Sweet and Sour Pork
Sweet and sour pork recipe made with pork loin, pineapple, and green bell pepper
Sweet and sour pork recipe made with pork loin, pineapple, and green bell pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 onion, chopped
- for the sauce:
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 pound boneless center-cut pork loin chops
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons plum sauce
- 5 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 1 cup oil for frying or as needed
- 1 green bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red chile pepper minced (optional)
- 1/2 cup crushed pineapple
- 1 tomato, coarsely chopped
- Carbohydrate 29.0774969749789 g
- Cholesterol 136.982971975 mg
- Fat 372.254560114972 g
- Fiber 1.08389400169306 g
- Protein 25.5433156891359 g
- Saturated Fat 44.7412269977534 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (620g)
- Sodium 397.917045620278 mg
- Sugar 27.9936029732859 g
- Trans Fat 16.9688392274251 g
- Calories 3513 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes. In a medium bowl, combine the salt, baking soda, and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk in the egg. Place the pork pieces in the bowl and turn to coat. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Whisk the white sugar, salt, and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Stir in the vinegar, ketchup, plum sauce, and water.
- Place the tapioca flour in a large, resealable plastic bag. Place the pork pieces in the bag with the flour and shake the meat around until all the pieces are coated with the flour. Discard the marinade and excess tapioca flour.
- Heat 1 cup oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Working in batches, place the pork pieces in the oil and fry for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides. Remove the pork from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Carefully pour out the frying oil into a separate container to cool.
- Pour 2 tablespoons fresh cooking oil into the pan. Over medium-high heat, stir-fry the green bell pepper, red chile pepper, pineapple, onion and tomato until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the reserved sauce mixture. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Return pork pieces to the skillet, mix well, and serve immediately.
Why is the crust peeling off the meat right as it hits the oil? That failure usually traces back to an improper moisture barrier or overloading the skillet, which drops the frying oil below 350 degrees Fahrenheit and dissolves the coating before the starches can gelatinize. Achieving a shatteringly crisp exterior requires understanding how tapioca starch interacts with protein and why substitutions alter the final physics of the dish. Tapioca starch provides superior expansion and crunch compared to standard cornstarch when fried, creating a porous matrix that absorbs glaze without immediately turning gummy. Swapping it for all-purpose flour changes the protein network entirely, yielding a heavy, breaded crust rather than a light, shattering shell. Furthermore, omitting the baking soda from the initial pork marinade removes an essential tenderizing agent that alters the meat's pH, allowing moisture to escape and resulting in dry, rubbery morsels. Working in small batches during the frying stage prevents oil temperature drops and ensures the 5 to 10 minute cooking window cooks the pork evenly through to the center.
