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How to Make Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin

Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin is one of China's classic traditional dishes. It is made primarily with pork tenderloin, seasoned with flour, starch, vinegar, and other ingredients. The dish is sweet and tangy, stimulating the appetite. It is featured in Shaanxi, Henan, Zhejiang, Shandong, Sichuan, Huaiyang, Cantonese, and Fujian cuisines.

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★★

Essential Ingredients and Tools

  • Pork tenderloin
  • Vinegar
  • White sugar
  • Starch
  • Egg
  • Light soy sauce
  • Cooking wine
  • Oyster sauce
  • Tomato sauce
  • White pepper powder
  • Salt

Measurements

Per serving:

  • Pork tenderloin: 500g
  • Vinegar: 10g
  • White sugar: 30g
  • Starch: 50g
  • Egg: 50g
  • Light soy sauce: 10ml
  • Cooking wine: 20g
  • Oyster sauce: 10g
  • Tomato sauce: 30ml
  • White pepper powder: 5g
  • Salt: 10g

Instructions

  • Marinating the meat: Slice the pork tenderloin into thick pieces and pound them with the back of a knife to tenderize the meat. Cut into strips about the thickness of a finger. Add cooking wine, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, white pepper powder, and one egg. Mix well by hand and marinate for at least 20 minutes.
  • Preparing the sauce: Mix tomato sauce, 10g vinegar, 30g white sugar, and 150ml water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
  • Coating: Coat all the meat strips with starch before frying to avoid rushing during the cooking process. Prepare a large bowl with starch and thoroughly coat each strip of meat.
  • Frying: Heat oil to 160°C. Test the temperature by placing a dry chopstick in the oil; small bubbles around it indicate it's ready.
  • Fry until the surface is slightly yellow, then remove. Maintain medium heat throughout. Once the oil temperature rises to 200°C, fry the tenderloin again for just 40 seconds to make the crust crispy, then remove immediately.
  • Coating with sauce: In a separate pan, add a little oil and pour in the prepared sauce. Bring to a boil until it bubbles, then add the fried tenderloin. Stir-fry to ensure each piece is evenly coated with the sauce.
  • Toss the fried pork tenderloin in the sauce, turn off the heat, and serve.

Additional Notes

  • Fry the tenderloin multiple times, paying attention to the heat control, to achieve the desired crispy outside and tender inside texture.
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If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvement while following this guide, please submit an Issue or Pull request.