Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

For the pork chops
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 pound 1-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops, trimmed of any fat, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 red onion, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 red (or 1 red and 1 green) bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

For the brown rice
1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 cups chicken stock

1. To make the pork chops: Combine sherry, pepper, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of the sugar in a medium bowl. Add pork and gently toss until well coated. Let marinate in the refrigerator.

2. Stir together pineapple juice, ketchup, vinegar, the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, and remaining teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl until well combined.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned but still a little crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large dish. Heat another tablespoon of the oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned but still a little crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the same dish.

4. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the pork cubes, arranging in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the cubes over and cook until a golden-brown crust forms on the other side, about 1 1/2 minutes. Return onion and peppers to the pan and toss to combine. Add pineapple juice mixture and cook, stirring, until sauce evenly coats everything and thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

5. To make the brown rice: In a saucepan, bring the stock to a boil and add the rice. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the grains and serve.


Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user A1KAYOS.