Is There a Lighter, Brighter, Sweet-and-Sour Pork?

pork tenderloin

🥗Healthier: chicken breast

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Chicken is leaner, while pork shoulder is more economical.

cornstarch

🥗Healthier: arrowroot powder

💰Cheaper: flour

Arrowroot is a gluten-free thickener, while flour is often less expensive.

rice vinegar

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: white vinegar

Apple cider vinegar adds a fruity note, while white vinegar is typically cheaper.

ketchup

🥗Healthier: tomato puree

💰Cheaper: homemade tomato sauce

Tomato puree is lower in sugar, and homemade sauce can be cost-effective.

Cut boneless country style pork ribs into chunks and place in a bowl.

Season the pork with salt, pepper, soy sauce, sugar, and MSG, ensuring everything is nicely coated. Let it sit while preparing the sauce.

In a bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, pepper, ketchup, and MSG. Whisk together until dissolved. Add apple jelly as a substitute for hawthorn berries.

Coat the seasoned pork with corn starch or potato starch instead of heavy breading.

Heat oil in a wok until barely smoking. Add half of the pork to the wok, ensuring not to crowd it to avoid steaming.

Fry the pork for 5 to 7 minutes until it has a light crispy coating, then remove and set aside on a plate.

Repeat the frying process with the second half of the pork.

In the same wok, add fresh pineapple, red onion, and red bell pepper. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes, just enough to retain their crispness, then remove and set aside.

Pour the sauce into the wok and cook for 5 to 7 minutes to reduce, caramelize, and thicken the sauce.

Add the cooked pork back into the wok along with any juices from the plate. Stir to coat the pork with the sauce for about a minute.

Return the seared vegetables to the wok, mixing everything together for another minute until heated through.

Serve the sweet and sour pork, optionally with white rice to soak up the sauce.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens