Sweet and sour pork tenderloin roast, cooked in the oven to rosy pink perfection with lots of peppers & red onion, in an easy homemade sauce.
Cooking this wonderful dish is really easy, saute some veggies, sear the pork, mix together the sauce and then chuck it in the oven… and it’s all done in under 30 minutes!
Sweet and Sour Pork Fillet
Growing up sweet and sour pork meant one thing, a really astringent and sweet, lurid sauce with deep-fried pork balls.
Now I am not entirely sure that I ever really liked it but I do adore sweet and sour dishes and this recipe is my third take on sweet and sour pork.
Of course, I have sweet and sour pork balls, and sweet and sour chicken balls although they contain much more pork than the batter-heavy options I remember growing up.
Then I turned my attention to sweet and sour pork chops complete with a majestic pineapple ring, and most recently sweet and sour prawns.
This sideways glance at Chinese sweet and sour pork uses one of my favourite cuts of meat pork tenderloin.
A meat that features in dishes as diverse as my Char Siu Pork and roast pork tenderloin through to pork medallions with camembert sauce and pork tenderloin with prunes.
Pork Tenderloin or fillet and roasts it in the oven with peppers and onions in a rich a sticky sweet and sour sauce. All told it will take you around 30 minutes to cook.
It is also arguably the healthiest my sweet and sour pork recipes are gonna get! It is not fried and uses the leanest cut of pork!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I really serve pork pink?
Yes! The minimum recommended serving temperature for pork tenderloin is 63°C or 145°F.
I aim to remove the meat from the oven when it has reached an internal temperature of 57-58°C. Which is around 135°F for those who work that way.
After 3-5 minutes of resting the pork will reach and hold a temperature of around 63°C (145°F). This is within the safe temperature zone for pork.
Can I cook this longer?
Absolutely! I am not a cook that looks down on people based on how they like their meat cooked.
I like to cook tenderloin so that it is pink because it is a very lean cut of pork and as a result, it can dry and become chewy very quickly.
Do I have to use a meat thermometer?
No, but I swear by mine and it does make cooking meat accurately much easier.
What is Chinkiang vinegar?
Chinkiang is a black rice wine vinegar and I love the stuff! It appears in many of my Chinese takeaway inspired recipes, it has a much rounder and more complex flavour than regular rice vinegar.
If you can’t or don’t want to source Chinkiang vinegar feel free to sub in regular rice vinegar.
Serving Suggestions
This sweet and sour pork tenderloin makes for a great light main course, but if you wanted to bulk it out a little egg fried rice makes a great addition.
If you wanted com greens, my stir-fried broccoli would be great in Autumn and stir-fried asparagus makes an amazing side in spring.
I also confess to being rather partial to serving this recipe with some simple crispy fried potatoes or even salty straw potatoes.
It is equally as good with some simple soy sauce noodles!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- Oven.
- 28cm or 11″ (minimum) oven proof frying pan or skillet.
- Mixing bowl.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Quick read meat thermometer.
- Kitchen foil.
Sweet and Sour Roast Pork Tenderloin Recipe with Peppers
This sweet and sour pork tenderloin roast is quick, simple and comes with a deliciously dark, rich and bold, sweet & sour sauce.
Ingredients
- 400g (14oz) Pork Tenderloin
- ½ Tsp Chinese 5 Spice
- ¼ Tsp Salt
- 3 (Around 600g Unprepared weight) Small Bell Peppers, different colours are nice for presentation
- 100g (⅔ Cup) Red Onion
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Bunch (Around 100g or 4oz) Spring Onions
- 4 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Chinkiang Rice Vinegar
- 1½ Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
- 4 Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- Pinch of MSG (Optional)
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 2 Tbsp Water
Instructions
- Trim the pork tenderloin of any silverskin and fat.
- Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers and cut them into strips 5-6mm (¼") thick.
- Top and tail the red onion, cut it in half and peel it, then cut it into slices top to 5-6mm (¼") thick.
- Peel and slice the garlic cloves as finely as you can.
- Trim the spring onions and cut slice them to 2-3mm (⅛") thick at a 45 angle.
- Mix together the soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, sesame oil and MSG in a small bowl.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" oven-proof frying pan or skillet (not nonstick if possible) over a high heat and when it is hot add half of the cooking oil.
- Throw in the sliced peppers and onions and stir-fry them for 3 minutes.
- Add the sliced garlic and cook for a further minute, then remove the veggies and set them aside and return the pan to a very high heat.
- Season the pork with the Chinese 5 spice and salt.
- Add the remaining cooking oil to the pan and sear the pork, do this as quickly as you can, then pour in the sauce and roll the pork to get a nice glaze, then remove it to a chopping board.
- Return the veggies to the pan and pour in the water then toss to coat, return the pork to the pan then transfer it to an oven and bake at 220°C or 450°F for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and remove the pork allowing it to rest for 3-4 minutes covered with tin foil. Cover the peppers with a lid to keep them warm whilst the pork is resting.
- Add most of the spring onions to the pan, reserving a few for garnish, then toss them through the peppers.
- Slice the pork then serve it on a bed of the veggies.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 692Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 146mgSodium: 2910mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 6gSugar: 27gProtein: 60g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.
Jean
Thursday 14th of June 2018
Using that onion as your sauce holder is clever and looks beautiful.
Brian Jones
Friday 15th of June 2018
Thanks Jean, it just kinda happened by accident but was struck by it too :D
Jeff
Tuesday 23rd of January 2018
Pork loin - it's a beautiful cut of meat. And very easy to cook. And so delicious and versatile. You can do so much with it. I also cook it to about the same temperature you do. Your sweet and sour version looks absolutely delicious.
Brian Jones
Thursday 25th of January 2018
Cheers Jeff, such a great piece of meat for a quick dinner, so simple and easy to cook.
Marcellina
Monday 22nd of January 2018
I love pork tenderloin too and I must admit that if it’s over cooked it can be quite dry. Yours looks fantastic!
Brian Jones
Tuesday 23rd of January 2018
Thank you!
Tiffany
Friday 19th of January 2018
I don't think I've ever cooked with bamboo shoots but now I'm intrigued! This looks amazing!!
Brian Jones
Monday 22nd of January 2018
You should definitely hunt some down :)
Leslie
Friday 19th of January 2018
This is the kind of meal the whole family enjoys! I'm obsessed with pork tenderloin, too.
Brian Jones
Monday 22nd of January 2018
Thanks Leslie.