Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork (Takeout Style)
Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork (Takeout Style)
Ingredients
For the Pork
- 1 1/2 pounds pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces
For the Pork Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup water, or as needed
For Coating and Frying
- 1 cup cornstarch, for coating
- 4 cups frying oil, such as vegetable or canola, or as needed for deep frying
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 drop red food coloring, optional
For the Vegetables
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
For Thickening the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the pork batter: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg and 1/2 cup water. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing by hand, until a smooth, thick batter forms. Adjust water as needed to reach a pancake-like consistency.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add the pork loin pieces to the prepared batter. Mix thoroughly by hand until all the pork pieces are evenly coated. Ensure each piece is separated.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Prepare a tray or shallow dish with 1 cup of cornstarch. Transfer the battered pork pieces to the cornstarch. Mix the pork and cornstarch by hand, ensuring every piece is separated and fully coated. This step is crucial for crispiness.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Heat the frying oil in a wok or large heavy-bottomed pot over high heat until it reaches 350-375°F (175-190°C).
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Carefully add the cornstarch-coated pork pieces to the hot oil in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the wok. Fry the pork until it is crispy golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Maintain a high heat to ensure crispiness.
⏱️ 8 min
- 6
While the pork is frying, prepare the sweet and sour sauce: In a Pyrex measuring cup or small bowl, combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup water, granulated sugar, white vinegar, and red food coloring (if using). Stir well to mix all ingredients.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Once a batch of pork is crispy, add a portion of the chopped bell peppers and onions directly into the hot oil with the pork. Cook briefly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until slightly softened but still crisp.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Using a large slotted spoon or spider, quickly remove the crispy pork and vegetables from the hot oil and transfer them to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil. Repeat steps 5 and 7 with remaining pork and vegetables.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Carefully pour out most of the frying oil from the wok, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Return the wok to medium-high heat. Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the hot wok. The sauce will bubble vigorously.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Prepare the potato starch slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon potato starch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add the potato starch slurry to the bubbling sauce in the wok, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens to a glossy, syrupy consistency.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Add the drained crispy pork and vegetables back into the thickened sweet and sour sauce in the wok. Perform a quick toss to coat all the pork and vegetables evenly with the sauce. Work quickly to maintain crispiness.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Serve the crispy sweet and sour pork immediately on a plate, ideally with steamed rice.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork (Takeout Style)
For the Pork
- 1 1/2 pounds pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces
For the Pork Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup water, or as needed
For Coating and Frying
- 1 cup cornstarch, for coating
- 4 cups frying oil, such as vegetable or canola, or as needed for deep frying
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 drop red food coloring, optional
For the Vegetables
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
For Thickening the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the pork batter: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg and 1/2 cup water. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing by hand, until a smooth, thick batter forms. Adjust water as needed to reach a pancake-like consistency.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add the pork loin pieces to the prepared batter. Mix thoroughly by hand until all the pork pieces are evenly coated. Ensure each piece is separated.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Prepare a tray or shallow dish with 1 cup of cornstarch. Transfer the battered pork pieces to the cornstarch. Mix the pork and cornstarch by hand, ensuring every piece is separated and fully coated. This step is crucial for crispiness.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Heat the frying oil in a wok or large heavy-bottomed pot over high heat until it reaches 350-375°F (175-190°C).
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Carefully add the cornstarch-coated pork pieces to the hot oil in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the wok. Fry the pork until it is crispy golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Maintain a high heat to ensure crispiness.
⏱️ 8 min - 6
While the pork is frying, prepare the sweet and sour sauce: In a Pyrex measuring cup or small bowl, combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup water, granulated sugar, white vinegar, and red food coloring (if using). Stir well to mix all ingredients.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Once a batch of pork is crispy, add a portion of the chopped bell peppers and onions directly into the hot oil with the pork. Cook briefly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until slightly softened but still crisp.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Using a large slotted spoon or spider, quickly remove the crispy pork and vegetables from the hot oil and transfer them to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil. Repeat steps 5 and 7 with remaining pork and vegetables.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Carefully pour out most of the frying oil from the wok, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Return the wok to medium-high heat. Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the hot wok. The sauce will bubble vigorously.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Prepare the potato starch slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon potato starch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add the potato starch slurry to the bubbling sauce in the wok, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens to a glossy, syrupy consistency.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Add the drained crispy pork and vegetables back into the thickened sweet and sour sauce in the wok. Perform a quick toss to coat all the pork and vegetables evenly with the sauce. Work quickly to maintain crispiness.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Serve the crispy sweet and sour pork immediately on a plate, ideally with steamed rice.