Description
Alton Brown’s sweet and sour pork elevates classic Chinese-American cuisine with crispy, tangy perfection. Perfectly balanced flavors and golden-brown pork pieces make this dish a memorable culinary experience for home cooks seeking restaurant-quality results.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound (454 grams) pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes
Seasoning and Coating:
- ¼ cup (30 grams) flour, plus seasoned flour for dredging
- ¼ cup (30 grams) cornstarch
- ⅔ cup (160 milliliters) soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- Kosher salt and pepper
Sauce and Vegetables:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) ketchup
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) sugar
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) red wine vinegar
- 1 ounce (28 grams) honey
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) vegetable oil
- ½ tablespoon (7.5 milliliters) sesame oil
- ⅓ cup large diced Vidalia onion
- ⅓ cup large diced celery
- ⅓ cup carrots sliced ¼-inch thick, on a bias
- ⅓ cup large diced red bell pepper
- ⅓ cup large diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large non-reactive mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, minced ginger, crushed garlic, flour, and cornstarch to create a flavorful marinade base.
- Generously season the pork with salt and black pepper, ensuring even coating throughout the meat.
- Thoroughly toss the pork pieces within the marinade mixture, guaranteeing complete coverage and deep flavor infusion.
- Refrigerate the marinated pork for a minimum of 12 hours, allowing the ingredients to penetrate and tenderize the meat.
- Remove the pork from the refrigerator and drain excess marinade, patting the pieces dry with paper towels.
- Prepare a seasoned flour mixture by combining all-purpose flour with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Carefully coat each pork piece in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess for a light, even coverage.
- Heat vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C) in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan, ensuring consistent temperature.
- Fry the flour-coated pork pieces in small batches, turning occasionally to achieve a uniform golden-brown exterior.
- Transfer the fried pork to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil, then move to a warm serving dish.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, granulated sugar, tomato ketchup, and honey to create a vibrant sweet-tangy sauce.
- In a small roasting pan, combine canola and sesame oils, heating them to release their aromatic qualities.
- Add the crispy pork pieces and selected vegetables to the pan, then pour the prepared sauce mixture over them.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, allowing the pork to become tender and absorb the sauce’s rich flavors.
Notes
- Soak pork in a glass or ceramic container to prevent metallic taste interactions.
- Choose high-quality, fresh pork tenderloin for maximum tenderness and flavor absorption.
- Check marinade ingredients balance sweet, salty, and acidic components for depth.
- Pat meat completely dry before coating to achieve maximum crispiness.
- Allow excess marinade to drip off to prevent soggy breading.
- Monitor oil temperature with a digital thermometer for precision.
- Rest fried pork on wire rack to maintain crunchiness and prevent sogginess.
- Slice against meat grain for most tender bites.
- Refrigerate leftover pork within two hours of cooking.
- Reheat in oven to preserve crispy exterior.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 1000 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg