A one pot meal the whole family will love! Simply chop, stir, toss in the slow cooker and smell the delicious Sweet and Sour Pork cooking away! Finish your day with this tasty stress-free meal!
What is sweet and sour pork?
Many dishes found on Chinese restaurant menus boast a "sweet and sour" sauce. But, what exactly is it? Put simply, it's a sauce that has sweet flavors from added sugar and sour flavors that come from vinegar or sometimes lemon juice. That sauce is then added to proteins such as chicken, beef, or pork and vegetables for a delicious main dish that's usually served over rice.
My recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork is a delicious one-pot meal that will have you patting yourself on the back for serving your family a quick, delicious, and nutritious meal. I mean, seriously... who doesn't love making healthy versions of their favorite take-out dishes? You can make this this Sweet and Sour Pork at home in your slow cooker. And, as an added bonus, you can adjust ingredients to make this meal an option for those with food sensitivities.
Ingredients
What's the best cut of meat to use in Sweet and Sour Pork? Thick cut pork loin chops are easiest to use in this recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork. You could use a pork roast as well. I don't recommend a pork shoulder as it will have too much fat.
Can I make substitutions for food sensitivities and allergies? Yes, you can! Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep Sweet and Sour Pork gluten-free. Tamari is a sauce that is made from fermented soybeans, just like soy sauce. However, there's very little (if any) wheat in tamari which makes it gluten-free. (Double-check the label if you need it to be completely gluten-free.) Using tapioca flour instead of cornstarch will keep Sweet and Sour Pork grain-free.
Preparation
How do you make sweet and sour sauce? Making your own sauce for Sweet and Sour Pork is so easy! By whisking together a few ingredients like pineapple juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and ketchup, you can make a tasty sweet and sour sauce that be will compliment your meal perfectly.
How do I prepare the pork for the slow cooker? Trim any excess fat from your pork so your Sweet and Sour Pork won't be greasy. Then, cut the meat into chunks so it will cook faster. Slow cooking the pork will help keep the pork from drying out.
Serving suggestions
How do I serve Sweet and Sour Pork? Sweet and Sour Pork is a tasty one-pot meal that can be eaten alone or served over rice. Use your Instant Pot to make up a batch of brown rice, basmati rice, or jasmine rice.
Related Recipes
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Pork
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless pork loin chops
- 1 yellow or white onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 20 oz can pineapple chunks drained and juice reserved
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup reserved pineapple juice from can
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour or cornstarch whisked with equal amount of water
- sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Cut pork into bite sized pieces and add to slow cooker
- Peel onions and cut into one inch pieces
- Remove stems and seeds from peppers and cut into one inch pieces
- Add onions, peppers and pineapple to chicken in slow cooker and stir to toss
- Whisk together remaining ingredients except green onions
- Pour over items in slow cooker
- Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8
- Serve over rice garnished with green onions or as desired
Notes
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Trim any excess fat from pork loin
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Serve with rice for a delicious meal in a bowl
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Make gluten-free: use tamari instead of soy sauce
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Make grain-free: use tapioca flour instead of cornstarch
Hi I’m cooking this today & will post the outcome later. I just noticed in your Instructions, Step 4 has a little typo…
Add onions, peppers and pineapple to CHICKEN in slow cooker and stir to toss
I’m guessing it should say pork 😁
Great recipe. Entire family enjoyed and complimented!