Are you a devoted fan of that irresistibly delicious sweet and sour pork you eagerly pick up from your beloved Chinese restaurant? Known as “Koe Loe Yuk” in many Dutch-Chinese establishments, this iconic dish holds a special place in the hearts of many. What if we told you that recreating this beloved classic in your own kitchen is not only achievable but surprisingly simple? Forget about relying on pre-packaged sauces and mystery ingredients; with a handful of fresh, readily available items and our straightforward recipe, you can prepare a homemade version that rivals—or even surpasses—your favorite takeout.

Imagine succulent pieces of crispy pork, enveloped in a vibrant sweet and sour sauce, studded with fresh, juicy pineapple and colorful bell peppers. This isn’t just a meal; it’s a culinary experience that brings the perfect harmony of flavors and textures right to your dinner table. This recipe for sweet and sour pork promises that coveted balance between tangy and sweet, delivering a truly satisfying taste that captures the essence of classic Dutch Chinese takeout. Get ready to impress your family and friends with this homemade delight!

The Legacy of Sweet and Sour Pork: A Chinese Takeout Favorite Reimagined

For many, especially in the Netherlands, Chinese takeout is a cherished childhood memory. Dishes like crispy Babi Pangang, savory bami goreng, and fluffy Foe Yong Hai (Egg Foo Yong) are staples. Among these, sweet and sour pork often stands out as a universal favorite. This dish, with its signature crispy fried pork tenderloin coated in a glistening sauce brimming with fresh pineapple and bell peppers, is a testament to the delightful blend of flavors that defines this cuisine. Our recipe meticulously captures these delicious notes, with sugar and pineapple providing the essential sweetness, perfectly balanced by the tang of ketchup and vinegar.

The beauty of making your own sweet and sour pork lies in its simplicity and the control it gives you over the ingredients. Unlike commercial versions that can be laden with artificial additives, this homemade rendition uses wholesome, accessible components. You start with tender pork tenderloin, cut into bite-sized pieces, which are then coated in a special batter and fried to a perfect golden crisp. This two-stage frying process is key to achieving that desirable crunchy exterior that holds up wonderfully against the luscious sauce.

While your pork is achieving its golden perfection, the vibrant sweet and sour sauce comes together effortlessly in a separate pan. Combining garlic, colorful bell peppers, and juicy pineapple with a balanced mix of sugar, rice vinegar, and ketchup, it creates a rich, complex flavor profile that is both sweet and tangy. This homemade sweet and sour pork transforms into a truly delicious evening meal, whether served alongside fluffy fried rice, comforting bami goreng, or a crisp side salad. For special occasions, it can even be the star of an elaborate Asian buffet. This easy and impressive dish is guaranteed to be a hit with everyone at the table!

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin

Crafting this delightful Sweet and Sour Pork requires a specific selection of ingredients to achieve its characteristic crispy texture and perfectly balanced sauce. You’ll find the precise quantities detailed in the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this blog post. Let’s delve into what makes each component crucial for this flavorful Chinese-inspired meal:

Ingredients for the Crispy Pork Tenderloin

• Pork Tenderloin: This cut is ideal for sweet and sour pork due to its lean nature and exceptional tenderness. Sourced from the loin of the pig, its elongated shape allows for uniform cubing, ensuring even cooking and a consistent bite in every piece.
• Cornstarch (for coating and crispiness): Our unique method utilizes cornstarch in two crucial ways. The initial coating, mixed with egg and salt, creates a protective layer that locks in moisture, keeping the pork incredibly tender. The second dip in dry cornstarch before frying is essential for developing that signature light, airy, and ultra-crispy crust, which is a hallmark of authentic sweet and sour pork.
• Egg: Acts as a binding agent, helping the first layer of cornstarch adhere uniformly to the pork pieces, contributing to the batter’s overall consistency and the tenderness of the cooked meat.
• Salt: Essential for seasoning the pork from within, enhancing its natural flavors before frying.
• Oil (for frying): For deep-frying, choose an oil with a high smoke point, such as sunflower oil or peanut oil. These oils can withstand the high temperatures required to achieve a golden-brown and extra-crispy exterior without burning, ensuring a clean and pleasant fried taste.

Ingredients for the Irresistible Sweet and Sour Sauce

• Garlic: A foundational aromatic that provides a pungent, savory base for the sweet and sour sauce, adding depth and complexity to the overall flavor profile.
• Bell Peppers: These colorful vegetables not only add visual appeal but also contribute a wonderful sweetness and slight crunch. Green bell peppers are less ripe and more pungent, while yellow, orange, and red peppers become progressively sweeter. In this recipe, we use a combination of yellow and red peppers for a perfect balance of sweetness and vibrant color.
• Pineapple: This tropical fruit is indispensable for its naturally fresh, sweet, and tangy notes. While fresh pineapple offers the best flavor and texture, canned pineapple chunks (packed in their own juice, not syrup) are a convenient and excellent alternative when fresh is out of season or difficult to find.
• Sugar: Crucial for achieving the “sweet” component of the sauce, balancing the acidity from the vinegar and ketchup and creating a delightful glaze.
• Rice Vinegar: Provides the essential “sour” element, imparting a mild, clean tang that is characteristic of classic sweet and sour sauces. Its subtle acidity beautifully cuts through the richness of the pork and sweetness of the other ingredients.
• Tomato Ketchup: More than just a condiment, ketchup brings a unique umami depth, a slight acidity, and a rich red color to the sauce. Made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices, it contributes to the complex, slightly tart, and savory notes that are often found in Westernized Chinese dishes.
• Cornstarch (for thickening): Used to create a slurry with water, this acts as the thickening agent for the sauce, giving it that glossy, desirable consistency that clings perfectly to the crispy pork.
• Water: Used to dissolve the cornstarch, forming a slurry that thickens the sauce without clumping.
• Sesame Seeds: A final flourish for garnish, toasted sesame seeds add a delightful nutty flavor and a pleasing textural contrast to the dish, elevating its aroma and presentation.

How to Prepare Sweet & Sour Pork (Koe Loe Yuk) – Step-by-Step Guide

Creating this iconic sweet and sour pork dish, also known as Koe Loe Yuk, is a rewarding process that yields incredibly delicious results. Follow these detailed steps to achieve perfectly crispy pork and a flavorful, balanced sauce. A fully printable recipe with a step-by-step description and exact measurements can be found at the bottom of this blog.

Preparing the Crispy Pork

1. Prepare the Initial Coating: In a medium-sized bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 egg. Whisk these ingredients together until they are thoroughly blended and form a smooth batter. Add the cubed pork tenderloin (cut into approximately 1×1 inch or 2×2 cm pieces) to the bowl. Ensure that every piece of pork is evenly coated with the mixture. This initial coating is crucial for tenderizing the meat and preparing it for the crispy layer.
2. Marinate and Chill: Once coated, place the bowl with the pork tenderloin into the freezer for approximately 20 minutes. This step is vital as it allows the coating to adhere firmly to the meat, which prevents it from separating during frying and contributes to a better crispy texture. Meanwhile, prepare your deep-fryer or a large, heavy-bottomed pot by filling it with a sufficient amount of sunflower or peanut oil for deep-frying, and preheat it to 350°F (approx. 177°C).
3. Apply the Second Coating: On a shallow plate, spread out 1 cup of plain cornstarch. Remove the pork from the freezer. Take each coated pork piece and press it firmly into the dry cornstarch, ensuring it is thoroughly covered on all sides. Gently shake off any excess cornstarch before frying. This second layer is what will give your pork that irresistible crispy exterior.
4. First Fry for Tenderness: Carefully add the coated pork pieces to the preheated oil. Do not overcrowd the pan; fry the meat in two or three batches to maintain the oil temperature and ensure even cooking. Fry each batch for about three minutes until the pork is lightly golden brown and cooked through. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
5. Second Fry for Maximum Crispiness: Increase the oil temperature to 400°F (approx. 204°C). Once the oil reaches the higher temperature, return the fried pork pieces to the fryer in batches. Fry them again for an additional 1 to 1 ½ minutes. This second, hotter fry is the secret to achieving that wonderfully light, airy, and extra-crispy texture, making your Koe Loe Yuk truly exceptional. Drain the twice-fried pork on a fresh sheet of paper towels.

Crafting the Sweet and Sour Sauce

6. Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: In a large wok or pan, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the crushed garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it. Immediately add the chopped red and yellow bell peppers and stir-fry for two minutes until they are slightly tender-crisp.
7. Add Pineapple and Sauce Base: Stir in the diced pineapple chunks and heat for another minute, allowing their sweetness to release. Now, pour in the tomato ketchup and rice vinegar, stirring well to combine with the vegetables.
8. Sweeten and Simmer: Sprinkle the sugar over the mixture in the pan. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar dissolves completely.
9. Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a smooth slurry. Pour this cornstarch paste into the boiling sauce, stirring constantly. Continue to simmer for about two minutes, or until the sauce visibly thickens to a glossy, desirable consistency that will coat the pork beautifully.
10. Combine and Serve: Once the sauce has thickened, quickly add the crispy pork tenderloin pieces to the pan. Gently toss the meat in the sauce until every piece is thoroughly coated. Serve immediately to maintain the pork’s crispiness.

Garnish your homemade Sweet and Sour Pork with a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. It pairs wonderfully with classic bami goreng or a refreshing, zesty side like a spicy cucumber salad.

Tips, Substitutions, and Variations for Your Sweet and Sour Pork

Enhance your sweet and sour pork experience with these valuable tips, creative substitutions, and exciting variations:

• Pork Tenderloin Substitutions: If pork tenderloin isn’t available or you prefer an alternative, you have several options. Unbreaded schnitzel, ham steak, or even thick-cut pork chops can work well. For a different texture, consider using pork shoulder, which becomes incredibly tender when slow-cooked or braised before a quick fry. If you’re looking for a vegetarian alternative, firm tofu or tempeh, pressed and cubed, can be coated and fried just like the pork for a delicious plant-based version.
• The Magic of Double-Frying: As highlighted in the recipe, frying the meat twice is a game-changer. The first fry at a lower temperature (350°F / 177°C) cooks the pork through and develops a base golden color, setting the coating. The second fry, at a higher temperature (400°F / 204°C), flash-crisps the exterior, creating an incredibly light and crunchy crust that stays crispy longer, even after being coated in sauce. While you can stop after the first fry if time is limited, the second fry is highly recommended for that authentic takeout crispiness.
• Deep-Frying Best Practices: To ensure optimal results and safety, avoid overcrowding your deep-frying pan. Adding too much meat at once will significantly drop the oil temperature, leading to soggy, oily pork rather than crispy. Instead, fry the pork in two to three smaller portions, allowing the oil to maintain its high temperature. Always use enough oil to fully submerge the pork pieces.
• Air Fryer Method: For a lighter take, this recipe can be adapted for the air fryer! A crucial modification: *do not* dip the marinated meat in the second coating of dry cornstarch. If you do, it will form an unappealing powdery layer in the air fryer. After the 20-minute marination in the egg and cornstarch mixture, proceed directly to the air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (approx. 204°C). Lightly spray the pork pieces with cooking oil (this helps with browning and crispiness) and arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook until golden brown and crispy, shaking the basket vigorously halfway through to ensure even cooking.
• Boost Your Veggies: To add more nutrients and color, consider incorporating additional vegetables. Quickly boil some broccoli florets until they are tender-crisp, then toss them with the sweet and sour pork and sauce just before serving. Other great additions include sliced carrots, snap peas, sliced onions, or water chestnuts for extra crunch.
• Spice It Up: If you enjoy a kick of heat, easily transform this dish into a spicy sweet and sour pork. Add a teaspoon or two of your favorite chili sauce (like Sriracha or sambal oelek) or a pinch of red chili flakes to the sauce while it’s simmering. Taste and adjust to your preferred level of spice.
• Meal Prep Friendly: You can prepare the crispy pork ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month. The sauce can also be made in advance. Reheat the pork in an air fryer or oven to regain crispiness, then toss with freshly warmed sauce.

Did you try your hand at making this delicious sweet and sour pork recipe? We’d love to see your culinary creations! Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram! We regularly share the most beautiful photos from our community. Enjoyed this recipe? Please take a moment to leave a rating on the recipe card below! Your valuable feedback not only helps us but also assists other home cooks in discovering and enjoying this wonderful dish.

Looking for more cooking inspiration?

• Explore a variety of video recipes on my YouTube channel.
• And don’t forget to save your favorite recipes on Pinterest, so they’re always easy to find for your next cooking adventure!

Andréa

Expand Your Feast: 3 x Asian Buffet Favorites

Looking to turn your dinner into a more elaborate Asian feast? Sweet and Sour Pork is just one star in a galaxy of delicious Asian dishes. Here are three more incredible recipes that perfectly complement Koe Loe Yuk, allowing you to create a diverse and satisfying Asian buffet right in your home: