Sweet and Sour Pork (Chinese)
Sweet and sour pork is arguably one of the most popular Chinese dishes in North America, but as with most classic dishes, it's difficult to find a go-to recipe. This authentic recipe is from a New York restaurant chef. The pork is coated and fried until crispy, with tons of nooks and crannies that catch the sweet and sour sauce. You can use almost any cut of pork for sweet and sour pork, but pork tenderloin is a smart choice. The key to making a good sweet and sour pork is to make a crispy pork and a sauce that uses no added water. This ensures strong flavours that can clear your sinuses and satisfy any sweet tooth, not a watered down weak sauce that you get in a lot of restaurants and take-out places.
1 lb pork shoulder or pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized pieces (450 g)
2 Tbsp. water
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 tsp. oil
2 slices ginger, smashed
1 star anise
¼ cup tomato ketchup
1½ cups white vinegar (5% acidity or less)
½ cup sugar
Batter:
3 cups Canola oil, for frying
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 egg, beaten
Assembly:
1 Tbsp. oil
½ green bell pepper, cut into 1½" square pieces
½ red pepper, cut into 1½" square pieces
½ onion, cut into 1½" square pieces
1 (8 oz) can pineapple chunks, reserve juice
2 tsp. cornstarch, mixed into a slurry with 2 tsp. water
For the Marinade:
Add the marinade ingredients to the pork, and mix everything together until there is no visible liquid. Set aside for 30 minutes.
For the Sauce:
Add 1 teaspoon of oil, ginger slices, and star anise to a small saucepan over medium heat, and cook until the ginger starts to caramelize (about 1 minute). Next, add the ketchup. When that starts to sizzle, stir constantly until the ketchup starts to caramelize (about 2 minutes). Take care not to burn the aromatics and ketchup - this step is essential to give the sauce a deeper, more complex flavor.
Next, add the white vinegar, sugar, and the juice from the canned pineapple. Stir until the mixture starts to simmer, and the sugar is dissolved. Turn to the lowest heat and let the sauce simmer and reduce until the sauce just starts to coat a spoon (about 30 minutes). The sauce needs this time for the flavors to meld. The sauce can be cooled and stored at this time, and you can double or triple the amount and store the sauce away in the refrigerator for future meals.
Fry the Pork:
Heat 3 cups of oil to 350F in a small pot for frying. Using a small pot and frying in batches leaves you with less leftover oil to deal with. Always let the oil cool completely and use a fine mesh strainer to strain the oil before storing in the refrigerator.
Mix together the dredging ingredients (flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper) in a shallow dish. Dredge the pork pieces in the flour mixture, dip into the egg, and then dredge with the flour again.
Fry the pieces in batches for about 2 to 3 minutes, or when they just start to get golden brown. Remove them from the oil and transfer to a sheet pan with a slotted spoon or spider.
Once you're ready to combine everything, refry the pork in batches to crisp up the coating. That's right, they're going to fry for a second time - this prevents the pork from getting too soggy when added to the sauce.
For the Vegetables:
To a clean wok, add 1 Tbsp. oil, the bell peppers, and onions. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, and add the sauce and the pineapple. Bring the mixture to a simmer to further thicken the sauce. At this time, you will likely need to add some cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce further. Add half first and stir for 15 seconds; then decide if you need more. Remember the sauce will thicken more as it cools in the plate, so add only as much as you need.
Taste Test:
Taste the sauce and adjust to your desired sweet and tang by adding sugar or vinegar. Once you have it adjusted to your taste and the desired thickness, then add the pork and toss until the pieces are well-coated.
Serve immediately.