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Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and sour pork with crispy golden pork pieces coated in a vibrant red-orange sweet and sour sauce with bell peppers and pineapple. Deep-fried, then tossed in a thickened homemade sauce for that classic Chinese-American takeout-style texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
marinating 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 620
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.
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch For the marinade.
Coating
  • 0.5 cup cornstarch
  • 0.5 cup flour
  • 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
  • 1 tbsp oil for deep frying For stir-frying the peppers and pineapple (use a small amount).

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Marinate and coat the pork
  1. Marinate the pork cubes in egg, soy sauce, and cornstarch for 15 minutes.
  2. Mix cornstarch and flour in a bowl, then coat the marinated pork pieces thoroughly.
Deep-fry until crispy
  1. Deep-fry the coated pork at 350°F in batches for 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through.
  2. Drain the fried pork on paper towels until the surface looks crisp and dry.
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 chunks in 1 tablespoon oil over high heat for 2 minutes, until bright and slightly tender.
  3. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce, bring it to a boil until thickened, then add the crispy pork and toss to coat until glossy.
  4. Serve the sweet and sour pork over rice while the coating looks vibrant and the pork stays crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the sauce just thick enough before tossing—if it gets too thick, add a splash of pineapple juice and reheat briefly. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently (microwave 60–90 seconds) so the sauce warms without drying the pork. Freezing is not recommended for the best crisp texture. Dietary swap: use tamari instead of soy sauce for gluten-free sweet and sour pork.