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Top view of sweet and sour pork being served with rice
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Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork

This is the juiciest, crispiest, most flavorful Sweet and Sour Pork with the BEST sauce! Thanks to key techniques like velveting, double dredging, and a double fry (air fryer instructions included), every bite tastes better than takeout! See the post for step-by-step photos, expert tips, and serving suggestions.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author [email protected]

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork butt, cut into 3/4” cubes
  • Vegetable oil for frying

QUICK MARINADE

BREADING

  • 3/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 egg white

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar (don't substitute!)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons pineapple juice
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2½ tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp EACH salt, red pepper flakes
  • 1 TBSP + 1 tsp cornstarch

STIR FRY

  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
  • 1/2 yellow onion, chopped into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 cups chopped pineapple or 1 15 oz. can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained (juice reserved for sauce)
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch chunks

Instructions

  • Marinate pork: Whisk the“Marinade” ingredients together in a large bowl or freezer bag. Stir in the pork and let it marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes (ideally 60). It can also be covered and marinated overnight. Prep the breading, sauce, and stir fry ingredients during this time.
  • Breading: Whisk the cornstarch, flour, and baking soda together in a shallow dish or bowl; set aside.
  • Whisk sauce: Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside.
  • First dredge: When ready to cook, stir the egg white into the marinating pork, then add 1/2 cup of the breading and stir to combine. Let it rest for 5 minutes (it will look gummy). Meanwhile, heat the oil:
  • Heat oil: Heat about 1 inch of vegetable or canola oil in a deep enameled cast-iron pan (this is what I use) over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. (This thermometer is AWESOME to monitor oil.) Line a cooling rack with paper towels.
  • Second dredge: Working in batches, transfer the pork to the breading mixture in the dish. Using a clean hand, scoop and press the coating firmly onto the pork, turning as needed until each piece is thoroughly coated. Gently shake off any excess breading, then transfer it to a plate.
  • Fry #1: Working in batches, fry the pork for 3 minutes, then transfer it to the paper-towel-lined rack using a spider strainer or metal slotted spoon and spread apart. Repeat until all the pork is fried, keeping the temperature around 350-360°F.
  • Fry #2: This second fry makes the pork extra crispy, but it is not essential. Fry again in batches for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until deeply golden brown, then transfer to a paper towel-lined rack.
  • Stir fry: Heat a heavy-bottom pan or wok over medium-high heat until smoking, then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and pineapple, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry for 1 minute.
  • Thicken the sauce: Stir the sauce to recombine, then add it to the skillet. Simmer until thickened.
  • Combine: Add the pork and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Pork butt is preferred over pork shoulder. Pork butt comes from the upper shoulder and has more marbling, making it juicier and more tender, while pork shoulder comes from the lower shoulder and is slightly leaner and firmer. You won't need all of it, so use the rest in carnitas, slow cooker pulled pork, or Asian pork.
  • Rice wine: Use Shaoxing cooking wine, or I use “Kikkoman Aji-Mirin: Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoning” which is commonly found in the Asian section of most grocery stores, or you can purchase it on Amazon. I suggest you Google images before you head off to the grocery store so you know exactly what you are looking for. The best substitute is pale dry sherry.

To Air Fry

This version is still tasty and crispy, but will be missing the "fried" taste.
  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F on the air fryer setting for 5 minutes.
  2. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
  3. Working in batches, arrange the pork in a single layer, leaving space between each piece. Lightly spray the top of the pork with oil.
  4. Air fry for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until the coating is golden and the pork is cooked through. 145°F is the safe internal temp, while the best temp for this dish (golden, juicy but not dry) is 150–160°F.