Why It Works
- Marinating the pork with baking soda helps maintain it tender and juicy.
- Double-frying the pork ensures it’s tender but crisp, with a golden exterior that holds up even after it is tossed in sauce.
- A easy mixture of ketchup, vinegar, and sugar creates a well-balanced candy and bitter sauce that is shiny and fruity.
Candy and bitter pork (咕咾肉 or gū lǎo ròu) was one of many highlights of my college lunches after I was rising up in Beijing. It confirmed up within the smallest grid of the bento-style tray, normally with simply two shiny, golden items of meat nestled between chunks of bell pepper and pineapple. Its tiny portion solely made it extra treasured: two bites I regarded ahead to all morning. The pork was tender and juicy, the coating nonetheless crisp regardless of the sauce, and the entire thing had a candy, tangy brightness that reduce via the heaviness of the varsity day.
Years later, with choosy eaters at house and the standard weeknight dinner fatigue setting in, I discovered myself craving that very same taste and texture, with its stability of crispy and saucy, savory and candy. Recreating it at house turned out to be tougher than anticipated. The coating needed to keep crisp even after tossing the pork with the sauce, the greens wanted to be tender however nonetheless have some chew, and the pineapple had to supply simply sufficient of its tropical punch with out overwhelming the dish. And the sauce, arguably the center of all of it, needed to strike the appropriate chord: shiny, fruity, candy, and bitter with out tipping too far in any course.
A Dish With Deep Roots and International Evolution
The mixture of crisp fried pork, bell peppers, and pineapple could really feel distinctly Chinese language American at present, however the concept of pairing candy and tangy flavors with pork has deeper roots. In Guangdong province, which is taken into account the center of Cantonese delicacies, vinegar-and-sugar-based sauces have lengthy been used to coat lightly-fried fish, prawns, and pork, and different proteins. Pineapple, nonetheless, is a comparatively latest addition. It rose to recognition within the mid-Twentieth century, when contemporary and canned pineapple turned extensively out there in Chinese language eating places overseas and step by step discovered its approach into Cantonese kitchens in southern China and Hong Kong. Its vibrant colour and juicy, sweet-tart taste made it a pure match for the dish, and it will definitely turned a necessary a part of candy and bitter pork.
The sauce for gū lǎo ròu was historically flavored with dried hawthorn or salted dried plum, fruity and tangy parts which might be hallmarks of Cantonese cooking, particularly in dishes designed to enhance pork. Over time, many eating places started utilizing a mixture of ketchup, sugar, and vinegar to imitate that fruit-forward profile whereas additionally lending the dish its signature shiny, red-orange hue. It’s a shortcut, sure, however a intelligent one: simple to place collectively and remarkably well-balanced.
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Selecting the Proper Minimize of Pork
As for the pork itself, older recipes typically name for pork neck, prized for its wealthy taste and beneficiant marbling. However modern variations are inclined to favor leaner cuts, akin to pork loin or tenderloin, that are seen as extra approachable for house cooks. I lean towards pork tenderloin—it is simple to search out and work with, and stays tender when ready correctly. You may also make this dish with hen thighs.
Making a Balanced Marinade
As with many stir-fried meat dishes in Chinese language cooking, the pork right here will get a fast marinade earlier than cooking. This step seasons the meat and improves its texture. This marinade makes use of Chinese language cooking wine for depth and tenderness, baking soda to maintain the pork tender and juicy, and salt for seasoning. Floor white pepper provides a refined kick, whereas the eggs assist the coating persist with the pork. A small quantity of cornstarch helps the marinade cling to the meat, and a splash of oil helps every little thing combine evenly. The result’s pork that fries up flavorful and crisp, prepared to face as much as the daring sauce.
The Secret to Staying Crisp: A Dredge and Double Fry
The marinade lays the groundwork, however the actual problem is getting the coating good. Historically, candy and bitter pork is made with both a batter or a dredge. However after testing each approaches, I discovered that battered pork tends to melt rapidly as soon as it hits the sauce. To maintain the outside shatteringly crisp for longer, a well-built dredge is the best way to go.
Potato starch is my go-to right here. It fries up lighter and crunchier than wheat flour, and holds its texture higher over time. (If you do not have potato starch, cornstarch works properly too.) A little bit baking powder provides aeration, giving the crust a fragile puff.
The traditional technique for this dish typically requires a dredge-dip-dredge strategy: coating the meat in starch, dipping it briefly in chilly water, then dredging it once more. The water helps create an uneven floor, creating extra alternatives for crunchiness. However there is a intelligent shortcut, popularized by former Critical Eats editor Kenji in his Common Tso’s hen recipe, that offers you that very same craggy texture with only one transfer: As a substitute of dipping the coated meat in water, you merely combine a little bit of the marinade into the dredge itself. This creates small, damp clumps within the starch combination that cling to the pork and fry into the crispy crust you need.
To make sure the meat has an ultra-crispy, golden-brown exterior whereas remaining juicy and tender, it is necessary to fry the pork correctly—which implies double-frying, a way used to arrange many Chinese language fried dishes. Begin by frying the pork at a comparatively low temperature (about 325°F/163°C), in two batches to keep away from overcrowding the pan and dropping the oil temperature an excessive amount of. At this stage, you are not on the lookout for colour—you simply need the dredge to start to set, which takes about two minutes. Switch the pork to a plate to relaxation. This pause lets the pork cool barely and the permits floor moisture to evaporate, guaranteeing the second fry produces the crispiest attainable crust.
The subsequent fry occurs at 375°F (190°C). You fry the pork once more, nonetheless in batches, this time simply till the coating turns golden and deeply crisp. The excessive warmth offers the outside its signature crunch and creates a sturdy shell that holds up fantastically towards the sauce.
The result’s pork that is juicy on the within, crunchy on the surface, and nonetheless crisp even after it is tossed with the candy and bitter glaze. It is a texture that is properly value the additional step.
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How I Get Restaurant-High quality Crunch in My Weeknight-Pleasant Candy and Bitter Pork
Prepare dinner Mode
(Maintain display awake)
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12 ounces (340 g) pork tenderloin, reduce into 3/4-inch cubes (see notes)
For the Marinade:
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2 tablespoons (30 ml) Shaoxing wine
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1 giant egg plus 1 egg white
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1/4 teaspoon baking soda
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1/8 teaspoon floor white pepper
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1 tablespoon (15 ml) impartial oil, akin to peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
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2 teaspoons potato starch or cornstarch
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1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt, use half as a lot by quantity
For the Dredge:
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1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch (4 1/4 ounces; 120 g)
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1/4 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt, use half as a lot by quantity
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3 tablespoons (45 ml) marinade, from above
For the Stir-Fry:
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4 cups (960 ml) impartial oil, akin to peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
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170 g (6 ounces) pineapple, peeled, cored, and reduce into 1-inch items (from about 1/4 pineapple)
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1/2 giant inexperienced bell pepper (about 2 1/2 ounces; 70 g), roughly reduce into 1-inch items (see notes)
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1/2 giant purple bell pepper (about 2 1/2 ounces; 70 g), roughly reduce into 1-inch items (see notes)
For the Sauce:
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5 tablespoons (75 ml) ketchup
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2 tablespoons (30 ml) distilled white vinegar
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3 tablespoons (45 ml) water, divided
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2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (about 1 ounce; 27 g) granulated sugar
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1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt, use half as a lot by quantity
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1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
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White rice, for serving (non-compulsory)
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For the Marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk Shaoxing wine, egg, egg white, baking soda, white pepper, oil, potato starch or cornstarch, and salt to mix. Add pork and toss to coat evenly. Let sit for at the very least quarter-hour or as much as 2 hours within the fridge.
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For the Dredge: In a medium bowl, whisk potato starch or cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to mix. Add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of ready marinade to starch combination and, utilizing a fork, stir till small, pea-size clumps type, utilizing your fingers to interrupt up any giant items.
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Put aside a clear baking sheet or giant plate. Working one piece at a time, raise pork from the marinade, let any extra liquid drip again into the bowl, then switch to dredge, urgent gently to stick as a lot of the coating as attainable. Place the coated pork on the baking sheet or plate. Repeat with remaining pork.
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In a big wok, warmth oil to to 325°F (165°C). Working in batches to keep away from overcrowding, fry pork, adjusting warmth as vital to take care of temperature, till the coating units and simply begins to tackle colour, about 2 minutes per batch. Use a slotted spoon or spider skimmer to switch pork to a paper towel–lined plate; put aside.
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Improve oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Working in batches to keep away from overcrowding, fry pork once more, till deeply golden and crisp, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per batch. Use a slotted spoon or spider to switch pork to a paper towel-lined plate; put aside.
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Add bell peppers and pineapple to the new oil and fry till simply barely softened and blistered in spots, about 1 minute. Switch to a separate paper towel–lined plate to empty.
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For the Sauce: Utilizing oven mitts or a kitchen towel, fastidiously pour frying oil into a big heat-proof bowl or container, reserving 1 tablespoon within the wok. (Reserve leftover oil for an additional use.) Cut back warmth to medium. In a medium bowl, whisk ketchup, vinegar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water, sugar, and salt to mix. Add ketchup combination to the wok and prepare dinner, stirring continually, till the combination begins to bubble and sizzle.
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In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water to make a slurry. Stir slurry into the effervescent sauce and prepare dinner, stirring, till thickened and shiny, about 30 seconds. The sauce ought to coat a spoon and fall in thick ribbons.
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Add the fried pork, bell peppers, and pineapple to the wok. Toss rapidly however totally to evenly coat substances within the sauce. Serve instantly.
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Particular Gear
Giant wok (at the very least 12 inches), slotted spoon or spider, instant-read thermometer
Notes
Pork tenderloin is used right here for its ease and tenderness, however different cuts like pork loin and even boneless hen thighs could be substituted. Simply you’ll want to alter frying instances barely primarily based on the dimensions of the meat.
Historically, peppers are reduce into diamond shapes for his or her visible attraction. Slice off high and backside of the pepper, reduce via one aspect to open it up, take away the seeds and ribs, and press the pepper flat towards the reducing board. Slice the flattened pepper into 1-inch strips lengthwise. Engaged on one strip at a time, angle your knife at about 45° to make diagonal cuts.
Make-Forward and Storage
The pork could be marinated as much as 2 hours upfront and stored refrigerated.
Greens could be prepped and saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as a day.
The sauce substances could be blended (with out the cornstarch slurry) and stored refrigerated for as much as 3 days.
As soon as fried and sauced, the pork is greatest eaten instantly whereas the coating remains to be crisp. Leftovers could be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 2 days, however the texture will soften. To reheat, use an oven, toaster oven, or air fryer at 375°F to assist restore among the crispness. Keep away from microwaving, which can flip the coating soggy.