Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe - TipBuzz (2024)

Jump to Recipe

4 Comments »

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure policy.

Sweet and Sour Pork is a mouthwatering stir-fry of crispy and tender pieces of deep fried pork tenderloin combined with onions, bell peppers and pineapple in a tangy sweet and sour sauce. Adults and kids alike will love it, so skip the soggy takeout and make this classic Chinese dish at home!

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe - TipBuzz (1)

Sweet and Sour Pork is a Cantonese dish (咕嚕肉 or gū lō yuk) where tender pieces of pork are deep fried until crispy and then stir fried with vegetables and pineapple in a sweet and sour sauce. Its characteristic orange-red color comes from ketchup, which makes it especially appealing to kids and picky eaters!

While sweet and sour pork is on almost every Chinese restaurant menu, it was Sweet and Sour Chicken that made the top-10 Chinese food takeout listas reported by NBC. They’re both delicious with similar preparation, so make whatever you feel like most! Restaurant sweet and sour pork all too often turns out rubbery, soggy or just too sweet. I’m going to show you exactly how to avoid all of these, so you can enjoy this dish at its best.

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe - TipBuzz (2)

How to make sweet and sour pork

There are 3 main steps for making sweet and sour pork:

  1. Bread and deep fry the pork pieces
  2. Make the sweet and sour sauce
  3. Stir fry the vegetables, adding in the pork and the sauce at the end

Since there’s some prep work involved, you may wish to get your pork cut into pieces by your meat counter, and to buy pineapple in chunks. Here are the key ingredients you’ll need:

Pork

  • Pork tenderloin: this will product the most tender meat, and you can also use pork butt / pork shoulder as an alternative
  • Beaten egg: to help coat the pork pieces
  • Cornstarch: to make a light and crispy breading on the pork
  • Vegetable oil: for deep frying – use canola oil, sunflower or peanut oil

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe - TipBuzz (3)

Sweet and sour sauce

  • Vinegar: I recommend apple cider vinegar for deeper flavor
  • Soy sauce: Low-sodium is recommended
  • Ketchup
  • Sugar: white or brown sugar will work

Vegetables/fruit

  • Onion: yellow, white or purple will work
  • Bell peppers: red, green and yellow
  • Pineapple chunks: fresh pineapple is best

The key is getting the right balance of sweet and sour in the sauce. You don’t want it cloyingly sweet, nor too sour from the vinegar either. Be sure to taste the sauce before using and adjust proportions to taste! I also find apple cider vinegar is a bit smoother tasting than using straight white vinegar.

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe - TipBuzz (4)

How to serve sweet and sour pork

The traditional way to serve sweet and sour pork is on steamed rice or fried rice to make a complete meal. You don’t really need a side vegetable because of the bell peppers and pineapple, but if you feel like something bok choy is a delicious combination.

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe - TipBuzz (5)

Print

4.29 from 7 votes

Leave a review »

Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and Sour Pork is a mouthwatering stir-fry of crispy and tender pieces of deep fried pork tenderloin combined with onions, bell peppers and pineapple in a tangy sweet and sour sauce. Adults and kids alike will love it, so skip the soggy takeout and make this classic Chinese dish at home!

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

Pork

  • 1 ½ lb pork tenderloin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • 3-4 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Sweet and Sour Sauce

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar, or white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium recommended
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water

Vegetables

  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 medium onion, cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Instructions

  • Cut the pork into 3/4-inch / 2 cm cubes.

  • In a large bowl, mix together cornstarch, flour and salt.

  • Add the egg, 1 tablespoon oil and water. Whisk until smooth. The mixture will be thick like pancake batter.

  • Add the cubed pork to the mixture and toss to coat.

  • Heat the oil to 350˚F / 175˚C in a deep-fryer or medium saucepan, and set aside a wire rack.

  • Add the pork in batches and deep fry for about 5 minutes until golden and crispy.

  • Remove to the rack with a slotted spoon, and repeat for remaining pork.

  • Heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil.

  • Sauté onion, bell peppers and pineapple in the pan for 2 - 4 minutes until slightly softened.

  • Add the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and ketchup. Bring to a simmer.

  • In a small bowl or teacup, mix together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry.

  • Slowly stir it into the pan. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the vegetables.

  • Add in the cooked pork and stir to coat evenly with the sauce.Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Sweet and Sour Pork

Amount per Serving

Calories

630

% Daily Value*

Fat

10

g

15

%

Saturated Fat

2

g

10

%

Cholesterol

100

mg

33

%

Sodium

652

mg

27

%

Potassium

780

mg

22

%

Fiber

3

g

12

%

Sugar

28

g

31

%

Net Carbs

97

g

194

%

Protein

32

g

64

%

Vitamin A

905

IU

18

%

Vitamin C

48.8

mg

59

%

Calcium

38

mg

4

%

Iron

4.8

mg

27

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Please read our nutrition disclaimer.

Author: TipBuzz

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: pork, sour, sweet

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below!

Looking for more Chinese recipes?

  • Szechuan Chicken
  • Mongolian Beef
  • Orange Chicken
  • Sesame Chicken
  • General Tso’s Chicken

© TIPBUZZ. Images and text on this website are copyright protected. Please do not post or republish without permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please link back to this post.This post may contain affiliate links. Read the disclosure policy here.

posted November 8, 2018 (updated 4/2/19)

Chinese Comfort Food Kid Friendly Party Pork Stove Top

subscribe to new posts via email:

« Previous PostHow to Make Cauliflower Rice

Next Post »Chinese Steamed Pork Buns

Leave a Reply

4 comments on “Sweet and Sour Pork”

  1. Valeria MillerJanuary 4, 2023 @ 8:37 pm Reply

    Have fixed this 2×. My husband loves it.Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe - TipBuzz (6)

    • TipBuzzApril 5, 2023 @ 2:15 pm Reply

      Hi Valeria, Great to hear that and thanks for your comment!

  2. AnnJune 13, 2019 @ 7:32 pm Reply

    It was a hit! I cooked another batch for dinner.Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe - TipBuzz (7)

    • TipBuzzJune 14, 2019 @ 1:13 am Reply

      Hi Ann, Awesome – congrats and thanks! 🙂

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe - TipBuzz (2024)

FAQs

What are the main ingredients in sweet and sour pork? ›

A Chinese stir-fry dish made with juicy pieces of pork tenderloin, bell peppers, onion, and pineapple. Battered pork gets fried until crispy then tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce.

Why is sweet and sour pork so red? ›

How do you make sweet and sour pork red? Restaurants often put a drop of red food coloring to brighten up the color of the dish. You can add this when mixing the sauce. If you don't mind a more natural color, the sauce will get its color from the ketchup and brown sugar.

Is sweet and sour pork authentic Chinese food? ›

Sweet and sour pork, or guō bāo ròu, is one of the dishes served in American Chinese restaurants that doesn't have its roots in Cantonese cooking. Instead, it's from the colder climes of northeastern China, in a city called Harbin in Heilongjiang province.

What part of China is sweet and sour pork from? ›

Hong Kong/Cantonese

The original Cantonese sweet and sour pork (traditional Chinese: 咕嚕肉; simplified Chinese: 咕噜肉; pinyin: gūlūròu; Cantonese Yale: gūlōuyuhk; lit. 'rumbling meat') is made with vinegar, preserved plums and hawthorn candy for an almost scarlet colour and sweet-sour taste.

How do Chinese make pork so tender? ›

How do you tenderise pork for stir fry? Velveting is a Chinese technique that helps keep meat tender during stir frying. Adding cornstarch and bicarb to your meat during the marinating process helps to coat your meat, giving it a velvety feel that makes the meat feel extra soft.

What is traditional sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

While sweet and sour can be found in diverse forms in China, the American version builds upon the simple mixture of sugar, vinegar, and spices with the addition of fruit juice—most commonly pineapple—and ketchup, giving the sauce both its red hue and uniquely Western flavor.

What is the difference between General Tso and sweet and sour chicken? ›

General Tso's chicken and sweet and sour chicken are completely different dishes. Starting with the sauce, General Tso's chicken is a sweet, spicy, and slightly tangy while sweet and sour sauce is often served on the side and is just sweet and tangy.

Why is pork red at Chinese restaurants? ›

The red hue on the pork comes from the sticky, crave-able barbecue sauce in which it's marinaded before roasting. Often, this deep crimson hue comes from a combination of Hoisin sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, and fermented red bean curd (aka fermented tofu, bean cheese, or tofu cheese).

What is interesting about sweet and sour pork? ›

The story goes that this dish was created in Chencun, a town in Shunde district, but was originally made with ribs rather than diced pork. Visiting foreigners loved it, but disliked the bones, so chefs started to cook it with the well-marbled pork shoulder.

Why do they eat pork in China? ›

Compared to grazing animals like sheep or cattle, the omnivorous pig is a super-efficient meat producer, one that can be tethered in a small space or left to scavenge by itself. In a crowded environment the pig is perfectly suited to life among a rural family.

What is a peking dish? ›

Peking duck is a classic Chinese dish: a beautifully bronzed, roast duck with a matchlessly crispy skin and deliciously juicy meat. The duck meat is sometimes sliced, but more often shredded and served with thin pancakes, strips of spring onion, cucumber and hoisin sauce.

What is sweet pork made of? ›

There are a few sweet pork recipes out there but I've found the best one to be this near-perfect imitation of Cafe Rio's sweet pork. The key ingredients are (besides pork, of course) Coca-Cola, brown sugar, chilis, enchilada sauce, and spices.

What are the ingredients in no name sweet and sour sauce? ›

Ingredients: Water, Sugars (sugar, Plum Puree, Concentrated Pineapplejuice), Modified Corn Starch, White Vinegar, Tomato Paste, Salt,seasoning, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Red Bell Pepper Powder,beta-carotene Colour, Annatto Extract Colour.

What is a fun fact about sweet and sour pork? ›

However, it is believed that the sweet and sour pork dish was originally made with ribs rather than sliced pork. After eating the dish, these foreigners enjoyed it but didn't like the bones, so they modified the recipe, and chefs ditched the ribs and replaced it with a well-marbled pork shoulder.

What is sweet and sour ribs made of? ›

Combines soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, dry mustard, garlic, as well as a few other simple ingredients to make a delicious sauce for cut ribs. Great over rice, too — some say rice with this sauce is their favorite food! A Lechner family tradition.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Pres. Carey Rath

Last Updated:

Views: 6247

Rating: 4 / 5 (61 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Pres. Carey Rath

Birthday: 1997-03-06

Address: 14955 Ledner Trail, East Rodrickfort, NE 85127-8369

Phone: +18682428114917

Job: National Technology Representative

Hobby: Sand art, Drama, Web surfing, Cycling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Leather crafting, Creative writing

Introduction: My name is Pres. Carey Rath, I am a faithful, funny, vast, joyous, lively, brave, glamorous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.