The best ever Sweet and Sour Pork recipe is loaded with tricks the Chinese have been using for centuries: double dredge and double fry for extra crispy, cornflour instead of flour, economical pork used for juiciness, but tenderised with baking soda so you’d swear they’re pricey chops, and a sauce that’s not sickeningly sweet.
BONUS: oven baked Sweet and Sour Pork directions included!
Sweet and Sour Pork
There’s a lot of information in this Sweet & Sour Pork recipe, so I’m going to skip all the usual attempts at a charming story and just give you the high points!
Crispiest pork you’ll ever make – too many recipes make grand promises but fall short;
Double fry high temp – fast becoming the worst kept Asian secret, double frying is THE secret to crispy, less oily food;
Cornflour / cornstarch, not flour – for a crispier coating. Flour isn’t even crispy fresh out of the oil;
Double dredge – the first layer seals the juices inside, acts as a glue for the 2nd dredge and is a second layer of crispiness;
Tenderise cheap but flavourful pork using baking soda – a trick used by Chinese restaurants all around the world. It’s called velveting – here’s how to velvet chicken and beef; and
Really great sauce – newsflash: Sweet & Sour Sauce is made with more than just sugar, ketchup and vinegar!
Wait a sec – did I just convince you that you’ve gotta try this?! 😂
How to make Sweet and Sour Pork – OVERVIEW
Marinate pork to infuse with flavour and tenderise the meat (we’re using economical shoulder and scotch pork);
Double dredge in cornflour/cornstarch, not flour, for extra crispy;
Double fry for extra crispy – a trick Asians have been using for centuries; and
10 second toss to coat pork in Sweet and Sour Sauce!
Pork Marinade Ingredients
Here’s what you need for the pork and marinade:
Pork – the best cut (in order of preference): pork scotch (aka pork neck, pork collar), pork shoulder, leg, tenderloin then loin. See below for more information on each cut;
Baking soda (aka bi-carb) and cornflour/cornstarch – meat tenderising method widely used across Asia (notably in Chinese cooking) that is starting to be discovered by Western countries! Called velveting, it also works brilliantly with chicken and beef.
For thin strips used in stir fries (as per the velveting chicken and beef directions), I use more baking soda to meat weight, marinate barely (20 – 40 min), then rinse it off before cooking. This won’t work for Sweet & Sour Pork because it would over tenderise the outside before the inside is tenderised because the pieces are chunkier. In this recipe, we use less baking soda, marinate for longer and do not rinse off – this tenderises the pork more evenly;
Garlic, ginger and onion – flavour, flavour, flavour! Grated to make them “juicy” so the flavour penetrates better; and
Soy sauce – for seasoning and flavour.
The more economical the pork cut, the longer the marinade time to tenderise.
Best pork for Sweet and Sour Pork
In order of preference:
Pork scotch roast or steaks – also known as pork neck, and called pork collar or pork collar butt in the US, this is a common pork cut in Australia sold in both roast form and steaks (pork scotch steaks or scotch fillet steaks). Highly versatile cut that can be slow cooked (such as this slow roasted brown sugar pork and Char Siu) or quick cooked like steak (use it for any of my pork chop recipes). Pork scotch is ribboned with fat which keeps each piece juicy and has a good pork flavour. This is the cut that we believe higher end Chinese restaurants use;
Pork shoulder – while typically known as a slow cooking cut to break down tough connective tissue (like for pulled pork and Momofuku Pork Bossam), the baking soda and cornflour in the marinade tenderises the pork so it’s tender even after a quick fry. Without the marinade, the pork is tough and chewy! Not quite as tender as scotch, but almost – it’s on par with the really good local Chinese restaurants;
Pork leg – with similar cooking qualities to pork shoulder, this is an excellent option for Sweet & Sour pork as well. The only reason I don’t use it for things like stir fries is because I get it on the bone and cook it whole;
Pork tenderloin – this is a very tender, lean cut of pork with a milder flavour. It can be used but be aware it is more prone to drying out from overcooking in pursuit of crispy pork. Marinating helps alleviate this problem but still a bit harder to get cook timing exactly right;
Pork loin – bringing up the rear because it is lean like tenderloin, but it is not quite as tender and is even harder/drier than tenderloin if you overcook.
Any generic “pork steaks” would fall under #4 or #5 assuming it’s intended for quick cooking.
Pork cuts not recommended: Pork belly (too fatty), spare ribs (unless deboned), pickled pork (just – no).
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Here’s what goes in Sweet and Sour Sauce. It gets the red colour from ketchup – food colouring not required!!
Ketchup – provides sweetness, flavour and some thickening;
Cider vinegar – to balance out the sweet
Sugar – just 1/3 of a cup, far less than most recipes and definitely less than restaurants. This is sweet enough, trust me!
Worcestershire sauce, oyster and soy sauce – so it actually tastes like what you get at restaurants rather than just a ketchup sugar sauce! Oyster sauce can be substituted with vegetarian oyster sauce which nowadays is widely available in Australian grocery stores like Coles and Woolworths (Asian section and/or health food section, Ayam brand);
Pineapple juice – from the can of pineapple pieces used in the stir fry, because why waste it? Using fresh pineapple? Just skip this and add extra water; and
Cornflour/cornstarch – for thickening. Sweet and sour sauce is thicker than most stir fries so it clings to the pork pieces!
You’ll notice that my sauce is not quite the crazy red you get at restaurants. That’s because I choose not to use food colouring!
Ingredients in the Stir Fry
And here’s what goes in the Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry. I know some people are big advocates of fresh pineapple. I never use fresh – because they’re in season in summer and I (typically) don’t deep fry in summer!
Newsflash: Even restaurant Sweet & Sour Pork doesn’t stay crispy!
I know we all aspire to it, but the fact is that the pork in Sweet and Sour Pork doesn’t stay crispy for long once coated in sauce – even at restaurants. The pork IS crispy without sauce, but once coated, it stays pretty crispy for around maybe 5 minutes, then after that you’re left with the coating the sauce clings to but it’s not as crispy anymore.
This is the case even with restaurants, unless they use a different type of batter (like the puffy batter for Honey Chicken which truly stays crispy for hours) or they use speciality ingredients like Xanthum gum.
Want to avoid deep frying? The BEST oven baked sweet & sour pork is in the recipe too!
Double frying and double cornflour coating = crispiest pork
So now that’s out of the way, the steps below show how to make the crispiest pork for Sweet & Sour Pork:
Marinate to tenderise the pork. Overnight for tougher cuts (like scotch/collar and shoulder) and 3 hours for more tender pork (like tenderloin and loin). Unlike with chicken and beef, there is no need to rinse the baking soda off because we’re using less and marinating for longer;
Coat in cornflour/cornstarch – this is dredge #1, for extra crispy pork. Coat it, then leave for 5 minutes and the cornflour will become wet from the juices from the pork. It will be super sticky at this stage – which is why no egg is required for the coating to adhere;
Dip into cornflour – this is the coating for Sweet & Sour Pork. Be sure to shake off excess otherwise you’ll end up with white specks on your pork;
Fry #1 – Fry at 180°C/350°F for 3 minutes to cook the pork through and make it golden. It won’t be that crispy at this stage – this step is mainly to cook the pork through;
Drain on RACK – elevating the pork on a rack will help keep the pork crispy. It sweats on paper towels, making it softer;
Fry #2 Hotter Temp – A trick used by Asians for centuries (eg in Japanese Karaage!), this will make your pork stay crispy for longer once it’s tossed in the sauce. Just fry for 1 1/2 minutes until it is deep golden brown. Without double frying, the pork starts losing crispiness within 2 minutes once it hits the sauce. WITH double fry, the surface starts to soften after around 5 minutes but the rate at which it completely softens is far slower than with single fry.
Fast becoming the worst kept Asian secret – double fry is THE secret to ultra crispy less greasy fried food!
Here’s a comparison of how the pork looks after Fry #1 and Fry #2. Added bonus: the higher temp makes the pork less oily too.
Single Fry Option
However, all that said and done, a single fry (for slightly longer) is excellent too if you need an express version. I was doing single fry for most of my life until I discovered the double fry – and nobody ever complained!
The oil used in this recipe can be used another two times because the pork coating is neutral in flavour.
How to re-use oil
The oil can be reused twice because the pork flavour is pretty neutral in this recipe so it doesn’t infuse oil with flavour, as opposed to heavily seasoned food like Southern Fried Chicken which taints the oil with flavour.
To re-use the oil, cool in pot, line mesh colander with a single layer of paper towel, strain oil. Store until required – personally would stick to savoury rather than sweet.
Use for any savoury deep fried recipes – such as General Tso’s Chicken, Stay-Crispy Honey Chicken, Chicken Parmigiana, Arancini Balls, Japanese Karaage, Mongolian Beef, Schnitzel or Southern Fried Chicken!
How to make Sweet and Sour Pork
We’re on the home stretch! Here’s how it comes together:
KEY TIP: Toss the pork QUICKLY in the sauce – aim for 10 seconds – to prolong its crispy life!
Serve with plain rice or Fried Rice if you want to go all out. And if you’re making the effort to make Sweet and Sour Pork at home, why wouldn’t you?? (Tip: Fried rice reheats 100% perfectly, so make it first then just reheat it).
For extra vegetables, add a side of Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (a restaurant favourite!), or for fresh options, try Smashed Cucumbers, this Asian Salad or Asian Slaw, or Chinese Lettuce with Creamy Sesame Sauce.
And lastly, because I know someone’s going to ask, and for all those times you’re desperate for a Sweet & Sour Pork fix but can’t face the oil….oven directions are included.
Is it as good as deep fried? Of course not – and anyone who tells you otherwise is outright lying. I’ve tried it every which way I can, and I can’t replicate it exactly.
But you can get 85% 80% of the way there, and once it’s all mixed up with the sauce you won’t really notice anyway. But your hips will thank you for it! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Note: video typo! Marinating time shows 2 hours, but it should be 24 hours. 🙂
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Sweet and Sour Pork
Ingredients
Tenderised Marinated Pork:
- 400g/14oz pork scotch roast (aka pork neck, collar butt) or shoulder / butt, cut into 2cm / 4/5" cubes (Note 1)
- 1/2 onion , finely grated (Note 2a)
- 1 tsp garlic , finely grated (Note 2a)
- 1 tsp ginger , finely grated (Note 2a)
- 3/8 tsp baking soda (bi-carb) (Note 2b)
- 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce , or all purpose (Note 3)
For frying:
- 5 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch – for mixing in
- 1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch – for Coating
- 2 – 3 cups vegetable or canola oil
Sweet & Sour Sauce:
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or 1/4 cup normal white vinegar)
- 3 tbsp pineapple juice (from a 227g/8oz can pineapple pieces in juice, preferably no added sugar, Note 4)
- 3 tbsp ketchup (or Aussie tomato sauce)
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce , light
- 1 tsp Oyster Sauce (Note 5)
- 4 tsp cornflour/corn starch
- 1/2 cup water
Stir Frying:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 garlic clove , finely chopped
- 2 tsp ginger , finely chopped
- 1 onion (medium), cut into 2.5cm/ 1″ cubes (brown, white, yellow)
- 1/2 red capsicum/bell pepper (large), cut into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes
- 1/2 green capsicum/bell pepper (large), cut into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes
- 1 cup pineapple pieces (from the can of pineapple under Sauce)
Instructions
Marinade Pork:
- Mix Pork with Marinade. Marinade 18 to 24 hours. (See Note 1 for marinating time for other cuts)
Preparation:
- Rack & warm oven: Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F and place rack on tray – to keep pork warm.
- Sauce: Place all Sauce ingredients EXCEPT water in a large jug or small bowl. Mix until combined, then mix in water.
- Be Stir Fry Ready: Have all ingredients lined up, ready to toss in. After Fry #2, things move quickly.
Double dredge:
- Coating #1: Mix 5 tablespoons cornflour into the pork and leave for 5 minutes. At first, it will be white from the cornflour, but after a while it will sweat and make the cornflour (mostly / partially) wet, and will be sticky (this is key for coating to stick).
- Coating #2: Spread 1/2 cup cornflour in a shallow bowl. Coat pork, shaking off excess, and pile onto a plate.
- Reserve cornflour in case you need to dust again just prior to frying. Pork should be at least half white when you put it into the oil (if not, just sprinkle with reserved cornflour).
Fried Crispy Pork (Note 6 for oven):
- Heat oil: Pour enough oil into a large saucepan or small pot so it's 2.5cm / 1" deep. Heat to 180°C/350°F (or until pork immediately starts sizzling when you dip it in).
- Fry #1: Cook pork in batches, being sure not to crowd the pot, for 3 minutes until golden. Drain on rack. This step is just to cook the pork. It takes me 4 batches.
- Fry #2: Turn the stove up slightly and heat oil to 200°C/390°F. Starting with the coolest pork, add half the pork (you can crowd the pot) and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, or until pork is deep golden brown and crispy. Transfer to rack, repeat with remaining pork – I do 2 batches.
- Keep warm in oven.
Sauce & Stir Fry:
- Heat oil in a very large skillet over high heat.
- Add garlic, ginger and onion, stir for 1 1/2 minutes. Add capsicum and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add Sauce & pinapple, then let it come to a rapid simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes until it thickens – when you drag the spoon across the base, a path should briefly appear (see video at 1 min 53 s).
- 10 second toss: Add pork, then QUICKLY toss to coat – aim for 10 seconds!
- Serve asap! Pour onto serving plate, serve immediately! Will stay crispy for around 5 minutes then starts softening but still has a solid coating. This is just the reality of Sweet and Sour Pork, even at restaurants!
Recipe Notes:
- Loin, steaks, tenderloin (aka fillet) – 3 hours to overnight
- Anything labelled “cutlets” or “steak” – – 3 hours to overnight
- Pork leg – per recipe, 24 hrs
- Do not use – belly, bone in ribs, or pickled pork
- BIGGER pieces – cut the pork into 2.5cm / 1″ cubes, marinate and coat per recipe;
- Place rack on tray, spray rack with oil;
- Pour in enough oil to cover base of large skillet, heat to medium high;
- Add pork, then turn to make each side golden (this is the tedious part) – about 2 minutes in total, no longer; then
- Place on rack, spray with oil, bake 13 – 15 minutes at 220°C/430°F until deep golden. Use per recipe.
Life of Dozer
He takes his job as Chief Taste Tester of RecipeTin Eats very seriously. That look of concentration on his face would put any exam-sitting student to shame!
(PS Those chopsticks are Dozers’ – sometimes I just don’t feel like getting slobber on my fingers🤷🏻♀️)
I found this to be quite strong on vinegar, I’d definitely make again but halve the vinegar content (I use apple cider)
Hi Monique, it should definitely not be overpowering – did you make any adjustments to any other ingredients by any chance? N x
Hi I made this using an air fryer for the pork, although it didn’t get the crispy appearance the flavours were absolutely amazing I’m going g to try this with chicken for my grandchildren who aren’t keen on pork. I’d recommend the sweet and sour stir fry 100% brilliant and thank you 🙏
Made it tonight, it was the real deal, great taste, really complex. But I have to admit it was a bit laborious and a bit of a clean up. Will save the recipe for special occasions. Thanks Nagi you always make me look like a star. 🙂
Hi Goanna, yes it is a bit of work – but so worth it in my opinion! N x
Your sweet and sour pork recipe is an absolute winner – the whole family loved it😋
Looks absolutely delicious! I’ve already tried your baked sweet and sour chicken, so definitely have to try this one to! One question, can I fry the pork once, freeze it and fry it again before use? Or maybe bake them, freeze them and then fry them once? 😀
Hi Ashild, I’m afraid it won’t have the same effect unfortunately! N x
I made the oven version of this yesterday ….it was a absolutely beautiful. I used a piece of pork scotch roast and served it with fried rice…yummy!
I’m so glad you loved it Lorraine!! N x
Is it okay to use chilli sauce instead of tomato sauce
Hi Sam, it will change the flavour – but yes you could if you like. N x
I used pork shoulder and this turned out to be spectacular! The pork was so crispy and tender and the sauce was perfectly balanced. Absolutely will be making this again.
That’s great to hear Kaite!! N x
Yay! S&S Pork is a massive favorite of mine. I can’t wait to make this recipe. But….is there any substitute for the capsicums. Sound lame I know but they repeat on me for days! Thanks.
Hi Lynn, you can leave them out or substitute with another vegetable – why not try snow peas, baby corn or even broccoli! N x
Thanks I will try those and let you know. By the way I make most of your recipes and have never been disappointed. Your butter chicken one was divine and better than lots I have had in Indian restaurants. 👍🙂❤️
All your things are great love them
Thanks so much Peter! N x
Hi Nagi,
We just made it! ohlala :-), it’s absolutely delish!
I did the baked version which didn’t disappoint, it was very crispy and the flavours were stunning,
I can’t wait to make it for my family.
Thank you so much again
Wahoo!!! Thanks so much for the great feedback Monserrat! N x
Nagi could I possibly use left over pork for this recipe? I’m going to try it next week for sure!
Hi Donna, are you referring to left over cooked pork? N x
Yes ma’m
Yes ma’m; but not over done..
Marinating now. Cooking tomorrow night and very excited.
I hope you love it Rob! Enjoy! N x
My husband’s verdict “yummy-mcyum-yums…” (he loved it!)
I made the oven baked version, and it stayed crunchy throughout. I was a little worried because both the first and second dredging had the cornflower turn marinade coloured almost straight away, and I thought I might have needed to scrape the marinade off before coating. But it turned nice and crunchy in the frying pan and oven, and tasted amazing. Thank you for another delicious meal 🙂
Looking at all these recipes make me drool 🤤 like Dozer .Thanks for these mouth watering recipes.
I have made heaps of your recipes. Loved them all.
Why feature ‘Dole’ pineapple which is not Australian ? I am disappointed that you didn’t use a tin of ‘Golden Circle’.I always Australian products when I can.This looks another yummy recipe.Cheers, Barb
Unfortunately Barbara you’re partially incorrect.
Golden Circle is owned by the U.S based giant Kraft Heinz Company.
According to Wikipedia {and the ABC}, Golden Circle was taken over by Heinz in 2008 from their successful takeover bid of $288 million after beating .Coca-Cola Amatil with their takeover attempt for Golden Circle.
Golden Circle is just another one of the long list of Australian companies that are now under foreign ownership.
However I do agree with you that Nagi makes loads of yummy recipes and puts a lot of time and effort into her recipes and website.
You’re doing great work Nagi.. You’re helping a lot of people with new and improved recipe ideas.
Gavin
If you watch the video she uses golden circle pineapple in there!!!
Love your observation Gems! N x
PS And I couldn’t agree with you more re: buying Australian, more important than ever in today’s environment. Beyond food too. eg. I’m planning renovations for my house and making very deliberate decisions on materials to ensure I use Australian products, like timber etc etc 🙂 I’m with you all the way Barbara! N x
Me too Barbara. In fact, I shot everything last week except that photo because I could NOT find golden circle anywhere for some reason. Was out of stock every time I went, I kept checking every time I was at the shops this week. Finally, yesterday, 3 hours before I published the post, I went out one last time and just got what I could for that photo. It is odd – I have had the problem before with canned apple.
Hi there master Dozer eating sweet and sour pork👍💕.
Thank you Nagi for the pork recipe. I will.opt.for the oven method I love sweet and sour
pork and will use a keto ketchup for the recipe
I hope you love it Gillian!! N x
Awhhhhhh…Dozer can eat with chopsticks. Adorable😊
😂 Well it’s for my benefit anyway…
P.s. thanks for the double fry tip. Always wondered how our local Chinese restaurant gets our sweet and sour (beef for us) so crispy. Think I’d like to try this out w/ chicken. Also appreciate the bake option you gave.
What is cornflour? Insee it referred to in the recipe by itself, and also as cornflour/cornstarch. This sounds SO good, but I’m confused about this ingredient.
Hi Brooke! Cornflour and cornstarch is the same thing, it just goes by different names in some countries 🙂 N x
I love sweet and sour pork, but my partner is allergic to pineapple. Any suggestions for substitutions? I was thinking mango or apple juice…
Hi Fiona, the pineapple is key to sweet and sour pork – I haven’t tried with any subs sorry. I would think apple may work – love to know if you try! N x