Dessertscarlsbadcravings5.0
Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork
This is the juiciest, crispiest, most flavorful Sweet and Sour Pork with the BEST sauce! Thanks to key techniques like velveting, double dredging, and a double fry (air fryer instructions included), every bite tastes better than takeout! See the post for step-by-step photos, expert tips, and serving suggestions.
👥 6 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 1h 10m⏳ Prep: 30 min🔥 Cook: 20 min👤 Jen📖 carlsbadcravings
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- bowl
- whisk
- pan
- strainer
- skillet
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Marinate pork: Whisk the“Marinade” ingredients together in a large bowl or freezer bag. Stir in the pork and let it marinate at room temperature for at least ⏱️ 20 minutes (ideally 60). It can also be covered and marinated overnight. Prep the breading, sauce, and stir fry ingredients during this time.
2
Breading: Whisk the cornstarch, flour, and baking soda together in a shallow dish or bowl; set aside.
cornstarch1 tablespooncup cornstarch3/4+ 1 tsp cornstarch1 TBSPbaking soda1 teaspoonteaspoon baking soda1/2
3
Whisk sauce: Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.
4
First dredge: When ready to cook, stir the egg white into the marinating pork, then add 1/2 cup of the breading and stir to combine. Let it rest for ⏱️ 5 minutes (it will look gummy). Meanwhile, heat the oil:
egg white1
5
Heat oil: Heat about 1 inch of vegetable or canola oil in a deep enameled cast-iron pan (this is what I use) over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. (This thermometer is AWESOME to monitor oil.) Line a cooling rack with paper towels.
6
Second dredge: Working in batches, transfer the pork to the breading mixture in the dish. Using a clean hand, scoop and press the coating firmly onto the pork, turning as needed until each piece is thoroughly coated. Gently shake off any excess breading, then transfer it to a plate.
7
Fry #1: Working in batches, fry the pork for ⏱️ 3 minutes, then transfer it to the paper-towel-lined rack using a spider strainer or metal slotted spoon and spread apart. Repeat until all the pork is fried, keeping the temperature around 350-360°F.
8
Fry #2: This second fry makes the pork extra crispy, but it is not essential. Fry again in batches for ⏱️ 30 seconds to ⏱️ 1 minute, until deeply golden brown, then transfer to a paper towel-lined rack.
9
Stir fry: Heat a heavy-bottom pan or wok over medium-high heat until smoking, then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and pineapple, and stir-fry for ⏱️ 2 minutes. Add bell peppers, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry for ⏱️ 1 minute.
pineapple juice3 tablespoonschopped pineapple (or 1 15 oz. can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained (juice reserved for sauce))2 cups
10
Thicken the sauce: Stir the sauce to recombine, then add it to the skillet. Simmer until thickened.
11
Combine: Add the pork and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
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