Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (咕噜肉)

Sweet and sour pork doesn't need an introduction. It's an internationally famous dish, and most cultures have a different spin on it, which I think is absolutely fantastic! Koreans have Tangsuyuk, the Japanese have Subuta, and the Caribbeans also have their version as well - and I'm sure there are plenty more versions out there!  The more the merrier, I say. 

Sweet and sour pork is probably one of the most popular Chinese dishes outside of China. In Cantonese, dish is called gú lóuh yuhk or ‘ancient pork’, and is typically made with pork, but there is also a variation that uses chicken as well.

At it's core, this Chinese takeout dish is marinated pieces of pork, that is battered and deep fried and then tossed in a sweet and sticky sweet and sour sauce with chunks of onion, bell peppers and pineapple.

Among some of the most widely used ingredients in this dish nowadays is ketchup. My sweet and sour pork recipe doesn’t call for any though. Instead, I like to use tomato paste because I find that tomato paste has a lot more flavor than ketchup and it has a lot more umami than ketchup does as well. The bonus to tomato paste is it gives a natural bright sharp red color to the dish as well.

To increase the flavor for my sweet and sour sauce, I like toasting the tomato paste in a bit of oil in the pan which intensifies the flavor and makes the sauce even more delicious. Once the tomato paste has been toasted, you can add the rest of the ingredients (sugar, soy sauce, water, white vinegar) into the pan to simmer and meld for a few minutes. 

The sugar in the recipe perfectly balances it out to give you that sweet and sour flavor, but the American version of sweet and sour pork tends to be even sweeter. When you do a taste test, if you, if you like it sweeter, you can add 1-2 additional tablespoons of sugar to the sauce.

Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this sweet and sour pork recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.

For the Pork Marinade:

• Pork: For this sweet and sour pork recipe, I like to use pork shoulders (or pork butt) because of the marbling of fat within the meat. The fat marbling makes the bite-sized pieces tender, moist and flavorful. If you are looking for a healthier or leaner alternative, you can use pork tenderloin but it might turn out slightly less tender and less moist since it is a leaner cut of meat. Alternatively, you can also use chicken for this as well.
• Ginger/Garlic/Onion - To give the batter extra flavor, I grate onion, ginger, and garlic into the marinade and mix it right in with the potato starch. You definitely should not omit or substitute these ingredients out.
• Soy Sauce: Used in the pork marinade and the sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce adds a savory, umami flavor that compliments the sweetness of the pineapple and the acidity of the vinegar. I like to use low sodium soy sauce for this.

For the Batter:

• Potato Starch: To make the crispy batter, I use potato starch. I found it made it a lot crispier than using corn starch. If you can't find potato starch, you definitely can substitute it with corn starch and it will still make a deliciously crispy batter.

For the Fruits and Veggies:

• Pineapple: The tangy sweetness of pineapple adds a delicious contrast to the savory pork, making it a key player in this dish. I personally find that fresh pineapple chunks tastes amazing in this dish, mostly because it has a lot more flavor and is a lot juicier than canned pineapple but cutting a fresh pineapple is time-consuming, so in a pinch, I will use canned pineapple. So this is completely your preference whether you want to use fresh pineapple or canned pineapples! If you have the time, try using fresh pineapple, but if you're pressed for time then go for the canned stuff, just make sure you drain out the liquid well before using it.
• Bell Peppers: Bell peppers add a pop of color and a bit of a crunch to the dish. You can choose any color you prefer. Red bell pepper and green bell pepper work best, but yellow or orange would work too!
• White Onion: Onion -  For this sweet and sour pork recipe, I like to use white onions in it, but any kind of onion will work.

For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:

• Tomato Paste: Instead of ketchup, I use tomato paste which adds a rich, umami, deep flavor to the sauce. It's also what gives the sauce its red color.
• Oil: This is used to saute the tomato paste, which intensifies the flavors.
• White Vinegar: Adds the sour component to the sauce. It's what gives the dish its tangy kick.
• Sugar: This ingredient balances out the sourness from the vinegar. It gives the sauce its sweet taste.
• Soy Sauce: Adds a savory, umami flavor to the sauce and makes the sauce more balanced and well rounded.
• Corn Starch With Cold Water: This is the thickening agent in the slurry. It's important to use cold water to dissolve the corn starch or it will clump.

Making this incredible sweet and sour pork recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:

Preparing the Ingredients

Chop the Vegetables and Pineapple: Cut the onions and peppers into one-inch chunks. If you're using fresh pineapple, core, peel, and cut it into one-inch chunks. If you're using canned pineapple, drain it and cut the rings into one-inch chunks. Place them in a bowl and set aside.

Marinating the Pork

Prepare the Pork: Cut the pork shoulder into one-inch chunks and put it in a bowl. 

Make the Marinade: Grate the ginger, garlic, and onion and add them to the bowl with the pork. You may also chop these ingredients and blend them with soy sauce in a food processor to create a smooth paste. 

Marinate the Pork: Add this paste to the bowl with the pork, mix everything well, and let it marinate for an hour.

First Coating: After marinating, separate the pork pieces and sprinkle half of the potato starch over the meat and gently toss until each piece is coated. Let it rest for five minutes until the starch has absorbed the marinade and moisture, creating a gummy, moist batter.

Second Coating: Add the remaining starch into a small bowl, and dunk each piece of pork one at a time into the starch until it is coated again.

Deep Fry the Pork

Deep fry the pork: Heat oil in a deep fryer or a pan and carefully add the meat, make sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook the meat for approximately five minutes until it is crispy and browned. For extra crispy pork, you can double fry the meat. Once fried, set the crispy pork aside to drain.

Create the Sweet and Sour Sauce: In a clean frying pan, heat some oil and add tomato paste. Toast the paste until the oil turns dark reddish-orange color. Add in white vinegar, water, sugar, and soy sauce, and let it cook for five minutes.

Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cold water. Slowly pour this mixture into the sauce while stirring until the sauce has thickened. Once the sauce has thickened, add in the peppers, pineapples, and onions and cook for a minute or two.

Combine the Pork and Sauce: Add the crispy pork to the sauce and quickly toss to coat each piece. Avoid cooking the crispy pork in the sauce for too long as this can make the batter soggy. Once all the pork pieces are coated, turn off the heat.

Serve: Plate the pork and serve with rice. Enjoy your homemade sweet and sour pork!

This delicious sweet and sour pork recipe is so flavorful and easy to make, you'll want to try out some of these delicious variations! Here are some great ideas:

Add Some Heat: If you like your dishes with a bit of spice, add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes to the batter or the sweet and sour sauce. It will give your dish a nice kick that contrasts beautifully with the sweet and tangy sauce.

Swap the Meat: If you're not a fan of pork, no worries! You can easily substitute it with chicken or even tofu for a vegetarian option. Just follow the same recipe, replacing the pork with your chosen protein.

Bump Up the Veggies: Looking to incorporate more vegetables into your meals? You can add other veggies to this dish like snap peas, broccoli, or carrots. The added vegetables will not only provide extra nutrients but also add a nice crunch and color to your meal.

To store leftover sweet and sour pork, once it has cooled, keep it in an airtight container for up to three days. 

When it is time to reheat your sweet and sour pork, you can do it either in the oven or in the microwave. For the oven method, re-heat it at 350f for about 15 minutes or until it is heated through.

If you're using a microwave, place the leftovers in a microwave-safe dish, cover it loosely, and heat for a minute or two, stirring halfway through to guarantee even heating.

Unfortunately, freezing is not recommended for this dish. The crispy coating on the pork tends to become soggy once thawed and reheated.

If you made this sweet and sour pork recipe, I want to see! Follow Pups with Chopsticks on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @pupswithchopsticks and #pupswithchopsticks. I love to know what you are making!

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