Here’s a comparison of how the pork looks after Fry #1 and Fry #2. Added bonus: the higher temp makes the pork less oily too.
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!
The oil used in this recipe can be used another two times because the pork coating is neutral in flavour.
How to re-use oil
The oil can be reused twice because the pork flavour is pretty neutral in this recipe so it doesn’t infuse oil with flavour, as opposed to heavily seasoned food like Southern Fried Chicken which taints the oil with flavour.
To re-use the oil, cool in pot, line mesh colander with a single layer of paper towel, strain oil. Store until required – personally would stick to savoury rather than sweet.
Use for any savoury deep fried recipes – such as General Tso’s Chicken, Stay-Crispy Honey Chicken, Chicken Parmigiana, Arancini Balls, Japanese Karaage, Mongolian Beef, Schnitzel or Southern Fried Chicken!
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!
Serve with plain rice or Fried Rice if you want to go all out. And if you’re making the effort to make Sweet and Sour Pork at home, why wouldn’t you?? (Tip: Fried rice reheats 100% perfectly, so make it first then just reheat it).
For extra vegetables, add a side of Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (a restaurant favourite!), or for fresh options, try Smashed Cucumbers, this Asian Salad or Asian Slaw, or Chinese Lettuce with Creamy Sesame Sauce.
And lastly, because I know 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….oven directions are included.
Is it as good 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 get 85% 80% of the way there, and once it’s all mixed up with the sauce you won’t really notice anyway. But your hips will thank you for it! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Note: video typo! Marinating time shows 2 hours, but it should be 24 hours. 🙂
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Sweet and Sour Pork
Ingredients
Tenderised Marinated Pork:
- 400g/14oz pork scotch roast (aka pork neck, collar butt) or shoulder / butt, cut into 2cm / 4/5" cubes (Note 1)
- 1/2 onion , finely grated (Note 2a)
- 1 tsp garlic , finely grated (Note 2a)
- 1 tsp ginger , finely grated (Note 2a)
- 3/8 tsp baking soda (bi-carb) (Note 2b)
- 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce , or all purpose (Note 3)
For frying:
- 5 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch - for mixing in
- 1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch - for 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 white vinegar)
- 3 tbsp pineapple juice (from a 227g/8oz can pineapple pieces in juice, preferably 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/corn starch
- 1/2 cup water
Stir Frying:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 garlic clove , finely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger , finely chopped
- 1 onion (medium), cut into 2.5cm/ 1" cubes (brown, white, yellow)
- 1/2 red capsicum/bell pepper (large), cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes
- 1/2 green capsicum/bell pepper (large), cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes
- 1 cup pineapple pieces (from the can of pineapple under Sauce)
Instructions
Marinade Pork:
- Mix Pork with Marinade. Marinade 18 to 24 hours. (See Note 1 for marinating time for other cuts)
Preparation:
- 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.
Double dredge:
- 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).
Fried Crispy Pork (Note 6 for oven):
- 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.
Sauce & Stir Fry:
- 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!
Recipe Notes:
- Loin, steaks, tenderloin (aka fillet) - 3 hours to overnight
- Anything labelled "cutlets" or "steak" - - 3 hours to overnight
- Pork leg - per recipe, 24 hrs
- Do not use - belly, bone in ribs, or pickled pork
- BIGGER pieces - cut the pork into 2.5cm / 1" cubes, marinate and coat per recipe;
- Place rack on tray, spray rack with oil;
- Pour in enough oil to cover base of large skillet, heat to medium high;
- Add pork, then turn to make each side golden (this is the tedious part) - about 2 minutes in total, no longer; then
- Place on rack, spray with oil, bake 13 - 15 minutes at 220°C/430°F until deep golden. Use per recipe.
Life of Dozer
He takes his job as Chief Taste Tester of RecipeTin Eats very seriously. That look of concentration on his face would put any exam-sitting student to shame!
(PS Those chopsticks are Dozers’ – sometimes I just don’t feel like getting slobber on my fingers🤷🏻♀️)
Hazel says
I want to make this for friends coming over but don’t want to be in the kitchen, has anyone made it ahead, is it just as good if kept warm for an hour?
Dajana says
My husband declared this dish so much better than our fave takeout place. That says it all. Thanks for yet another amazingly delicious recipe, Nagi!
Taras says
5 Stars all the way ! We have made this one about 5 times Nagi using pork steaks and chops, always a great result. And the leftovers next days are just as good if not better !! Thank you !
Taras says
We have made this one about 5 times Nagi using pork steaks and chops, always a great result. And the leftovers next days are just as good if not better !! Thank you !
Taras says
we have made this one about 5 times Nagi using steaks and chops, always a great result. And the leftovers next days are just as good if not better !! Thank you !
Angie says
So much fun to make! The directions made it seem fun and easy and in the end, my family went nuts! They said it looked like from a restaurant or cookbook. I’ll make this again for sure!!
Stuart says
Tried this tonight. Shallow fry then air fryer on 200 for about 8 minutes. Worked beautifully. Pork was so tender after marinade overnight.
Only problem I had was dropping pork from too high into cornflour. Spattered everywhere! Looked like a white Christmas in the kitchen lol.
Nagi says
I’ve had lots of flour storms lol! Nx❤️
Bett Benn says
Nagi, are you using the American measurement of tablespoon, or the Australian tablespoon?
The American one is the equivalent of our desert spoon…Equal to 2 teaspoons. The Australian one equals 4 teaspoons.
Thanks for your recipes. Bett
Grace says
She would be using Australian as she’s from Australia.
Beth says
US tablespoons are 3 teaspoons which is 15gms
Aussie tablespoons are 3 teaspoons which is 20gms. So they are 3/4 the size of ours.
Jay F. Amsler says
This recipe has a depth of flavor that’s profound. As soon as you taste it you will want more.
The best I’ve ever made. I did make some adjustments in so far as I substituted the cider vinegar with rice vinegar and added 2 teaspoons of roasted peanut oil. I also used 1/8 cup of pickled sweet peppers rather than the bell peppers.
Anne Ginders says
Great recipe. Easy to follow. Well ordered total success, only a tiny bit of stress when I had the deep fry pot cranking alongside the boiling sauce, but you warned me, so was easy.
Family loved it, I garnished with fresh from t5garden spring onions.
Sue says
I don’t like deep frying so followed the recipe and used about a quarter inch of oil in the skillet to brown the pork in the first fry. Used the airfryer at 200 for 12 min for the second fry. Turned out perfectly. I didn’t need to spray the pork before putting in the airfryer. It generated rave reviews and comments like “Did you really make this? Its fantastic” and “This is so much better than takeway” A winner in our books.
Jen says
Sooooo good! As usual, Nagi, another winner.
Made this tonight and have three teens fighting over seconds.
alistair says
well done, great sweet and sour ,even I could make it!
Nagi says
Awesome Alistair!!!! N x
Andrew says
I have tried many versions and Nagi is quite right, none of them quite give the whole recipe and as a result was always left slightly dissappointed by them. NOT THIS ONE! It is I believe, better than any takeaway. Well done Nagi and thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe.
Nagi says
Wahoo, that’s awesome Andrew, thanks so much for the great feedback! N x
Evelyn says
Thanks Nagi! Fantastic recipe!!
I’ve tried a number of Sweet Sour Pork recipe but never succeeded to get crispy delicious pork pieces without a thick coating of flour!! This recipe is just great! Thanks again 🙂
Kylie says
Sweet and sour pork is my husbands favourite dish. With fathers day in lockdown this year I can’t wait to surprise him this. I also cooked your Nasi Goreng tonight, my fussy teenagers devoured the lot!
Cynthia says
Pork was amazing and tender! Delicious.
Nigel Jones says
Made this for dinner tonight but had to improvise using chicken thighs instead of pork as none at supermarket (COVID lockdown!). Still turned out pretty damn good so thanks for the recipe.
Nora Rabello says
Maravilhoso !!!!! 😃😃😃😃
Anita says
Omg! Your recipes are always just perfect! I have always been a bit afraid of fried meat recipes and as such I did this shallow fried using just 1/2 cup I’d oil, and it is just amazing… better than the same dish from our favourite local take away!
Nagi says
Woah what a compliment, I love hearing this Anita!! N x