Sweet and Sour Pork Loin 糖醋里脊
This Sweet and Sour Pork Loin recipe features crispy, golden pork strips coated in a tangy, homemade sauce made with ketchup, vinegar, and sugar. Easy to make at home and better than takeout.
Ingredients
For the pork
- 2 boneless pork chops around 400g
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 5 slices of ginger
- 2 tbsp beer or water if you don’t have beer
For the batter
- 50 g cornstarch
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder about 1g
- 100 ml water just enough for a thick but runny consistency
- 1 tbsp oil to prevent sticking
For frying
- Neutral oil like vegetable or canola, enough for deep frying
For the sauce (4-3-2-1 ratio)
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp white rice vinegar
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
To finish
- Toasted sesame seeds optional but highly recommended
Instructions
- Start by pounding the pork chops to tenderize them. Then slice into bite-sized strips.
- In a bowl, mix the pork strips with ginger, white pepper, salt, sugar, and beer. Let it marinate for 20 minutes while you prepare the batter.
- In another bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, and baking powder. Slowly add water until you get a batter that is runny but thick enough to coat the meat. Add the oil to help prevent sticking.
- Add the marinated pork to the batter and mix well so each piece is fully coated.
- Heat your oil to 325°F or 160°C. Drop in the pork one piece at a time. Don’t touch them for the first two minutes. This helps the coating set properly. Then carefully separate each piece, or do it later in a plate.
- After 3 to 4 minutes total, when the pork starts to float and turns pale golden, take them out and place on a plate or wire rack.
- Now raise the oil temperature to 375°F or 190°C. Fry the pork again for 90 seconds until golden and crispy.
- In a bowl, mix ketchup, water, sugar, and rice vinegar. Add the cornstarch slurry.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan or wok. Give the sauce a quick stir again, then pour it in. Stir and let it come to a bubble until it slightly thickens.
- Add the crispy pork strips to the sauce. Toss quickly so everything is well coated.Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve right away for the best crunch.