The Best Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe (Guo Bao Rou)
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Northern Chinese Sweet and Sour Pork (锅包肉) is different than the Cantonese Sweet and Sour Pork. The coating is much thinner, the color is lighter, and there is much less sauce, so the pork can stay crispy.
Ingredients
For marinating the pork
- 350g / 12.3 oz pork loin
- 2.9g / ½ tsp of salt
- 1.5g / ½ tsp garlic powder
- 0.6g / ¼ tsp of ground white pepper
- 1.2 / ¼ tsp of baking soda
- 21g / 1.5 Tbsps of Chinese cooking wine
For the sweet and sour sauce
- 50g / ¼ cup sugar
- 2.5g / 1 tsp cornstarch
- 38g / 2.5 Tbsps of water
- 40g / 2.5 Tbsps vinegar
- 2.1g / ⅜ tsp salt
Others
- 120g / 1 cup cornstarch
- 180g / ¾ cup water
- 330g / 1.5 cups oil to deep-fry
- 9g / 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 13.5g / 1.5 Tbsps julienned ginger
- 8g / 2 Tbsp julienned scallion for garnish
Directions
- Slice the pork loin into ⅛-inch thick slices. Souped Up Swap: While this recipe is traditionally made with pork loin, pork belly also works; it is even more crunchy and delicious.
- Add the pork, salt, garlic powder, ground white pepper, baking soda, and Chinese cooking wine to a nonreactive mixing bowl and combine well. Set it aside for 15 minutes.
- Combine all the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce into a bowl and set it aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water until it becomes a smooth, thick batter. Then combine the marinated pork with the batter and mix until the meat is coated nicely.
- Add oil to a wok and bring it to 380°F / 193°C over medium heat. Unfold the pork slices and drop them in the oil one by one. Fry them for a few minutes or until they are lightly golden. Chef’s Secret: It is best to fry the pork in 2 batches so you don't crowd the wok.
- Remove the pork from the oil and rest on the side for 10 minutes.
- Increase the oil's temperature to 400°F / 204°C. Double-fry the pork over high heat for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the pork from the oil and set it aside.
- Pour out most of the oil from the wok but leave 1.5 tsps. Use the remaining oil to sauté the garlic slices and julienned ginger until fragrant. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce. Stir over medium heat until the sugar melts completely and the sauce thickens.
- Add the fried crispy pork and toss thoroughly. Garnish with the julienned scallions and serve as an appetizer.
