Easy Sweet and Sour Pork
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 448kcal
This Easy Sweet and Sour Pork recipe is the perfect homemade version of your favourite takeout! Tender pork pieces are fried to golden perfection, then tossed in a tangy, sweet and slightly sour sauce along with capsicum (bell pepper) and juicy pineapple. Serve it over jasmine rice for a quick, easy, and budget-friendly meal that your family will love.
Ingredients
PORK
- 600 g pork Scotch fillet (pork butt), cut into bite-sized pieces (2 cm/¾ inch) (see note 1 for other cuts of pork to use)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tsp freshly minced ginger
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) (see note 2)
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 egg
- 60 g cornflour (cornstarch)
- Oil, for frying (see note 3)
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp all-purpose soy sauce
- 55 g brown sugar
- 60 ml pineapple juice (from the can of pineapple, see below)
- 80 ml apple cider or rice wine vinegar
- 80 g tomato ketchup
STIR-FRY
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), diced
- 1 green capsicum (bell pepper), diced
- 95 g canned pineapple chunks in juice, drained, juice reserved (see note 4)
TO SERVE
- Jasmine rice
- White sesame seeds
Instructions
- Marinate the pork – Add the pork, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper to a bowl. Mix to combine, then allow to sit and marinate (for up to 15 minutes) while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Make the sweet and sour sauce – Mix the cornflour and water together well in a small bowl. Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Stir well and set aside.
- Add the batter to the pork – Add the egg and cornflour to the pork mixture. Use tongs to toss and coat the pork as evenly as you can. It will be sticky, forming a batter around the pork. It’s okay if it’s not completely even. Heat the oil in a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat.
- Cook the pork – Cook the pork in batches for 5–6 minutes or until it is cooked through and crispy and golden. Set aside on a paper towel to drain (see note 5).
- Cook the veggies – Pour the oil out of the pan (see note 3).
- To the same pan, over medium–high heat, add the onion and capsicum. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until lightly charred.
- Add the sauce – Add the sweet and sour sauce to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until thickened and glossy. If the sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, continue cooking on high heat until it thickens. The end result should be similar to runny honey.
- Finish the stir-fry – Return the cooked pork to the pan, along with the pineapple chunks. Stir to coat evenly.
- Serve – Serve immediately with jasmine rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds.
TO AIR FRY:
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C (400°F) for 3–5 minutes.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil, then place the pork pieces in a single layer, leaving space between each piece (you’ll need to cook in batches).
- Lightly spray the tops of the pork with oil to help them crisp up.
- Air fry for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until the coating is golden and the pork is cooked through. (See note 6.)
- Follow the stir-fry instructions from Step 6.
Notes
Note 1 – Pork Scotch fillet (butt) is juicy and perfect for frying, but another option is pork shoulder. Pork loin steaks (chops) or tenderloin (fillet) can also be used (although they have a tendency to dry out and are less forgiving to cook with a lower fat content).
Note 2 – The use of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is optional. If you are wanting a true restaurant-style, soft and tender pork experience, don’t skip it! However, I’ve made this recipe many times without doing it and the pork is equally delicious (just not as soft).
Note 3 – Any oil for frying can be used. You will need enough oil to cover the base of the pan and it needs to be at least 1.5 cm (½ inch) deep. Canola (rapeseed) oil, sunflower oil and vegetable oil are popular, neutral-flavoured oil choices for frying, but extra-virgin olive oil can be used too. I like to strain and reserve the used oil for future use, storing it in an airtight glass jar. I share how I do this in my video
Note 4 – Make sure the can of pineapple you select doesn’t have any added sugar, with juice only (no syrup), or the end result will be too sweet. Opt for pineapple “chunks”, not “pieces” if possible, as chunks are more substantial and work well with the other ingredients, giving you nice big bursts of pineapple flavour.
Note 5 – For extra crispy pork you can fry it a second time. I usually only fry once, as the sweet and sour sauce tends to soften the coating anyway.
Note 6 – The pork will be crispy, but not as bubbly as it would be with deep- or shallow-frying. Once you add the sauce, the coating will soften slightly – this is normal and expected, even with the pan-fried version. For best results, serve immediately after tossing through the sauce.
Make Ahead
Marinate the pork ahead of time – You can marinate the pork up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge. Prep the veggies – Dice the onions and capsicums (bell peppers) and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking. Sweet and sour sauce – You can mix the sauce ingredients together and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just give it a good stir before adding it to the stir-fry.Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The coating on the pork will soften, but is equally delicious. Reheat in a pan over medium heat until warmed through. Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce if needed. You can also reheat in the microwave. Not suitable to freeze.Nutrition Facts
Easy Sweet and Sour Pork
Amount per Serving
Calories
448
% Daily Value*
Fat
9
g
14
%
Saturated Fat
2
g
13
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
5
g
Cholesterol
124
mg
41
%
Sodium
1296
mg
56
%
Potassium
1144
mg
33
%
Carbohydrates
48
g
16
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
33
g
37
%
Protein
40
g
80
%
Calcium
83
mg
8
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Scan for full recipe:
