Sweet and Sour Pork – best ever! Recipe

The very best ever Candy and Bitter Pork recipe is loaded with tips the Chinese language have been utilizing for hundreds of years: double dredge and double fry for further crispy, cornflour as a substitute of flour, economical pork used for juiciness, however tenderised with baking soda so that you’d swear they’re expensive chops, and a sauce that’s not sickeningly candy.

BONUS: oven baked Candy and Bitter Pork instructions included!

There’s quite a lot of info on this Candy & Bitter Pork recipe, so I’m going to skip all the same old makes an attempt at an enthralling story and simply provide the excessive factors!

1. Crispiest pork you’ll ever make – too many recipes make grand guarantees however fall quick;

2. Double fry excessive temp – quick turning into the worst saved Asian secret, double frying is THE secret to crispy, much less oily meals;

3. Cornflour / cornstarch, not flour – for a crispier coating. Flour isn’t even crispy contemporary out of the oil;

4. Double dredge – the primary layer seals the juices inside, acts as a glue for the 2nd dredge and is a second layer of crispiness;

5. Tenderise low cost however flavourful pork utilizing baking soda – a trick utilized by Chinese language eating places all world wide. It’s referred to as velveting – right here’s the best way to velvet chicken and beef; and

6. Actually nice sauce – newsflash: Candy & Bitter Sauce is made with extra than simply sugar, ketchup and vinegar!

Wait a sec – did I simply persuade you that you simply’ve gotta do that?! 😂

1. Marinate pork to infuse with flavour and tenderise the meat (we’re utilizing economical shoulder and scotch pork);

2. Double dredge in cornflour/cornstarch, not flour, for further crispy;

3. Double fry for further crispy – a trick Asians have been utilizing for hundreds of years; and

4. 10 second toss to coat pork in Candy and Bitter Sauce!

Pork Marinade Components

Right here’s what you want for the pork and marinade:

• Pork – the very best lower (so as of choice): pork scotch (aka pork neck, pork collar), pork shoulder, leg, tenderloin then loin. See beneath for extra info on every lower;

• Baking soda (aka bi-carb) and cornflour/cornstarch – meat tenderising methodology broadly used throughout Asia (notably in Chinese language cooking) that’s beginning to be found by Western nations! Referred to as velveting, it additionally works brilliantly with chicken and beef.

For skinny strips utilized in stir fries (as per the velveting chicken and beef instructions), I take advantage of extra baking soda to meat weight, marinate barely (20 – 40 min), then rinse it off earlier than cooking. This received’t work for Candy & Bitter Pork as a result of it might over tenderise the skin earlier than the within is tenderised as a result of the items are chunkier. On this recipe, we use much less baking soda, marinate for longer and don’t rinse off – this tenderises the pork extra evenly;

• Garlic, ginger and onion – flavour, flavour, flavour! Grated to make them “juicy” so the flavour penetrates higher; and

• Soy sauce – for seasoning and flavour.

The extra economical the pork lower, the longer the marinade time to tenderise.

So as of choice:

1. Pork scotch roast or steaks – also called pork neck, and referred to as pork collar or pork collar butt within the US, it is a widespread pork lower in Australia offered in each roast type and steaks (pork scotch steaks or scotch fillet steaks). Extremely versatile lower that may be sluggish cooked (similar to this sluggish roasted brown sugar pork and Char Siu) or fast cooked like steak (use it for any of my pork chop recipes). Pork scotch is ribboned with fats which retains every bit juicy and has pork flavour. That is the lower that we consider larger finish Chinese language eating places use;

2. Pork shoulder – whereas sometimes often called a sluggish cooking lower to interrupt down robust connective tissue (like for pulled pork and Momofuku Pork Bossam), the baking soda and cornflour within the marinade tenderises the pork so it’s tender even after a fast fry. With out the marinade, the pork is hard and chewy! Not fairly as tender as scotch, however nearly – it’s on par with the actually good native Chinese language eating places;

3. Pork leg – with related cooking qualities to pork shoulder, this is a superb choice for Candy & Bitter pork as properly. The one purpose I don’t use it for issues like stir fries is as a result of I get it on the bone and prepare dinner it complete;

4. Pork tenderloin – it is a very tender, lean lower of pork with a milder flavour. It may be used however bear in mind it’s extra susceptible to drying out from overcooking in pursuit of crispy pork. Marinating helps alleviate this drawback however nonetheless a bit more durable to get prepare dinner timing precisely proper;

5. Pork loin – citing the rear as a result of it’s lean like tenderloin, however it’s not fairly as tender and is even more durable/drier than tenderloin in case you overcook.

Any generic “pork steaks” would fall beneath #4 or #5 assuming it’s meant for fast cooking.

Pork cuts not really useful: Pork stomach (too fatty), spare ribs (until deboned), pickled pork (simply – no).

Right here’s what goes in Candy and Bitter Sauce. It will get the purple color from ketchup – meals colouring not required!!

• Ketchup – supplies sweetness, flavour and a few thickening;

• Cider vinegar – to steadiness out the candy

• Sugar – simply 1/3 of a cup, far lower than most recipes and positively lower than eating places. That is candy sufficient, belief me!

• Worcestershire sauce, oyster and soy sauce – so it really tastes like what you get at eating places fairly than only a ketchup sugar sauce! Oyster sauce will be substituted with vegetarian oyster sauce which these days is broadly out there in Australian grocery shops like Coles and Woolworths (Asian part and/or well being meals part, Ayam model);

• Pineapple juice – from the can of pineapple items used within the stir fry, as a result of why waste it? Utilizing contemporary pineapple? Simply skip this and add further water; and

• Cornflour/cornstarch – for thickening. Candy and bitter sauce is thicker than most stir fries so it clings to the pork items!

You’ll discover that my sauce is just not fairly the loopy purple you get at eating places. That’s as a result of I select to not use meals colouring!

And right here’s what goes within the Candy and Bitter Pork Stir Fry. I do know some individuals are huge advocates of contemporary pineapple. I by no means use contemporary – as a result of they’re in season in summer time and I (sometimes) don’t deep fry in summer time!

I do know all of us aspire to it, however the reality is that the pork in Candy and Bitter Pork doesn’t keep crispy for lengthy as soon as coated in sauce – even at eating places. The pork IS crispy with out sauce, however as soon as coated, it stays fairly crispy for round perhaps 5 minutes, then after that you simply’re left with the coating the sauce clings to however it’s not as crispy anymore.

That is the case even with eating places, until they use a special sort of batter (just like the puffy batter for Honey Chicken which really stays crispy for hours) or they use speciality components like Xanthum gum.

Need to keep away from deep frying? The BEST oven baked candy & bitter pork is within the recipe too!

So now that’s out of the way in which, the steps beneath present the best way to make the crispiest pork for Candy & Bitter Pork:

1. Marinate to tenderise the pork. In a single day for harder cuts (like scotch/collar and shoulder) and three hours for extra tender pork (like tenderloin and loin). In contrast to with chicken and beef, there isn’t a have to rinse the baking soda off as a result of we’re utilizing much less and marinating for longer;

2. Coat in cornflour/cornstarch – that is dredge #1, for further crispy pork. Coat it, then go away for five minutes and the cornflour will grow to be moist from the juices from the pork. Will probably be tremendous sticky at this stage – which is why no egg is required for the coating to stick;

3. Dip into cornflour – that is the coating for Candy & Bitter Pork. Make sure to shake off extra in any other case you’ll find yourself with white specks in your pork;

4. Fry #1 – Fry at 180°C/350°F for 3 minutes to prepare dinner the pork by means of and make it golden. It received’t be that crispy at this stage – this step is especially to prepare dinner the pork by means of;

5. Drain on RACK – elevating the pork on a rack will assist preserve the pork crispy. It sweats on paper towels, making it softer;

6. Fry #2 Hotter Temp – A trick utilized by Asians for hundreds of years (eg in Japanese Karaage!), this can make your pork keep crispy for longer as soon as it’s tossed within the sauce. Simply fry for 1 1/2 minutes till it’s deep golden brown. With out double frying, the pork begins shedding crispiness inside 2 minutes as soon as it hits the sauce. WITH double fry, the floor begins to melt after round 5 minutes however the charge at which it fully softens is way slower than with single fry.

Quick turning into the worst saved Asian secret – double fry is THE secret to extremely crispy much less greasy fried meals!

Right here’s a comparability of how the pork takes care of Fry #1 and Fry #2. Added bonus: the upper temp makes the pork much less oily too.

Nevertheless, all that mentioned and carried out, a single fry (for barely longer) is great too in case you want an categorical model. I used to be doing single fry for many of my life till I found the double fry – and no person ever complained!

The oil used on this recipe can be utilized one other two instances as a result of the pork coating is impartial in flavour.

We’re on the house stretch! Right here’s the way it comes collectively:

KEY TIP: Toss the pork QUICKLY within the sauce – goal for 10 seconds – to lengthen its crispy life!

Serve with plain rice or Fried Rice if you wish to go all out. And in case you’re making the trouble to make Candy and Bitter Pork at residence, why wouldn’t you?? (Tip: Fried rice reheats 100% completely, so make it first then simply reheat it).

For further greens, add a aspect of Chinese language Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (a restaurant favorite!), or for contemporary choices, attempt Smashed Cucumbers, this Asian Salad or Asian Slaw, or Chinese language Lettuce with Creamy Sesame Sauce.

And lastly, as a result of I do know somebody’s going to ask, and for all these instances you’re determined for a Candy & Bitter Pork repair however can’t face the oil….oven instructions are included. 

Is it pretty much as good as deep fried? After all not – and anybody who tells you in any other case is outright mendacity. I’ve tried it each which method I can, and I can’t replicate it precisely.

However you may get 85%  80% of the way in which there, and as soon as it’s all combined up with the sauce you received’t actually discover anyway. However your hips will thanks for it! – Johnsat x

Sweet and Sour Pork – best ever! Recipe

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Serves: 5 Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes 30 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 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)
• 5 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch – for mixing in
• 1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch – for Coating
• 2 – 3 cups vegetable or canola oil
• 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
• 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

1. Mix Pork with Marinade. Marinade 18 to 24 hours. (See Note 1 for marinating time for other cuts)
2. Rack & warm oven: Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F and place rack on tray – to keep pork warm.
3. Sauce: Place all Sauce ingredients EXCEPT water in a large jug or small bowl. Mix until combined, then mix in water.
4. Be Stir Fry Ready: Have all ingredients lined up, ready to toss in. After Fry #2, things move quickly.
5. 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).
6. Coating #2: Spread 1/2 cup cornflour in a shallow bowl. Coat pork, shaking off excess, and pile onto a plate.
7. 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).
8. 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).
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Keep warm in oven.
12. Heat oil in a very large skillet over high heat.
13. Add garlic, ginger and onion, stir for 1 1/2 minutes. Add capsicum and stir for 2 minutes.
14. 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).
15. 10 second toss: Add pork, then QUICKLY toss to coat – aim for 10 seconds!
16. 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!

Notes

DOUBLE vs SINGLE FRY – Double fry definitely stays crispy for longer once sauced, but for an express version, just do a single fry for 1 minute longer, until it’s deep golden brown. It still stays crispy for a few minutes, and nobody has EVER complained!
1. Pork – pork scotch (aka pork neck / collar butt) and pork shoulder/butt are recommended for best flavour and juiciest pork pieces. Usually requires slow cooking to make them tender – the baking soda and cornflour in the marinade is a Chinese tenderising secret – also see how to tenderise Chicken and Beef. This juicy cut means we can cook for a bit longer to get the outside super crispy without the inside becoming dry and tough.
Other pork cuts can be used but because they are leaner, are more prone to drying out due to overcooking before the outside of the pork gets crispy – though the marinade helps counteract this. General rule: the more tender/expensive the pork, less minimum marinating time required:
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
2a. Finely grated – for best flavour, use a microplane so it’s grated really finely and becomes wet and “juicy”.
2b. Bicarb / baking soda – If you don’t have a 1/8th teaspoon measure, just measure 1/4 teaspoon PLUS half of the 1/4 teaspoon. That totals 3/8 teaspoons.
Baking soda is the Chinese restaurant secret to tenderise meat, also used for chicken and beef in everything (such as stir fries, soups and noodles). 3/8 teaspoon is the maximum that can be used before you start tasting it (for chicken and beef, I use more for speedier results but rinse it off).
3. Soy sauce – do not use Dark Soy Sauce or sweet soy sauce. Read more about different types of soy sauce here.
4. Pineapple – I like to use canned so I can use the juice in the Sauce which adds extra flavour. If you prefer to use fresh pineapple, just use more water instead (don’t worry, the Sweet & Sour Sauce has plenty of flavour already!)
5. Vegetarian Oyster Sauce – Nowadays you can find vegetarian oyster sauce (suitable for vegans) even at supermarket. For example, Ayam Vegetarian Oyster Sauce. It’s actually pretty good!
And here’s homemade Vegetarian Oyster Sauce recipe by Omnivore’s Cookbook, a Chinese recipe blog. I was extremely impressed with it.
6. Best baking method – I tried a bunch of ways, and this is the method that yields the best results. Not quite as crispy as deep frying, but certainly crispy enough for a very respectable Sweet & Sour Pork. The brief pan fry is key here to seal in some crispiness – without this step, the coating is just kind of powdery, not crispy at all.
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.
7. Air fryer? Haven’t tried, would love to know if anyone does. I would spray pork pieces with oil then air fry. I see no reason why it wouldn’t work.
8. Reuse oil – the pork is neutral enough in flavour such that the oil can be reused twice more. Cool oil, line a mesh colander with paper towel, strain, and store. Use for any savoury fried foods.
9. Recipe source: terrific teachings from watching various Chinese YouTube channels but notably this recipe from Pups with Chopsticks for the double dredge method. She recommends potato starch – once adapted to my recipe, I really didn’t notice a difference with cornflour so I stuck with that.
Paired with my Sweet and Sour Sauce (from this recipe and this one) though slightly amended to make it less rich (given we are frying here) and the tenderising method & times based on much experimenting done at RTE HQ! (The pork matrix is HUGE!)
10. Nutrition – none. There’s just no way I can calculate how much oil is on the pork. What I can say for sure is that the higher temp double fry = less oily surface!

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Sarah Miller

Hi, I’m Sarah Millar!
I’m a food blogger who loves creating quick and easy recipes that bring big flavor without the fuss. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — and I’m here to share simple, fast food ideas that anyone can make at home. When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll usually find me tasting new dishes, exploring cafés, or coming up with fresh food hacks to make everyday meals more fun.

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