HappyCook80's Recipe

Sweet and Sour Pork Butt

Category: Recipes

Sweet and Sour Pork Butt

1 lb. boneless pork butt, well trimmed
2 tbsps. soy sauce
4 tsps. rice cooking wine, Shao Hsing preferred
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. plus 2 tbsps. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice or 2 cups fresh chunks and
1/2 cup juice
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup plus 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 1 inch slices ginger
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch squares

Cut the pork into 1 inch cubes. In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper and stir to mix thoroughly. Add pork to marinade and toss. Set aside briefly.

In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup cornstarch and flour. Drain the pork, reserving marinade. Lightly dredge the pork in the cornstarch mixture and set aside on a plate.

Drain the pineapple chunks, reserving 1/2 cup juice. In a medium bowl, combine pineapple juice, ketchup, vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and the reserved marinade, and stir to combine. Set the sweet and sour sauce aside.

In a flat-bottomed wok or skillet, heat 1 cup vegetable oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully add half the pork, spreading it in the wok. Cook undisturbed 1 to 2 minutes, letting pork begin to brown. Then, using a slotted metal spoon, carefully turn pork until it is browned on all sides but not cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate lined with several thicknesses of paper towels and repeat with remaining pork. Carefully pour the oil out of the wok and set aside to cool.

Wash the wok and dry thoroughly. Heat the wok over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and ginger slices and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add the green pepper and
stir-fry 1 minute or until pepper is bright green. Add reserved pineapple chunks and swirl the sweet and sour sauce into the wok.
Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly until just thickened, about 1 minute. Add the pork and cook, stirring 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pork is just cooked through. Serve immediately with rice.
Serves 4 to 6.