Sweet & Sour Pork Stir-Fry

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4.9 of 5 (12)

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 312.7

Total Fat: 9.7 g
Cholesterol: 41.6 mg
Sodium: 73.5 mg
Total Carbs: 38.6 g
Dietary Fiber: 3.3 g
Protein: 17.3 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Sweet & Sour Pork Stir-Fry calories by ingredient

Introduction

This is my basic Sweet & Sour stir-fry recipe. I cook this for us fairly often but it is also very versatile and can be easily altered to suit your particular needs or taste. If you like the sauce sharper add more vinegar, if you like it sweeter add more sugar. This recipe is low-sodium, but if you would prefer, you may use regular ketchup and add salt or soy sauce to your taste.

Big Batch Variation: I often do a variation of this recipe in a large batch for family get-togethers. When I’m cooking this for a lot of people I usually cook my sauce first in a big heavy stewpot or dutch oven on the stove. The only difference in the sauce for the big batch is that I add a can of low sodium chicken broth (or homemade) and double the rest of the sauce ingredients, especially the cornstarch, to thicken the extra liquid. I leave the sauce on low in the stew-pot and fry each ingredient separately in my frying pan, adding each one to the stew-pot as I go. I start with the meat until it’s completely cooked and golden brown, then move on through each of the vegetables until everything is cooked and warming in the big pan. I usually do dense vegetables first and delicate ones last to keep the latter from getting overly abused and over done.

Substitutions: You may substitute chicken or even meat-balls made with ground beef or turkey for the pork. If using meatballs cook them separately ahead of time and add them to the vegetables with the pineapple chunks until everything is evenly hot. Preheat the meatballs in the microwave or oven if necessary. I have often done a super sweet version of sweet & sour meatballs for cocktail parties, but it’s not healthy enough for an every-day meal. (You use a little more ketchup and vinegar, and a lot more sugar until the sauce is almost a glaze or syrup.) You may substitute green onions for the regular onions but they cook quicker so add them after the green peppers have had a chance to cook a bit.

Additions: Other additions that work well with this recipe include broccoli, celery, bok choy, zucchini, other sweet peppers, mushrooms, cashews or peanuts. If you add nuts they should be stir-fried too along with the other vegetables to improve their texture.
This is my basic Sweet & Sour stir-fry recipe. I cook this for us fairly often but it is also very versatile and can be easily altered to suit your particular needs or taste. If you like the sauce sharper add more vinegar, if you like it sweeter add more sugar. This recipe is low-sodium, but if you would prefer, you may use regular ketchup and add salt or soy sauce to your taste.

Big Batch Variation: I often do a variation of this recipe in a large batch for family get-togethers. When I’m cooking this for a lot of people I usually cook my sauce first in a big heavy stewpot or dutch oven on the stove. The only difference in the sauce for the big batch is that I add a can of low sodium chicken broth (or homemade) and double the rest of the sauce ingredients, especially the cornstarch, to thicken the extra liquid. I leave the sauce on low in the stew-pot and fry each ingredient separately in my frying pan, adding each one to the stew-pot as I go. I start with the meat until it’s completely cooked and golden brown, then move on through each of the vegetables until everything is cooked and warming in the big pan. I usually do dense vegetables first and delicate ones last to keep the latter from getting overly abused and over done.

Substitutions: You may substitute chicken or even meat-balls made with ground beef or turkey for the pork. If using meatballs cook them separately ahead of time and add them to the vegetables with the pineapple chunks until everything is evenly hot. Preheat the meatballs in the microwave or oven if necessary. I have often done a super sweet version of sweet & sour meatballs for cocktail parties, but it’s not healthy enough for an every-day meal. (You use a little more ketchup and vinegar, and a lot more sugar until the sauce is almost a glaze or syrup.) You may substitute green onions for the regular onions but they cook quicker so add them after the green peppers have had a chance to cook a bit.

Additions: Other additions that work well with this recipe include broccoli, celery, bok choy, zucchini, other sweet peppers, mushrooms, cashews or peanuts. If you add nuts they should be stir-fried too along with the other vegetables to improve their texture.

Minutes to Prepare: 20

Minutes to Cook: 30

Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 pound pork loin (cubed)

2 tbsp oil

3 medium carrots

1 large bell pepper

1 large onion

1 15oz can of pineapple packed in juice (reserve juice)

1 can of diced water chestnuts

4 tbsp brown sugar

4 tbsp ketchup (low sodium)

2 tbsp white vinegar

½ cup water

2 tbsp corn starch

Directions

Trim and cube 1 pound of pork loin. Set aside.

Wash & peal carrots and cut into ¼ inch slices. Peal onions, wash and seed bell pepper, and cut both into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Drain the water chestnuts, discarding the liquid.

Drain the can of pineapple, reserving all the juice.

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, and ketchup. Slowly whisk in pineapple juice to avoid lumps and dissolve the sugar and ketchup. Whisk in the vinegar then set aside.

Mix water and corn starch in a small bowl or a glass until starch is fully dissolved. Set aside.

Heat a frying pan or wok to medium/high. When the pan is hot coat with 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, add pork loin and stir-fry until completely cooked and golden brown. When the pork is done, but not over done add carrots, stir-fry about a minute. Add onions and green pepper keep stirring until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add drained water chestnuts. Now add pineapple juice mixture. If the corn starch water has seperated remix it to redistribute cornstarch, then drizzle into stir-fry while stirring together. When the sauce in the stir-fry is well mixed and turns thick and bubbly add the pine apple and continue to mix until the fruit is hot. Serve over rice.

Serves 6

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BLUEJEM.