This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Sweet and sour pork is a staple when going out for Chinese food. There are never any leftovers and it goes perfectly with a large bowl of rice. One of the key characteristics of this dish is the tangy sauce partnered with sweet pineapples. Typically the pork is battered and fried for extra crunch but this version is slightly healthier using an air fryer instead. This is also extremely easy and can be put together in under 35 minutes.
Cut of meat for sweet and sour pork
Sweet and sour pork calls for the use of pork shoulder/butt. The reason is because pork shoulder typically has a decent amount of marbling and fat which is perfect for flavor. It is also more difficult to overcook. This is similar to chicken thighs vs breasts.
What is HP sauce?
HP sauce is a type of thick and tangy steak sauce popularized in the UK. It can be compared to and substituted with A1 steak sauce. Here is what it looks like.
Type of fruits and vegetables in sweet and sour pork
Red bell peppers: 1 red bell pepper cut up into squares is what I used. You can obviosly use other colors but the pepper adds a hint of crunch and sweetness to the dish that you need.
Yellow onion: Yellow onions are great for crunch but they also add an aromatic flavor to the entire plate.
Fresh pineapple: I used chopped fresh pineapple for this dish which is one of the KEY ingredients. By slightly cooking the pineapple, it releases their juices and adds so much sweetness to the dish. This pairs perfectly with the sourness of the sauce.
Sweet and Sour Pork
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork shoulder
- ¾ cup corn starch
- 1 small yellow onion, (coarsely diced)
- 1 red peppers, (coarsely diced)
- ½ cup diced pineapple, (coarsely diced)
Marinade:
- 1½ tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 1½ tbsp corn starch
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp white pepper
Sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup HP sauce
- 2½ tbsp sugar
- 1½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Cut up the pork into bite sized pieces.2 lbs pork shoulder
- Mix pork with soy sauce, sugar, corn starch, egg, and white pepper.1½ tbsp soy sauce, ½ tbsp sugar, 1½ tbsp corn starch, 1 large egg, 1 tsp white pepper
- Coat the pork in corn starch and let it sit on a wire rack for 10 minutes. This slightly hydrates the cornstarch which makes it brown evenly in the air fryer.¾ cup corn starch
- Spray with oil and air fry at 400F for 13 minutes.
- Into a hot pan add 1 tbsp oil along with your chopped onions and peppers. Stir 1 minute.1 small yellow onion, 1 red peppers
- Add ketchup, HP sauce, sugar, and worcestershire sauce. cook until begins to bubble (2 minutes).1 cup ketchup, ½ cup HP sauce, 2½ tbsp sugar, 1½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Let the sauce warm up then add all of the cooked pork into the pan. Stir to combine.
- Add chopped pineapples. Turn off heat and stir once more.½ cup diced pineapple
- Top with green onion and remember to eat this with rice!
If you enjoyed this recipe, check out some more here:
