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Overhead view of sweet and sour pork on a patterned oval platter set on rustic white timber slats, with a bowl of rice topped with pork in the background, glossy sauce drips and a few pieces of pork scattered on the table in natural light.

Sweet and Sour Pork

This Sweet and Sour Pork delivers the ultimate Chinese takeout experience at home. Pork is marinated for juiciness, double-fried for unbeatable crispiness, and tossed in a classic sweet, tangy, and savoury sauce with veggies and pineapple. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
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Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes
Total Time:40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Chinese pork recipe, double fried pork, sweet and sour pork, Takeout fakeaaway
Servings: 4
Author: Kate Brodhurst

Equipment

  • Wok or large frying pan
  • Electric deep fryer or large saucepan

Ingredients

MARINATED PORK

  • 600g pork scotch fillet, cut into small bite size pieces
  • 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
  • ½ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
  • ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
  • ½ teapsoon ground white pepper
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ teaspoon MSG (optional - see notes)
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine

BATTER

  • 1 cup self-raising flour
  • ½ cup cornflour or potato starch
  • Water

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

  • ⅓ cup ketchup or tomato sauce
  • ⅓ cup caster sugar (can use white or brown sugar)
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pineapple juice (reserved from the can for the stir fry)
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 ½ teaspoons cornflour
  • 1 teaspoon MSG
  • Few drops of red food colouring (optional)

STIR FRY

  • ½ large red onion, cut into large chunks
  • ½ small red capsicum, cut into chunks
  • ½ small green capsicum, cut into chunks
  • 1 small carrot, cut into 2-3mm thick slices
  • 227g can pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve the juice for the Sweet & Sour Sauce)

Instructions

MARINATE PORK

  • Combine diced pork with all marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes (or up to 24 hours).

make BATTER

  • Whisk flour and cornflour with enough cold water to make a thick cream like consistency. Chill batter for up to 1 hour max.

SWEET & SOUR SAUCE

  • Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until throughly combined. Set aside until ready to use.

first fry

  • Heat enough oil in a wok or saucepan to come one-third up the side over medium high heat until it reaches 160C. (alternately use an electric deep fryer according to manufactures instructions) Coat pork in batter, then drop one-by-one into hot oil in batches. Fry for 3 minutes or until golden. Drain on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining pork. (TIP: I use food safe gloves here to help reduce with messy hands. I use a new glove for every batch)

second fry

  • Reheat oil to 180°C. Fry the pork batches again for 1-1.5 minutes until deeply golden and very crisp. Drain.

STIR FRY

  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a clean wok over high heat. Stir-fry onion, capsicum, and carrot for 1-2 minutes. Pour in sauce, bring to a boil.

combine

  • Turn off heat. Add crispy pork and drained pineapple chunks. Toss vigorously to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes

  1. COOKS NOTES:
    Oven Temps:     Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
    Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup =  250 ml.
    Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
    Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
    Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified.
  2. Pork:
    Pork scotch fillet (neck) is ideal for flavour and juiciness. Pork belly (skinless) is also excellent. Leaner cuts like tenderloin can dry out.
  3. Velveting Marinade: The bicarbonate soda (bicarb) is a Chinese technique called "velveting" that keeps the pork tender. Don't skip it.
  4. Chicken Stock Powder: For the most authentic flavour, use a Chinese-style chicken powder like Knorr. Regular chicken stock powder (e.g., Continental, Massel) also works perfectly.
  5. MSG (Optional): Monosodium glutamate is a traditional seasoning that adds a savoury umami depth. It can be omitted, but it's a key ingredient in many restaurant versions for that "moreish" taste.
  6. Double Frying: This is the secret to crispiness that lasts. The first fry cooks the pork, the second fry makes it crunchy.
  7. Equipment: A large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven is perfect for deep frying. Fill it one-third full with oil. A cooking thermometer is highly recommended.
  8. Sauce: For a more vibrant colour, a few drops of red food colouring can be added to the sauce. This is optional but traditional.
  9. Serving: Serve immediately after combining with the sauce to preserve the pork's crisp texture.