Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (2024)

  • Chinese Dinner Recipes
  • Pork Mains
  • Chinese Cooking Basics
  • Pork Tenderloin Recipes
  • Pineapple Recipes

By

Liv Wan

Liv Wan

Liv Wan is a former professional chef who has published three cookbooks about Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Updated on 02/1/23

Tested by

Lauryn Bodden

Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (1)

Tested byLauryn Bodden

Lauryn is Food Editor for The Spruce Eats, creating recipes and cooking guides for all palates and expertise.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

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This sweet and sour pork with pineapple recipe is a favorite Cantonese dish in both America and China. Adding a bit of pineapple gives it an extra-sweet kick of flavor that anyone would enjoy. This style of cooking with sauces is popular in much of Cantonese cuisine. The sauce recipe included here can be incorporated into other meals if desired. While this dish takes some timeto make, the outcome is truly worth the effort.

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Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (3)

"This saucy dish requires a good amount of time to prepare, but the actual prep is a breeze. It's a sticky, sweet delight, sure to be a crowd-pleaser." —Lauryn Bodden

Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (4)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:

  • 1 cup water

  • 1/2 cup ketchup

  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar

  • 1/2 cup rock sugar, or granulated sugar

  • 1/2 tablespoon potato starch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water

  • Kosher salt, to taste

For the Pork Marinade:

  • 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon rice wine

  • 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

  • 3 tablespoons corn flour, or cornstarch

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

For the Stir-Fry:

  • 3 cups neutral cookingoil, for deep-frying the pork

  • 1 clove garlic, sliced

  • 1/2 small white onion, finely diced

  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch diamond shapes

  • 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch diamond shapes

  • 3 1/2 ounces fresh pineapple, or canned pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 1/2 tablespoon white sesame seeds, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Prepare Sweet and Sour Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (5)

  2. Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan and stir to mix evenly. Place over medium-high heat.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (6)

  3. Stirring constantly, bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the sauce, continuing to stir, until the texture has turned thick and sticky, about 25 minutes.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (7)

Marinate the Pork

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (8)

  2. Place the pork in a bowl and add both kinds of soy sauce, rice wine, five-spice powder, ground white pepper, and minced garlic; marinate for 10 minutes.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (9)

  3. Add the egg, corn flour, and all-purpose flour into the pork marinade and mix evenly. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (10)

Stir-Fry the Pork

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (11)

  2. Heat the oil to 325F/170 C in a wok or deep saucepan.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (12)

  3. Gently slide in some of the pork tenderloin cubes, without overcrowding, and deep-fry, in batches if necessary, until golden brown in color, stirring occasionally. Make sure the oil comes back up to temperature before each batch.

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  4. Place the cooked pork on a plate lined with a couple of sheets of paper towel.

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  5. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the wok and stir-fry the garlic and onion over medium-high heat until fragrant.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (15)

  6. Add the bell peppers and pineapple to the wok and stir-fry for a minute or two.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (16)

  7. Return the pork to the wok, along with the sweet and sour sauce, and mix evenly. You can add as much sweet and sour sauce as you prefer.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (17)

  8. Garnish with the sesame seeds. Serve with cooked white rice, if desired.

    Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (18)

Tip

  • You can test the oil temperature by dipping a chopstick into a little bit of the pork marinade and then putting it in the oil; if the oil immediately bubbles, then the temperature is correct.

What's the difference between light soy sauce and dark soy sauce?

Light soy sauce is the most common type usedin Chinese cooking and is what most North Americans would think of as "regular" soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is, as the name suggests, darker, richer, and sweeter in flavor, thanks to a longer aging period and the addition of caramel and sometimes molasses. For this recipe, if you only have light soy sauce in your pantry, feel free to use it in place of the dark soy sauce.

Recipe Variation

  • This recipe will not have the red tint found in typical Chinese restaurant sweet and sour dishes; if you would like your dish to look the same, add some red food coloring to the sauce.

Is sweet and sour pork unhealthy?

Because of the amount of ketchup, sugar, and pineapple in the recipe, the sugar content is higher compared to other Chinese dishes; there are 35 grams of sugar per serving in this sweet and sour pork, while in a recipe such as orange pork stir-fry there are only 5 grams. Therefore, it is best to eat this dish in moderation.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
571Calories
25g Fat
52g Carbs
34g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories571
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g32%
Saturated Fat 3g16%
Cholesterol 129mg43%
Sodium 852mg37%
Total Carbohydrate 52g19%
Dietary Fiber 2g7%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 121mg604%
Calcium 57mg4%
Iron 3mg15%
Potassium 829mg18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

  • Tomato
  • sweet and sour pork
  • dinner
  • chinese

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Make This Sweet and Sour Pork With Pineapple Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in sweet and sour pork? ›

Mix 1 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in cooked pork, celery mixture, and pineapple chunks with juice. Return to a boil, then mix in remaining1/4 cup water and cornstarch.

Where does sweet and sour pork with pineapple come from? ›

Sweet and sour pork is a Chinese dish particularly popular in Westernised Cantonese cuisine and may be found worldwide. Several provinces in China produce various dishes that claim to be the ancestor, including a traditional Jiangsu dish called “pork in a sugar and vinegar sauce” (糖醋里脊; pinyin: táng cù lǐjǐ).

How do Chinese make pork so tender? ›

How do you tenderise pork for stir fry? Velveting is a Chinese technique that helps keep meat tender during stir frying. Adding cornstarch and bicarb to your meat during the marinating process helps to coat your meat, giving it a velvety feel that makes the meat feel extra soft.

What is sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

While sweet and sour can be found in diverse forms in China, the American version builds upon the simple mixture of sugar, vinegar, and spices with the addition of fruit juice—most commonly pineapple—and ketchup, giving the sauce both its red hue and uniquely Western flavor.

What is another name for sweet and sour pork? ›

Sweet and sour pork (咕噜肉) sits among some of the most well-known Chinese dishes outside of China. It's widely believed to be a Cantonese dish, known colloquially as gú lóuh yuhk, which roughly translates to “ancient pork.”

What are the ingredients in no name sweet and sour sauce? ›

Ingredients: Water, Sugars (sugar, Plum Puree, Concentrated Pineapplejuice), Modified Corn Starch, White Vinegar, Tomato Paste, Salt,seasoning, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Red Bell Pepper Powder,beta-carotene Colour, Annatto Extract Colour.

What does pineapple juice do to pork? ›

Pineapple has an enzyme, bromelin, which is used to tenderize meat commercially and in the home. Its primary effect is to dissolve or degrade the connective tissues collagen and elastin.

Does pineapple tenderize pork? ›

Pineapples produce a mixture of several enzymes that can be used to tenderize meats.

Why cooks place fresh pineapple on meat before cooking it? ›

However, what many people do not know is pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain that softens muscle fiber. This enzyme reacts with the protein in the meat to break it down and increases the meat's potential to absorb more moisture. This is the reason why pineapple is one of the most preferred tenderizers.

What liquid tenderizes pork? ›

Then, if you want your pork to be extra tender, you can marinate it in a tenderizing marinade made with acids, like citrus juices, vinegar, or wine.

Does lemon juice make pork tender? ›

Lemons are highly acidic, making them a great meat tenderizer. A thick coating of lemon juice applied one hour before cooking will draw water from the meat, thus, improving the meat's texture. Adding too much of this marinade could actually toughen the meat.

How do I thicken sweet and sour sauce? ›

If the sauce isn't thick enough, you can add one more tablespoon of cornstarch and whisk it in. But remember, the sauce will thicken even more as it cools down. So only add more cornstarch if the sauce is way too thin. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

What is a substitute for vinegar in sweet and sour sauce? ›

Lemon or lime juice are the two most common substitutes for white vinegar. You can also use rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar but the taste of your sauce might be a tad different. Soy Sauce – I used low sodium.

How to thicken sweet and sour sauce without cornstarch? ›

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

What is sweet pork made of? ›

There are a few sweet pork recipes out there but I've found the best one to be this near-perfect imitation of Cafe Rio's sweet pork. The key ingredients are (besides pork, of course) Coca-Cola, brown sugar, chilis, enchilada sauce, and spices. Accept no substitutions!

What is a fact about sweet and sour pork? ›

The story goes that this dish was created in Chencun, a town in Shunde district, but was originally made with ribs rather than diced pork. Visiting foreigners loved it, but disliked the bones, so chefs started to cook it with the well-marbled pork shoulder.

What are the allergens in sweet and sour pork? ›

Sweet & Sour Pork Cantonese

ALLERGY Advice: This dish contains: Cereals Containing Gluten (wheat, rye, spelt, oats, kamut) Eggs Milk Sesame Sulphites & sulphur Dioxide (e.g. preservative food found in some dried fruit and wines) ..

What is Chinese sweet and sour chicken made of? ›

Sweet and sour chicken, one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes, is made of puffy, golden brown pieces of fried chicken nuggets with pineapple chunks, onion, bell pepper, carrot, and a side of iconic red, sweet and sour sauce.

References

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