Quick Answer
Sweet and sour pork should arrive with a light coating of sauce, not sit in a deep pool. Prepare the sauce and vegetables before frying so the pork can go straight from the rack to the final toss.
Basic Facts
- Three servings; pork shoulder; double-fry method; oil thermometer, deep pan and draining rack.
Ingredients
For 285 g sliced pork shoulder: 1 tsp garlic salt, 1 tbsp light soy, half a beaten egg, 2 tbsp flour and 3 tbsp cornstarch. Add 85 g bell pepper, 55 g onion and 115 g pineapple. Sauce: 4 tbsp ketchup, 4 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp cornstarch, half a tsp salt and 2 tbsp water.
Coat without leaving bare patches
Mix pork with garlic salt, soy and egg. Work in flour, then coat individual pieces in cornstarch. Shake away loose starch. Mix the sauce separately and cut peppers, onions and pineapple into bite-size pieces.
Fry in small batches
Use a deep pan with empty headroom, neutral refined oil suitable for frying, an oil thermometer and dry utensils. For the source’s 1/4-1/2-inch pork slices, fry at 300-350 F (149-176 C) for an initial 7-8 minutes in small batches. Drain. Its second fry is 400 F (204 C) for 1-2 minutes; never heat oil beyond the manufacturer’s limit. Verify pork reaches 145 F (63 C) and rests three minutes before eating.
Bring the sauce together last
Briefly stir-fry the vegetables. Stir the sauce again to lift settled starch, then heat until it thickens. Add pineapple and fried pork and toss just long enough to coat. Serve immediately with rice, keeping spare sauce separate.
Quick reference
Taste the sauce before raw pork contacts it. If it tastes too sweet, adjust vinegar a little at a time. A thick sauce need not be a large quantity: spoon in enough to coat and stop rather than emptying the pan over the pork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without deep-frying?
Yes, but an oven or air-fryer version has a different coating and texture. Do not use deep-fry timing as an oven instruction.
Why does the crust soften after serving?
The wet sauce contacts the starch coating. Toss at the last moment and avoid holding finished pork in the sauce.
Related cooking and sources
For another dish at the table, see cantonese sauces guide and cantonese stir fried vegetables recipe.
Recipe basis: Made With Lau recipe and illustrated method. Food safety: USDA thermometer guidance, FDA safe food handling and USDA leftovers guidance. Cooking times are checkpoints; a thermometer determines meat doneness.