Of all the Westernized Chinese dishes to take over the world, perhaps none is as iconic as sweet and sour pork.

Consisting of crispy, deep-fried pork and juicy vegetables tossed with an addictive sweet yet tangy sauce, this legendary classic is (just like Beef and Broccoli) a staple of most Chinese takeout menus.

… and believe it or not, you can actually make it yourself at home! Daunting as it might seem, Sweet and Sour Pork is actually made from ingredients that most homes have in their pantry.

Curious? Keep scrolling for our foolproof sweet and sour pork recipe recipe. It’s sure to sweet you off your feet… that’s sour promise.

Tips for Nailing This Sweet and Sour Pork

Before we move onto the full recipe, here are some tips for making sure your sweet and sour pork comes out perfectly.

Choose your pork wisely

What kind of pork should you use in this recipe? According to Papa G, most restaurants use Pork Butt/Shoulder due to its affordability. While the meat itself isn’t as tender, many restaurants salvage cheaper cuts of pork by “velveting” it in advance with a marinade of tenderizing ingredients like baking soda.

In this recipe, Papa G uses Tenderloin, which is pricier but more tender, and therefore not in need of additional tenderizing beforehand. If you are using a cheaper cut of pork, then consider adding some baking soda to your marinade for a more tender result.

NOTE: Papa G says you can also try Pork Belly in a pinch, if you like eating fatty pork!

Use a mix of flour and cornstarch in the batter

Papa G swears by adding cornstarch to the batter because he says it yields a crispier result.

Double fry your pork

You’ll notice in this recipe that the pork cubes are deep fried twice before they’re added to the sauce.

This second fry is crucial for ensuring the pork stays crispy when mixed with the sauce, and should ideally be done right before the final step of tossing everything in (i.e. veggies, pineapple, etc.) into the saucepan.

Add some food colouring to make the resulting sweet and sour pork more red

Last but not least, you might notice that Papa G’s Sweet and Sour Pork isn’t as radioactive red as some takeout places.

This is because many restaurants use food coloring to enhance the dish’s redness. If you feel like your dish is missing that iconic red hue, then feel free to add a drop or two of red food coloring, but take care to not use too much!

Ingredients for Our Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe

For the pork (and its marinade):

• 500g Pork Tenderloin (or butt/shoulder)
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/4 tsp sugar 
• 1/4 tsp chicken powder 
• 1 pinch white pepper 
• 1/2 tsp cooking wine 

For the batter:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch 
• 1 egg 
• 2 tbsp water 

For the stir fry:

• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1 8oz (227g) can of pineapple chunks

For the sauce:

• 1.5 cup water 
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 3/4 cup vinegar 
• 3 tbsp ketchup 
• OPTIONAL: 1 drop red food colouring 
• Cornstarch slurry made from 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water 

Step by Step Instructions for Our Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe

This tasty, flavour-packed dish may require a bit of work, but the results are well worth it. Here are the step by step instructions!

To prep your pork, chop it into 3/4” cubes. This might seem small, but the pieces will look a lot bigger once you coat them in batter.

Place your pork cubes into a large bowl with your 1/2 tsp cooking wine, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp chicken powder, and 1 pinch white pepper. Leave it to marinate for 2-3 hours.

To prep your vegetables, chop your onions and peppers into 1” pieces.

After you have left your pork to marinate, add your egg, flour and cornstarch. Mix everything well.

Meanwhile, heat oil until 325 degrees F (or until when a wooden chopstick bubbles once you put it in). 

Place your meat carefully inside the oil, being careful to space it out so it doesn’t all stick together. 

Let it fry for three minutes, then remove and set aside.

Heat up a pan or wok to medium heat, then add in your onions and bell peppers and stir fry for about a minute, until fragrant. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, we will now prep the sauce. Add your water, sugar, vinegar and ketchup all together in a pan. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then add your cornstarch slurry and stir until the sauce has thickened.

When you’re ready to assemble the dish, it’s time to fry your pork again. Heat your oil to 325 degrees F, and fry until golden brown.

Add your twice-fried pork pieces, your vegetables, and your pineapple chunks into the sauce and mix quickly. 

Serve immediately with some rice, and enjoy!

We Hope You Enjoy Our Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe!

Let us know in the comments if you have any questions, or be sure to let us know if you’ve tested the recipe out. We’re always looking to improve our recipes and make sure they taste great for everyone.