With a flavor-packed sauce and tender pork, this Island Sweet and Sour Pork dish is sure to be a family favorite when served over a bed of rice.
Island Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe
This is a different spin on the traditional sweet and sour dishes featuring breaded and fried pork or chicken.
For this Island Sweet and Sour Pork, Barbara adapted a recipe from the Pot O’Gold cookbook passed down to her from our Grandma. Grandma received this great church cookbook from her sister who lived in southeast Iowa. Check out our Great-Aunt Gertie’s Orange Julius recipe from the same cookbook.
When making this dish, you have several options when it comes to the cut of pork to use. Barbara suggests either a boneless pork shoulder, cubed pork loin or center cut pork chops. Take note that the pork – no matter what the cut – needs to simmer on the stovetop for a while so that it is cooked through (no longer pink) and tender.
Barbara’s girls (ages 3 and 6) loved the pork in this dish and, as moms know, it can be a challenge to find new dishes your children will try AND like
Notes About Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry:
- Barbara used a yellow pepper in her easy sweet and sour pork but says a green or red pepper would work just as well. Her family prefers the flavor of yellow peppers but a green or red pepper would definitely add a bit of color to the dish.
- Canned pineapple chunks or tidbits can be used. Or, if you have the pineapple rings on hand, use those and cut them into smaller pieces.
- Don’t discard the drained pineapple juice; you’ll need it for the sweet and sour pork stir fry sauce.
- Add enough water to the pineapple juice so that you have 3/4 cups liquid total.
- Looking for a chicken stir fry recipe? Try our version. It has a special secret ingredient.
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How to Make Easy Sweet and Sour Pork:
Instructions:
- Drain juice from pineapple; add water, cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, bouillon, garlic and black pepper. Set aside.
- Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat; cook pork and peppers.
- Add the sauce, and stir until thick.
- Serve over rice.
For the full instructions for sweet and sour pork with pineapple, scroll to the bottom of this post.
More Pork Recipes
Mom’s Baked Pork Chops and Potatoes
Cheesy Garlic and Brown Sugar Pork Chops
Instant Pot Pork Chops with Sauerkraut, Apples and Bacon
Fancy Baked Pork Chops in Deep Covered Baker
With a flavor-packed sauce and tender pork, this Island Sweet and Sour Pork dish is sure to be a family favorite when served over a bed of rice.
- 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pepper cubed (green, yellow or red)
- 3/4 pound boneless pork shoulder or cubed pork loin or center cut pork chops cubed
- Drain pineapple, reserving the juice.
- Add water to the reserved pineapple juice to make 3/4 cup total.
- Add cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, chicken bouillon, garlic and black pepper to pineapple juice; set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook pork and peppers, stirring constantly until pork is not longer pink.
Add the pineapple juice mixture and pineapple, and cook until thickened and bubbly, continuing to stir constantly.
- Barbara used a yellow pepper in her dish but says a green or red pepper would work just as well. Her family prefers the flavor of yellow peppers but a green or red pepper would definitely add a bit of color to the dish.
- Canned pineapple chunks or tidbits can be used. Or, if you have the pineapple rings on hand, use those and cut them into smaller pieces.
- Don't discard the drained pineapple juice; you'll need it for the sweet and sour pork stir fry sauce.
- Add enough water to the pineapple juice so that you have 3/4 cups liquid total.
- Looking for an easy chicken stir fry? Check out this version with a secret ingredient.
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Did you add the pineapple chunks as well or is that the yellow pepper in the picture? No where in the instructions does it mention about the chunks.
Thank you for your help
So sorry about that! We left out when to add the pineapple chunks back in. We fixed the recipe. They go in when you add the pineapple juice mixture to the pork.
The preface states boiling pork first but nowhere in the recipe.?
We couldn’t find where we reference boiling the pork in the post; however, we do recommend simmering the pork in the sauces to ensure it’s cooked through!
Could another vegetable be substituted for the peppers? I want to make this tomorrow but only have broccoli on hand. Thank you;
Audrey – We haven’t substituted broccoli for the peppers but you certainly could. Just leave out the peppers. If you are using frozen broccoli, just let it thaw and dry it before adding it at the end when you add the pineapple sauce to the pork. If you are using fresh broccoli, it may take longer to cook so you may want to blanch it before adding. Good luck!