Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients

• 330 g (2 cups)fresh pineapple, cubed
• ½red pepper, cut into 2.5 cm (1-inch) pieces
• ½green pepper, cut into 2.5 cm (1-inch) pieces
• ½ mediumyellow onion, cut into 2.5 cm (1-inch) pieces
• 1spring onion, sliced diagonally
• 64 g (½ cup)cornflour, for coating the pork
• as neededvegetable oil, for cooking and deep-frying
• 680 g (1½ pounds)pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed
• ½ teaspoonkosher salt
• ¼ teaspoonwhite pepper powder or ground black pepper
• 1egg white
• 1 tablespooncornflour
• 120 ml (½ cup)ketchup
• 1 tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
• 60 ml (¼ cup), or to tastewhite vinegar
• 6 tablespoonsgranulated sugar
• 60 ml (¼ cup)water
• a pinch, or to tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the pork

   Trim excess fat from the pork and cut it into 2.5 cm (1-inch) cubes. Mix with the ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, egg white and 1 tablespoon cornflour until coated. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Mix the sauce

   Whisk the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, white vinegar, sugar, water and a pinch of salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

3. 3

   Prepare the vegetables

   Cut the onion, red and green peppers, and pineapple as specified, and slice the spring onion diagonally. Have everything ready before you start stir-frying.

4. 4

   Heat the oil

   Pour enough vegetable oil for deep-frying into a wok or Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat to about 175–182°C (350–360°F).

5. 5

   Fry the pork

   Coat the pork pieces in the remaining cornflour, shaking off any excess. Fry in batches for 6–8 minutes, until slightly golden and cooked through, then remove from the oil. Bring the oil back to 175°C (350°F) and fry the pork a second time for about 1 minute, until fully golden. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.

6. 6

   Cook the vegetables

   In a separate large wok or frying pan, heat a few drizzles of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook the peppers and onion for about 2 minutes, then add the pineapple and cook for another 2 minutes.

7. 7

   Toss and serve

   Add the crispy pork to the pan. Quickly stir the sauce again, pour it over the pork and vegetables, and toss for 1–2 minutes, until everything is coated and the sauce thickens. Garnish with the sliced spring onion.

8. 8

   Adjust the sauce

   The ketchup should thicken the sauce without extra cornflour. If you want it thicker, dissolve ½ tablespoon cornflour in 1 tablespoon water, stir a little at a time into the sauce, and cook for another 2 minutes.

What is sweet and sour pork?

Sweet and sour pork is a Chinese-American restaurant favourite: pieces of pork are fried until crisp, then coated in a tangy, sweet sauce. The combination of vinegar, sugar and fruit gives the sauce its familiar balance.

This version brings together fresh pineapple, peppers and onion with a ketchup-based sauce. Frying the pork twice helps it stay crisp for longer, while cooking the vegetables briefly keeps their texture lively.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 638 calories, 34g protein, 43g carbs, 37g fat.

The pork supplies most of the protein, while the sugar, pineapple and rice typically served alongside contribute carbohydrates. Pork and frying oil account for much of the fat. Serve with rice and an extra portion of vegetables if you want a more balanced plate.

Get ready before frying

Cut the pork and vegetables before heating the oil, and whisk the sauce while the pork marinates. The final toss takes only a few minutes, so having everything close to the hob helps prevent the vegetables from overcooking.

Keep the spring onion separate for the garnish. It adds a fresh, savoury finish after the sauce has coated the other ingredients.

The pork coating

Marinade: The egg white and tablespoon of cornflour cling to the pork and help the outer coating adhere. Give every piece an even coating, rather than letting it sit in a pool of marinade.

Dredging: Shake off excess cornflour before frying so the coating stays light rather than forming thick, floury patches. Fry in batches to keep the oil hot and give each piece room.

Frying for crispness

First fry: Cook the pork for 6–8 minutes, until slightly golden and cooked through. The exact time can vary with the size of the pieces, so check that the largest pieces are done.

Second fry: Return the pork to oil at about 175°C for around 1 minute, until deeply golden. This short second fry adds crispness; drain the pieces briefly before tossing them with the sauce.

Keep the vegetables tender-crisp

Peppers and onion: Give these a brief 2-minute cook before adding the pineapple. They should soften slightly but retain some bite.

Pineapple: Add it for the final 2 minutes of vegetable cooking. Fresh pineapple brings juicy, tart sweetness, and a short cook helps it hold its shape.

A glossy, balanced sauce

Whisk the sauce before using it, as sugar can settle at the bottom of the bowl. Ketchup gives it body, while vinegar cuts through the sweetness; taste the vinegar level to suit your preference.

Once added to the pan, toss for just 1–2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and clings to the pork. Leaving everything together for too long can soften the crisp coating.

What to serve alongside

Serve the pork straight from the pan with steamed rice, which works well with the sweet-and-sour sauce. Plain noodles are another easy accompaniment.

For a fuller meal, add a simple vegetable side such as steamed greens. Keep the side lightly seasoned so it does not compete with the sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the pork into similarly sized cubes so the pieces cook at a similar rate.
• Use a thermometer to bring the frying oil back to temperature between batches.
• Fry the pork in small batches rather than crowding the pan.
• Shake excess cornflour from the pork before it goes into the oil.
• Stir the sauce again just before adding it to the hot pan.
• Toss the pork with the sauce at the last moment to preserve its crisp coating.

Variations

• Use black pepper: Swap it for white pepper if that is what you have to hand.
• Adjust the tang: Add the vinegar to taste for a sharper or milder sauce.
• Try tinned pineapple: Drain it well before adding so it does not make the pan watery.
• Add chilli: Stir sliced chilli into the vegetables for a spicy version.
• Serve with noodles: Use cooked noodles in place of rice as the accompaniment.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the fryer: The oil temperature can drop; fry the pork in batches.
• Skipping the second fry: The coating may be less crisp; return the pork to hot oil for about 1 minute.
• Leaving excess coating: Thick clumps can turn floury; shake off the loose cornflour.
• Overcooking the vegetables: They can lose their bite; follow the short cooking times.
• Tossing too early: The pork softens as it sits in sauce; combine everything just before serving.
• Adding all the extra thickener at once: The sauce can become too thick; stir in the slurry gradually.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a frying pan until piping hot; the pork will be less crisp after storage, and the microwave can soften it further.

Frequently asked questions