by judyatlarge

Created on: September 11, 2008

Sweet And Sour Pork

This recipe can be used for both boneless pork chunks or pork ribs.

Ingredients for sauce:
1 c water
1 c ketchup
1 t dry mustard
2 T white vinegar
2 T dark brown sugar
2 T lemon juice
2 T Lea & Perrins sauce
1 medium onion, diced
1 t salt
1 t coarse ground black pepper
2 T vegetable cooking oil

Meat: 2 pounds lean pork steak cut into 1 inch cubes
OR
3-4 racks of pork ribs

Directions for pork cubes:

Mix sauce in 4 c. measuring cup. Whisk to blend. Set aside. Heat oil in frying pan.
Brown pork cubes in pan until cooked on all sides. Remove and keep warm.
Add diced onions to pan. Stir fry slowly until transparent.
Slowly add sauce. Bring to boil. Turn heat to medium. Simmer, stirring constantly until reduced by 1/3rd. Place meat in oven-proof casserole with lid, pour sauce over, cover, and bake in 325 F. oven about 1 hour or until tender. Serve with rice and a salad. Serves 4. Check partway through baking to ensure the sauce has not become too thick or has begun to stick to bottom of dish. If it has, add 1/4 c hot water, stirring thickened sauce up from bottom. Repeat if necessary. If sauce appears too thin, leave lid off for last half of cooking. Atmospheric conditions can cause variations. A humid climate may make the sauce too thin; a dry climate, too thick.

Directions for pork ribs:

Cut ribs into serving pieces, two or three bones per piece.
Simmer, covered with water, for 1 hour in large pot with lid to reduce fat.
Remove and drain.
Brown ribs in oil. Remove and keep warm.
Mix and cook sauce as above.
Place ribs in oven-proof casserole, cover, and bake about 1 hour until meat is very tender. Again, check partway through to adjust sauce consistency if necessary.
Serve with rice and salad.

Tip #1: When making the sauce, put the water into the measuring cup first, then add the ketchup. This way, the ketchup doesn't stick as much in the cup.

Tip #2: This recipe is also good with nothing but chunks of French bread to dip in the sauce.
The ribs make a great, if messy, finger-food, so have finger bowls and lots of cloth napkins ready.

Tip #3: Either of the above methods is fine for crock-pot cooking. Simply reduce the water to 1/2 cup for the sauce.

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