Wake Up Your Taste Buds with Homemade Sweet and Sour Pork

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It’s not often that I make a new recipe and completely blow my own mind.

Well, folks. This sweet and sour pork = brain… explosion!

In the world of multidimensional flavor, there are certain combos that I’m attracted to, and others that I don’t really crave.

For example, savory flavors mixed with a hint of heat totally do it for me.

Case and point: Buffalo chicken pizza. I could eat this every day.

Queso with diced jalapenos? Yep, had it for breakfast.

Rich, intense flavor profiles are always in the front of my mind (and on the tip of my tongue). But adding something sweet to the mix isn’t something I often do.

At an Asian-inspired restaurant or if I’m scanning delivery menus, I’m prone to leaning towards something like garlicky shrimp, or Kung Pao Chicken.

The handful of times I’ve actually ordered sweet and sour anything, the dish didn’t really seem to stand out for me.

So, I designed this recipe from scratch, tinkering with it according to my tastes, with ingredients I knew would be distinct in terms of flavor.

Suddenly, I discovered what the problem had been all along:

I had only ever encountered one-note sweet and sour sauce.

It hit too high on the sugar meter, and didn’t spark anything else on my palate.

But there’s good news for everyone reading this! My carefully crafted homemade version is miles away from those overly-candied varieties with their gloopy texture and glowing red hue. And bonus – it comes together in a snap.

I didn’t add any chili garlic sauce to the recipe because traditional sweet and sour dishes don’t call for added spice, but I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention that you should spill a few drops of this into your sauce if you are so inclined.

You can find it at your local grocery store, or Huy Fong’s classic version is available on Amazon. Jojo’s Sriracha by Love Hard is another delicious option that’s available from Mouth.

Now, let’s talk pork.

One solid hour of marinating is just enough for those Asian aromatics to seep into the meat. However, I got busy the first time I made this and had to let the pork soak overnight. It was the best accident I made all week.

Even though the pork is fried and tossed into a rowdy blend of flavorful ingredients, the longer you marinate it, the more tender the meat becomes, and the more it’s permeated with the savory tastes of soy, ginger, garlic, and scallions.

Whoa. Salivating on my keyboard over here.

If you’re a sweet and sour expert and have whipped up this colorful dish at home before, you might be wondering where the ketchup is. Though most recipes call for it as a prominent ingredient, I reach for tomato paste instead.

You get plenty of sweetness from the caramel-scented brown sugar, and tomato paste is richer, more concentrated, and more vividly colored than ketchup.

Sorry, ketchup. You’re still my favorite condiment.

(Seriously, I put fries on my ketchup.)

But when it comes to sweet and sour sauce, I go tomato paste all the way. And you won’t find any artificial food coloring here.

The bell peppers add subtle grassy notes and crunch, the rice vinegar brings the sour power, and the sugary, tropical pineapple sends the sweet flavor home.

Who knew a dish that I rarely craved in the past could turn into something that I ate for three straight meals in a row?

Go on. I dare you not to have thirds.

Print

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Chop the Pork and the Aromatics for the Marinade

Cut the pork into 1-inch pieces, chop the green onions, and grate the ginger and garlic.

In a large bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, about half of the chopped green onions, the ginger, and 2 cloves of the grated garlic.

Add the pork pieces and toss until they’re thoroughly coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If you have time, marinate the pork for 6-8 hours.

Step 2 – Fry the Pork

In a heavy-bottomed saucepot or Dutch oven, heat about 4 inches of oil over medium heat until it reaches 350° F.

You’ll know the oil is ready when you place the handle of a wooden spoon in it and it bubbles immediately, or you can check it with a cooking thermometer.

Place the cornstarch in a large bowl. Remove the pork pieces from the marinade and dredge them in the cornstarch until they are coated liberally on all sides. Shake them to remove any excess cornstarch.

Working in batches, fry the pork until it’s golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Set the fried pork aside on a paper-towel lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Step 3 – Chop the Vegetables and Make the Sweet and Sour Sauce

Chop the onions, peppers, and pineapple. Starting with fresh pineapple? Check out these recommended pineapple slicers and corers to make short work of the task, and review our tips on choosing, storing, and cutting pineapple.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to a large skillet, place it over medium heat, and swirl to coat the pan. Add the remaining garlic and saute until very fragrant, about 1 minute, being careful not to let it burn.

Add the onions and peppers and cook until they are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the pineapple and cook for 1 additional minute.

Stir in the tomato paste, rice vinegar, brown sugar, water, and remaining soy sauce, and bring the mixture to a boil. Don’t forget to add a dollop or two of chili garlic sauce if you want to heat things up a bit!

Step 4 – Toss the Pork with the Sauce and Serve

Add the fried pork and remaining green onions. Toss to coat everything in the sauce.

Divide the pork, veggies, and sauce among plates, garnish with the sesame seeds, and serve.