Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork
fromcarlsbadcravings.comcarlsbadcravings.com/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.
Ingredients
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.
