Chinese sweet and sour pork 咕噜肉/咕老肉 is a traditional Chinese cuisine with a universal appeal. It is easy to prepare and kid-friendly, perfect for any busy home cook.

The crispy pork pieces are doused in a thick, spoon-coating sauce that constantly pulls between sweet and sour. The deep-fried pork is well balanced by the aesthetically pleasing combination of vegetables that will set your stomach growl.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy for more info. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How to make Chinese sweet and sour pork 咕噜肉- The step-by-step guide

This easy sweet and sour pork recipe is divided into five steps.

1. The sweet and sour pork marinate

1. Cut the pork into bite-size, about 2.5 cm (*1 inch) in length. Most Chinese restaurants use pork belly, but other cuts of pork, such as pork loin, pork shoulder, or collar butt, are less fatty. You can also use pork tenderloin (healthier), which is quite tender as long as you do not overcook it. I have a different, easy recipe for sweet and sour chicken, which you may want to replace pork with chicken.
2. Add the cornstarch, light soy sauce, and salt to marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes, preferably overnight, if time permits.
3. The cornstarch helps to bind the light soy sauce to the pork. The light soy sauce improves the flavor, especially the meat’s interior, since the sauce is only on the surface of the pork when serving.

2. Prepare the dry coating for deep frying

Prepare the dry coating as indicated in the recipe note section. The dry coating helps crisp up the crust from the surface, making it highly crispy and able to withstand the moisture from the sauce drizzling on it while serving.

The all-purpose flour absorbs most of the moisture from the pork. Cornstarch is the main ingredient that makes things crispy. Salt is mainly for seasoning, and baking powder further helps to expand the surface, releasing more moisture and making it crackling crisp. (As with other deep-frying dishes,  it will lose the crispiness sometime after frying.)

Here are the steps to deep-fry the pork:

1. After marinating the pork, mix the dry coating ingredients with the pork and shake off the excess.
2. Heat some vegetable oil, about half an inch deep,  with a high smoking point in a pan. 
3. Place the pork cover with the dry coating into the pan. 
4. Deep-fry at medium-high heat for about four minutes, turning the meat over occasionally. A wok is a good substitute for a deep fryer.
5. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and drain it on a paper towel when golden brown.

3. Cut the vegetables into bite-size

1. Fresh vegetables contrast the deep-fried pork and the sauce, which has a strong savory flavor. Cucumbers, onions, and fresh pineapple are the most common vegetables for Chinese sweet and sour pork. They are cut into bite-size chunks or pieces and stir-fried briefly to maintain freshness and crunchiness. Bell peppers are also suitable for this recipe.
2. When fresh pineapple is unavailable, you can use pineapple chunks or canned pineapple. In this case, include some pineapple juice from the can to make a difference.
3. You can also consider red peppers, green onions, and diced tomatoes.

4. Make the sweet and sour sauce

The sweet and sour sauce sets apart one recipe from another.

Although you can prepare the sweet and sour sauce by combining only rice vinegar and sugar, it can be formulated with various ingredients for more flavors.

This recipe’s Chinese sweet and sour pork sauce consists of ketchup, Chinese plum sauce, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. It gives the pork the perfect balance of sweetness and sourness. You can substitute lemon juice with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.

Variations

1. Substitute part of the ketchup with chili sauce to make it spicy. Ketchup is sweet and sour, but the Chinese plum sauce provides most of the unique flavor in this formula. Alternatively, substitute the ketchup with tomato paste.
2. Adjust the sourness by adding more lemon juice and sweetness with brown sugar or honey.
3. Measure the required amount of each ingredient only for this recipe (see the notes section of the recipe for details), but I strongly suggest making more and keeping some in the future. It is freezer-friendly and can be kept for a few months. Another way is to use store-bought sweet and sour sauce to save time, but nothing is better than those prepared at home.

Note: This sweet and sour sauce is also great for cooking other Chinese food, such as pork chops and spare ribs, using the same method as the small pork pieces in this recipe. The sauce is freezer-friendly. I suggest portioning it with small airtight containers and keeping the extra in the freezer. It can be kept for two to three months.

5. Combine all the ingredients

1. Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil into the wok. 
2. Saute the onion, pineapple, cucumber, and stir-fry for half a minute. You can also use a pan, as this recipe only requires medium heat. A cast iron wok is the best utensil for stir-frying anything with high heat, such as fried rice.
3. Add the sauce to the vegetable when it starts to turn soft. Continue stir-frying in a large skillet or wok until the sauce boils.
4. Turn off the heat and return the deep-fried pork to the wok. Have a few quick stirs and flips to let the sauce cover the pork. I do not stir fry the pork with the sauce as it will lose its crispiness. The thick sauce will cling to the pork to form a glossy finish. Dish out and serve. You may also sprinkle some sesame seeds on it right before serving.

It is best served with white rice.

Cook’s note 1: Different ways to deep-fried pork

I have been cooking sweet and sour pork for many years in a Chinese restaurant and have tried several ways to simplify the method and make it tastier and crispier. For example, my previous recipe involved dipping the marinated pork into a thick batter before frying it and making the sauce only when required. All these have changed in this new sweet and sour pork recipe.

1. Recently, I realized that using dry coating works better than wet coating for Chinese sweet and sour pork. I wet-coated the pork in a batter of flour and egg before frying in my old recipe, creating a crispy but delicate crust that becomes soggy quickly when doused in the sauce. In the new recipe, I coat the meat with flour and cornstarch, which can withstand the moisture from the sauce longer. Hence, the pork is still crispy when serving, even with some delay if I coat the meat with the dry coating method. In addition, the dry coating material can be prepared in advance in a large amount, which saves time.

2. I also prepare the sweet and sour sauce and divide it into the amount required for 500g of meat (my usual portion).  This sauce can be stored in the freezer for two to three months without noticeable change. I must defrost it whenever I want to cook sweet and sour pork, chicken, or tofu again. So again, this is another time-saving way that I strongly recommend.

With this in mind, I have updated the recipe and added some new images. The homemade sweet and sour sauce and dry coating mix are now my kitchen’s standard items. The preparation method is in the recipe notes section below.

Cook’s note 2: Deep-frying vs. air-frying

I recently tried using an air fryer instead of deep-frying it. Air frying makes the food healthier, less messy, and faster. However, it will not always be as crispy as deep-frying. This is a trade-off to consider, and sometimes, it is worth using the air fryer, especially when prioritizing convenience and health.