Sweet and Sour Pork

Method17 steps · about 1 hr 15 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix the bite-sized raw pork with the 2 tbsp marinade water, ⅛ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp soy sauce until no liquid remains visible. Marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator while preparing the sauce.

   Marinate the pork · 30 minUses 1 lb raw pork shoulder or tenderloin, cut into bite-sized pieces · 2 tbsp water, for the pork marinade · 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder · ¼ teaspoon onion powder · ½ teaspoon sesame oil · 1 teaspoon soy sauce

2. 2

   Step 2: Open the 8 oz can of pineapple, drain its juice into a bowl and keep both the juice and chunks. Cut the half green pepper, half red pepper and half onion into 1½-inch square pieces, ready for the wok.

   Uses 1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks with its juice; reserve juice for the sauce and chunks for the wok · ½ green bell pepper, cut into 1½-inch square pieces · ½ red bell pepper, cut into 1½-inch square pieces · ½ onion, cut into 1½-inch square pieces

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the 1 tsp sauce oil, two smashed ginger slices and whole star anise (1) in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 1 minute, until the ginger begins to caramelize. Watch closely so the aromatics do not burn.

   Cook the sauce aromatics · 1 minUses 1 tsp oil, for cooking the sauce aromatics · 2 slices ginger (smashed) · 1 star anise

4. 4

   Step 4: Add the ¼ cup ketchup. Once it begins to sizzle, stir constantly for about 2 minutes, until it starts to caramelize without burning.

   Cook the ketchup · 2 minUses Cooked ginger and star anise with sauce oil · ¼ cup tomato ketchup

5. 5

   Step 5: Add the 1½ cups white vinegar, ½ cup sugar and all the reserved pineapple juice to the caramelized ketchup. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until the sauce just begins to coat a spoon. Turn off the heat once it is ready.

   Reduce the sweet and sour sauce · 30 minUses Caramelized ketchup and aromatics · 1½ cups white vinegar, 5% acidity or less · ½ cup sugar, for the sauce · All the juice drained from the one 8 oz can, with chunks held separately

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Mix the ½ cup flour, ¼ cup dredging cornstarch, ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper in a shallow dish. Beat the coating egg (1) in a separate dish.

   Uses ½ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging · ¼ cup cornstarch, for dredging · ¼ teaspoon salt · 1/8 teaspoon pepper · 1 egg, beaten, for coating the pork

7. 7

   Step 7: Mix the separate 2 tsp slurry cornstarch with the 2 tsp slurry water until smooth. Keep this slurry for thickening the sauce only as needed.

   Uses 2 tsp cornstarch, for the sauce-thickening slurry · 2 tsp water, for the sauce-thickening slurry

8. 8

   Step 8: Coat the cold marinated pork in the prepared flour mixture, dip it into the beaten egg, then coat it in the flour mixture again. Set the coated pieces aside briefly for frying. Discard any egg or dredging mixture left over after contact with raw pork.

   Uses Cold marinated pork · The flour-and-cornstarch blend needed for the two coatings · The beaten egg needed to coat the pork

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Heat the 3 cups canola frying oil in a small pot to 350°F (about 177°C). Keep the coated pork ready and use this same oil bath for both frying passes.

   Uses 3 cups canola oil, for the shared frying bath

10. 10

    Step 10: Fry the coated pork in batches for about 2–3 minutes per batch, checking at 2 minutes for the coating to begin turning golden. Lift each batch with a slotted spoon or spider and drain it on a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining coated pork, keeping the frying oil near 350°F (about 177°C). Continue to the second frying pass in the same cooking session.

    First fry: each pork batch · 2 minUses Heated canola frying bath · The coated pork pieces, excluding any discarded egg or dredging blend

11. 11

    Step 11: Refry the drained pork in batches in the same hot oil until the coating is crisp and the pork is cooked through to at least 63°C (145°F). Lift and drain each batch, leaving the frying oil in the pot.

    Uses The first-fried pork pieces lifted onto the sheet pan, separate from the frying oil · The same hot frying oil remaining after all first-fry batches

12. 12

    Step 12: Let the drained, fully cooked pork rest for at least 3 minutes before serving while finishing the sauce in the clean wok.

    Rest the cooked pork · 3 minUses Only the cooked pork lifted and drained after refrying, excluding the oil left in the pot

13. 13

    Step 13: In a clean wok, heat the separate 1 tbsp wok oil. Add all the prepared green pepper, red pepper and onion pieces and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

    Stir-fry the peppers and onion · 1 minUses 1 tbsp oil, for the peppers and onion · The cut pieces from the half green pepper · The cut pieces from the half red pepper · The cut pieces from the half onion

14. 14

    Step 14: Remove the whole star anise and large ginger slices from the reduced sauce. Add the sauce and the reserved pineapple chunks to the wok vegetables, then bring the mixture to a simmer.

    Uses Stir-fried peppers and onion · The reduced sauce, excluding the whole star anise and large ginger slices removed before serving · All the pineapple chunks drained from the one 8 oz can, with juice already used in the sauce

15. 15

    Step 15: If the simmering sauce needs thickening, stir the prepared slurry again, add half of it and stir for 15 seconds. Otherwise, leave the slurry aside. Remember that the sauce will thicken further on the plate.

    Check the first slurry addition · 1 minUses Simmering sauce with vegetables and pineapple · Half of the prepared two-teaspoon-cornstarch slurry, only if thickening is needed

16. 16

    Step 16: Taste the sauce. If it is too sweet or sour, add a little of the optional dilution water. If more thickening is needed, stir in only as much of the remaining slurry as necessary. Bring it back to a gentle simmer and stir until the sauce coats the ingredients to your liking, keeping any unused slurry aside.

    Uses Sauce after checking the first optional slurry addition · Water, only as needed to dilute the finished sauce after tasting · Only as much of the remaining prepared slurry as needed; leave unused slurry aside

17. 17

    Step 17: Once the pork has completed its minimum 3-minute rest and the sauce is ready, add the crisp pork to the wok and toss just until coated. Plate the sweet and sour pork and serve immediately.

    Uses Rested crisp pork · The finished sauce and vegetables in the wok, excluding any unadded slurry held aside