Sweet and Sour Pork

A classic Chinese sweet and sour pork or gu lou yuk (咕嚕肉) is a popular dish in Chinese restaurants. This sweet and sour pork recipe is delicious and colorful. It’s very similar to American Chinese orange chicken dish. Also, it is the best to serve with rice.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Servings

Calories 658kcal

Author Tracy O.

Ingredients

1.5 pounds Pork (I used pork sirloin in this recipe)
1 small Onion
1 Green bell pepper (Medium large sized)
1 Red bell pepper (Medium large sized)
1 can Pineapple chunks (In 100% pineapple juice, l lb 4 oz/ 597 g or net wt 20 oz)
1 teaspoon Vegetable oil (For stir fry vegetables)

Marinate pork:

1 teaspoon Garlic powder
½ teaspoon Salt

Batter and deep fried pork:

½ cup Rice flour
½ cup Sweet potato starch or All purpose flour
2 Large Eggs
2 cups Vegetable oil (For deep fried the pork)

Sweet and sour sauce:

1 cup 100 % Pineapple juice
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
2 tablespoons Vinegar
¾ cup Brown sugar
3 tablespoons Ketchup
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Corn starch
2 tablespoons Water

Instructions

Peel, wash and cut 1 small onion into chunks.
Wash and cut green bell peppers into chunks.
Wash and cut red bell peppers into chunks.
Next, cut the pork into small chunks or cubes.
Then, put the pork into a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of salt and mix it well. Let it marinate for at least 15-20 minutes before cooking.
In a container, add ½ cup rice flour, ½ cup sweet potato starch and mix it well. (If you don’t have sweet potato starch. Try to use ½ cup of rice flour and ½ cup of all purpose flour. It works better than just all purpose flour.)
After that, put the marinated pork and cover up with flour mixture.
Beat 2 eggs in a container.
Dip the pork into the egg batter.
Then, dip the pork into the flour again.
And, put the batter pork on the plate.
Pour 2 cups of vegetable oil into the wok. Turn on medium small fire. Until the oil is hot enough around 350-375 F for deep fry. You can use a wooden chopstick to test the oil if it is hot enough when you don't have a thermometer. Put the wooden chopsticks into the oil, when you see some bubbles around it that means the oil is hot enough.
When the oil is ready for deep fry, add the breaded pork into the oil slowly. (First deep fry around 350F until slightly golden.)
Cook until the pork turns slightly golden brown and put the pork on a paper towel over the plate.
Turn the fire to medium high temperature around 375F. Double deep fry the pork which means deep fry the pork again.
And, cook until it’s golden brown.
In a pot, add 100% pineapple juice 1 cup. (You can use the pineapple juice from the can, make sure to choose 100% pineapple juice.)Then, add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, ¾ cup of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of ketchup, ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix it very well. Turn on a small & low fire and cook it until the sugar is melted. After, in a small container, add 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 2 tablespoons of water and mix it well. Next, pour the cornstarch mixture into the sauce to thicken it and set them aside. To find out details and step by step instructions, click this sweet and sour sauce recipe.
Pour 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into the wok, turn on medium high fire. Add the cut onion and stir fry it.
After that, add the cut green and red bell peppers. Stir fry them a little bit.
Then, add the pineapple chunks and stir fry a little bit.
Next, add deep fried pork.
Lastly, pour the sweet and sour sauce over the deep fried pork. Stir them and make sure every deep fried pork is covered with the sauce. And, it’s ready to serve.

Video

Notes

Cooking tips for how to make homemade best sweet and sour pork:

I like to use rice flour and sweet potato starch to bread the pork because it makes the pork crunchy outside and soft inside. If you don’t have sweet potato starch. Try to use rice flour and all purpose flour. It works better than just all purpose flour.
Dip the pork into the flour mixture, egg and flour mixture to bread the pork.
Wait until the oil is hot enough before deep fry. You can use a thermometer to test it, it will be around 350-375 F. Or, use a wooden chopstick to test the oil. When you dip the wooden chopsticks into the oil, there will be little bubbles around the wooden chopsticks which means the oil is hot enough for deep frying.
Don't over deep dried the pork because when you use rice flour and sweet potato starch as breading, it has lighter golden brown than regular flour.
Double deep fry the pork and it will be crispy.
Normally, I use the pineapple juice from the can of pineapple when I make this dish. Therefore, I often choose pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice.
Lastly, make sure every deep fried pork is covered with the sauce.

Nutrition