Sweet and sour pork, made from scratch. Made with crispy pieces of battered pork, pineapple, onions and capsicum, tossed through a tangy sweet and sour sauce. Perfect for dinner and better than takeaway!

Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick and easy – everything can be prepped ahead and on the table in around 30 minutes.
- Simple pantry ingredients – canned pineapple and familiar condiments make the sweet and sour sauce. Add some pork and your favourite stir fry veggies from the fridge or freezer.
- Perfect for “takeaway” at home – serve it over homemade fried rice or steamed rice for the perfect takeaway experience. Or add some prawn gyoza, vegetable spring rolls, pork spring rolls or with cashew chicken as part of a larger Asian-inspired feast!
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. These photos are a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- Pork –Pork can become chewy when fried, so choose a good quality cut of pork with a good marbling of fat throughout. Scotch fillet or pork shoulder is recommended, as they have a good distribution of lean meat and fat and will remain juicy and tender when cooked. Pork loin can be used for a leaner option, but loin has less fat and will be drier and more chewy than fattier cuts. Cut the pork into even, bite-sized pieces. Keep them on the smaller side so that they cook through easily, without overcooking the batter.
- Canned pineapple – fresh pineapple can also be used, but canned pineapple is a more convenient option. Canned pineapple is already cut into pieces and the remaining juice is reserved to use in the sauce. If using fresh pineapple, you will need to reserve the juice or use some bottled pineapple juice for the sauce.
- Ketchup – adds to the tangy-sweet flavour of the sauce. Tomato ketchup or tomato sauce can be used.
- Shaoxing (Chinese wine) – used in both the pork marinade. Shaoxing can be found in supermarkets and Asian grocers. You can swap for mirin, if needed.
- Cornflour (corn starch) – used in both the marinade, the pork batter and to thicken the sauce. To make the batter, potato starch, rice flour or arrowroot can be used in place of cornflour.
- Onion and garlic – the flavour base of the stir fry.
- Capsicum – a mix of yellow and red capsicum/peppers add colour and flavour. Alternatively, use your favourite stir fry vegetables.
- White vinegar – adds the ‘sour’ element to the sauce. Rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can also be used.
- Soy sauce – light soy adds a salty note, to balance the sweet and sour elements of the sauce. It is also used in the pork marinade. Use light soy, rather than dark soy.
- Brown sugar – adds sweetness to the sauce. Add the full amount of sugar for balance, but add a little more to taste after, if needed.
- Chinese five spice – adds warmth and complexity to the sauce and marinade. It can be found in the spice aisle of supermarkets and in Asian grocers.
- Oil – for frying. Choose an oil with a neutral flavour and high smoke point, like vegetable or canola oil. Avoid using olive oil or any oil with a lower smoke point.
Step by step instructions
Step 1 – Marinate the pork;
The first step is to marinate the pork pieces a mix of light soy, Chinese five spice, black pepper, Shaoxing (Chinese wine) and cornflour to tenderise the meat and lock in the flavours.
Leaving the pork to marinate overnight is best. But if you’re short on time, leave it covered in the fridge for as long as possible while you prepare the other ingredients.
Step 2 – Make the sweet and sour sauce;
To make homemade sweet and sour sauce for the stir fry, simply simmer all of the sauce ingredients (except the cornflour) together in a small saucepan for a few minutes, until combined and gently simmering.
The cornflour is then mixed with water and used as a thickening agent for the sauce. Add the cornflour-water mix and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, until the cloudiness from the cornflour disappears. When ready, the sauce should have a rich, dark and glossy appearance.
Test the sauce when it is done and if needed, adjust the vinegar or sugar amounts to taste.
Step 3- For the battered pork;
Make the batter by mixing the plain flour, cornflour and salt until just combined.
Add the eggs and 2-3 tablespoons of chilled water and whisk until just combined. Don’t overmix.
Add half of the pork and gently stir until the pork is completely covered by the batter. Once the first half is cooked, repeat with the remaining pork and batter.
Step 4 – Fry;
Fry the battered pork in canola or vegetable oil in a hot wok or frying pan. Cook in 2-3 batches and once cooked, add the pieces to a wire rack to drain.
Bite sized pieces of pork (around 2-3cm) should take around 2-4 minutes to cook through and by this time, the coating will be golden and crispy.
For extra crispy coating, let the pork rest for a few minutes and then return it to the hot oil for another 30 seconds – 1 minute. Return to the wire rack.
Step 5 – Stir fry;
Carefully remove most of the hot oil from the wok (add it to a saucepan to discard or reuse later) and return the wok to the heat.
Stir fry the onion and garlic together for 1-2 minutes, until tender. Add the capsicum and cook for a further minute.
Stir through the pineapple pieces.
Toss through the pork pieces and add the sweet and sour sauce. Quickly toss everything together until the pork pieces are coated in the sauce. Remove from the heat and serve immediately with fried or steamed rice.
Expert tips
- Marinate the pork overnight, where possible. If you want to prepare and eat it right away, marinate the pork for as long as possible (at least 15-30 minutes) while you prepare the other ingredients. This will allow the flavours to infuse into the pork pieces.
- Measure the sauce ingredients accurately, so that the sweet and sour elements are balanced. Once the sauce is simmering, you can adjust by adding more sugar or vinegar to taste.
- Don’t overmix the batter – this will cause it to become gummy and soak in extra oil when frying, causing it to become soggy.
- Serve immediately – the pork will lose its crispness if left in the sauce for too long. Quickly add the crispy pork to the pan and toss it through the sauce. Once everything is well coated, remove it from the heat and serve right away.
- Don’t overcook the pork – bite-sized pieces should only take 2-3 minutes to cook all the way through. Too long in the oil and the pork will become tough. Pork is cooked through when it reaches 70 C at the centre.
- Drain the pork on a wire rack, rather than a plate lined with paper towel. Paper towel can make the batter soggy by trapping steam underneath the pork.
- The pork can be double fried to produce extra crispy batter. This is an optional step. Once the pork has been deep fried, remove it from the oil and place on a wire rack for a few minutes to cool. Then, return it to the oil to re-fry for about 30 seconds – 1 minute.
- Serve with steamed rice, fried rice or as part of an Asian-inspired feast.
FAQs
I don’t recommend cooking the pork ahead of time (it will lose its crisp texture). However all of the elements can be prepared ahead of time, ready to fry and eat. To get a head start on dinner, you can marinate the pork and keep it covered in the fridge. Slice the vegetables and make the sweet and sour sauce. Then, everything is ready to batter, fry and serve. The sauce will keep in a container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Sweet and sour pork is best eaten fresh, immediately after cooking. But leftovers can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The batter will lose its crispness when stored this way, but will still taste amazing. Reheat in a wok or microwave until steaming hot.
There are a number of factors that can make batter soggy. The main causes are; overworking the batter or not sufficiently heating the oil.
Plain (all purpose) flour contains gluten. If you over-whisk the batter, gluten will develop. This can make the batter gummy and absorb extra oil when frying. Mix the batter only until mostly combined and don’t overwork it. It’s ok to have some lumps in the batter.
If the temperature of the oil is too low the batter will soak in extra oil and become greasy and soggy. Pre-heating the oil to the proper temperature (185 C/356 F) is essential for crisp batter.
Keep the batter coating light, rather than too thick. If the batter is coating the pork too thickly, it will become soggy.
It also helps to drain the fried pork on a wire rack, as placing it onto paper towel can trap steam, making the batter soggy.
Sweet and sour pork can be frozen for up to 3 months. The batter will lose its crisp texture, but it will still taste amazing. To freeze, allow it to cool completely and then place it into the freezer in a large batch, or divided into individual serves. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or stovetop until steaming hot.
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Battered Sweet and Sour Pork
Ingredients
For the pork marinade
- 600 grams pork scotch fillet (1.3 pounds). Use neck, shoulder or tenderloins. Cut into 2-3cm/bite sized pieces.
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice ground, flat teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine)
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
For the pork batter
- ¾ cup cornflour
- ¼ cup plain flour
- ½ – 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 2-3 tablespoons ice cold water
For the sweet and sour sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice reserved from canned pineapple
- pinch Chinese five spice ground
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
For the stir fry
- canola oil for frying
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- ½ red capsicum diced
- ½ yellow capsicum diced
- ½ cup canned pineapple drained. In chunks or pieces. Remember when draining the pineapple to reserve the pineapple juice for the sauce.
To serve
- steamed or fried rice
- sesame seeds
- spring onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cut the pork into bite sized pieces (approx. 2-3cm pieces) and place into a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the soy sauce, Chinese five spice, pepper, shaoxing (Chinese wine) and 1 tablespoon of cornflour and stir until combined.
- Cover and refrigerate to marinate (overnight is best, where possible, but otherwise as long as you can).
For the sweet and sour sauce
- Mix all of the sauce ingredients except for the cornflour together in a small saucepan over low heat and stir to combine.
- Bring to a low simmer, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
- Mix the cornflour with a few tablespoons of water and stir to remove the lumps.
- Add the cornflour slurry to the sauce and continue to gently simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and the cloudiness from the cornflour disappears. The sauce will look glossy, dark and smooth when ready.
- Set aside.
For the batter
- Whisk the cornflour, flour and salt in a mixing bowl to combine.
- Add the eggs and cold water and whisk until just combined. Don't overmix.
Wok/stove top instructions
- Place half of the pork into the batter and stir until completely coated.
- Pre-heat the oil in a wok to 185 °C/356 F. Fry the pork in batches, turning halfway until browned, crisp and cooked through (around 2-4 minutes).
- Coat the remaining pork in the remaining batter and repeat.
- Carefully remove the pork from the hot oil and place on a wire rack to drain. **The pork can be twice cooked in the hot oil after it has rested, if desired, for a crisper texture.
- Carefully remove the oil from the wok and return to the heat. (It can be poured into a pan to discard or reuse later).
- Add the onion and garlic and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, until tender and fragrant. Add the capsicum and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Add the pineapple pieces and stir until combined.
- Quickly add the battered pork pieces to the wok. Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the top and toss until combined.
- Remove from the heat and serve immediately over fried or steamed rice. Garnish with spring onion and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Marinate the pork overnight, where possible. If you want to prepare and eat it right away, marinate the pork for as long as possible (at least 15-30 minutes) while you prepare the other ingredients. This will allow the flavours to infuse into the pork pieces.
- Don’t overmix the batter – this will cause it to become gummy and soak in extra oil when frying, causing it to become soggy.
- Serve immediately – the pork will lose its crispness if left in the sauce for too long. Quickly add the crispy pork to the pan and toss it through the sauce and once everything is well coated, remove it from the heat and serve right away.
- Don’t overcook the pork – bite-sized pieces should only take 2-3 minutes to cook all the way through. Too long in the oil and the pork will become tough. Pork is cooked through when it reaches 70 C at the centre.
- Drain the pork on a wire rack rather than a plate lined with paper towel. Paper towel can make the batter soggy.
- The pork can be double fried to produce extra crispy batter. This is an optional step. Once the pork has been deep fried, remove it from the oil and place on a wire rack for a few minutes. Then, put it back in the oil to re-fry for about 30 seconds – 1 minute.
- Storage; Sweet and sour pork is best eaten fresh, immediately after cooking. But leftovers can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The batter will lose its crispness when stored this way, but will still taste amazing. Reheat in a wok or microwave until steaming hot.
- Freezing; Sweet and sour pork can be frozen for up to 3 months. The batter will lose its crisp texture, but it will still taste amazing. To freeze, allow it to cool completely and then place it into the freezer in a large batch, or divided into individual serves. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or stovetop.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the stir fry being divided into 4 bowls, with one bowl being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings, rice or sides served with the stir fry.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
Nutrition
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in June 2020, but was re-published with new information, helpful tips and photos in January 2023.
Tim says
We used a 2.4 kg skinless pork shoulder and turned out great. Just added a little more ingredients thatn the 1800 gram recipe.Thank you so much.
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Tim! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to let me and other readers know how you went, I really appreciate it! Andrea 🙂