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Crispy Sweet & Sour Pork (Guo Bao Rou) | MasterClass | Authentic Restaurant Recipes

Crisp golden slices of pork tenderloin are coated in a luscious sweet and tangy glaze, delivering the perfect balance of texture and flavor. Each piece is carefully marinated with Shaoxing wine and white pepper, ensuring a tender and aromatic bite. The pork is then coated in a delicate potato starch batter, double-fried to achieve a light and crunchy exterior.

A vibrant sauce, made from sugar, rice vinegar, and a touch of soy, glazes the pork, infusing it with a rich, sweet, and slightly acidic tang. Garnished with shredded ginger for a warm, zesty kick and fresh cilantro for a burst of herbal freshness, this dish is an irresistible harmony of bold flavors and textures. This authentic North Eastern Chinese recipe of sweet and sour crispy pork is a culinary treasure from Dongbei, celebrated for its bold flavors. Perfect for savoring every bite!

Chef John Zhang

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Crispy Sweet & Sour Pork (Guo Bao Rou) | MasterClass | Authentic Restaurant Recipes

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Recipe

PRE TIME: 25 min

COOKING TIME: 35 min

TOTAL TIME: 1 hr

2 SERVING

Ingredients:

8 oz. Pork tenderloin
Marinade
1/8 tsp. Ground salt
1 tbsp. Shaoxing wine
1/8 tsp. White pepper
Sauce
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Rice vinegar
2 tbsp. White vinegar
1/2 tbsp. Light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. Potato starch
Batter
1 cup Potato starch
1 cup Water
Frying
2 Qt Cooking oil
1/2 cup Corn starch
Garnish
Shredded ginger
Chopped Cilantro

Directions:

Cut the pork tenderloin into 2-3mm thick slices. Keep the thickness of each slice as even as possible. Thus, they will be done at the same time.

Marinating: combine pork, salt, Shaoxing wine, and ground white pepper in a bowl. Toss to mix thoroughly. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.

Cut the ginger into thin slices first; then cut into fine strips. Put the strips in a bowl of water.

Making the sauce: Combine sugar, rice vinegar, white vinegar, light soy sauce, and potato slurry in a bowl. Mix well. Set aside.

Making the batter: Combine potato starch and water in a bowl. (The ratio is 1 part potato starch to 1 part water. Just cover the starch with the water.) Slowly pour out the water. Keep the soaked starch in the bowl. With a small pan over medium-low heat add 1/2 cup of cornstarch and 1 cup of water. Stir constantly while cooking until transparent and sticky. Pour into a large bowl. Add in the soaked potato starch. Stir with your fingers. Gradually add another 0.5-1 cup of water while mixing. Note: Be patient when adding water, don't add it at one time. Divide it into 2-3 times. Thus you can control the consistency of the batter.

Put the pork in the batter. Toss to coat every piece with the batter evenly.

With a wok over medium heat, bring 2qt of the oil to 300°F/150°C. Put the pork in slice by slice cook for 1-2 minutes until the pork slices tighten up. Remove from the oil. As the oil temperature reaches 300°F/150°C, re-fry the pork slices again for 20-30 seconds until golden. Remove and drain.

With another pan over medium heat, add the sauce prepared in step 4. Bring to a boil. Add the pork slices, and quickly stir until all pork slices coat with the sauce. Add ginger strips and cilantro. Quickly stir several times.

Serve and enjoy!

Final Notes

Features of this dish: golden color, translucent glaze, crisp on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, sweet and sour, and delicious.