Lemongrass Pork Chop Recipe
Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops are fragrant, savory pork chops marinated with lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce, then pan-seared until golden and served with scallion oil and a bright nuoc cham dipping sauce.
Ingredients
For the pork
- 6 pieces boneless pork loin chops about ⅓ inch thick, 2 pounds
- 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ large shallot, minced
- 6 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided (high-smoking-point oil such as avocado, grapeseed, or peanut)
For the dipping sauce
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 large bird’s eye chili, chopped
- 1 tablespoon carrot, julienned
For the scallion oil
- 2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
Instructions
- To prepare the pork chops, score the fat along the edges of the pork chops to prevent curling while cooking, then gently pound them with the back of a knife or a meat mallet to tenderize.
- To marinate the pork, in a bowl, combine the fish sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, garlic, lemongrass, and shallot, then mix well. Add the pork chops and coat them evenly with the marinade, then transfer to a large zip-top bag or container and let them marinate while preparing the remaining ingredients, or refrigerate overnight for a deeper flavor.
- To make the dipping sauce, in a bowl, combine the fish sauce, sugar, water, lime juice, rice vinegar, garlic, chili, and carrot, then stir until the sugar dissolves and set aside.
- To make the scallion oil, in a small pan over medium heat, add the cooking oil and scallions and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then remove from heat.
- To cook the pork chops, in a large pan over high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and sear the pork chops for about 30 seconds per side until golden brown, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 3 minutes on each side until fully cooked through.
- To serve, let the pork chops rest for a few minutes, then top with scallion oil and serve with the dipping sauce on the side.
Video
Notes
Score the fat:
Scoring the fat along the edges of the pork chops prevents them from curling while cooking and helps them sear evenly in the pan. Tenderize the pork:
Gently pounding the pork chops helps break down the fibers, making the meat more tender and allowing the marinade to penetrate more easily. Mince the lemongrass finely:
Lemongrass can be fibrous, so it should be minced very finely to blend smoothly into the marinade and release its fragrant oils. Marinate longer for a deeper flavor:
Even a short marinade adds flavor, but letting the pork sit overnight in the refrigerator allows the lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce to fully infuse the meat. Cook over high heat first:
Starting with high heat helps caramelize the marinade and develop the golden-brown surface that makes these pork chops so flavorful. Make the sauces ahead:
The dipping sauce and scallion oil can both be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, making the final cooking step much faster. Protein swap:
This same marinade works beautifully with thin slices of pork shoulder, chicken thighs, or even tofu for a lighter alternative.
Scoring the fat along the edges of the pork chops prevents them from curling while cooking and helps them sear evenly in the pan. Tenderize the pork:
Gently pounding the pork chops helps break down the fibers, making the meat more tender and allowing the marinade to penetrate more easily. Mince the lemongrass finely:
Lemongrass can be fibrous, so it should be minced very finely to blend smoothly into the marinade and release its fragrant oils. Marinate longer for a deeper flavor:
Even a short marinade adds flavor, but letting the pork sit overnight in the refrigerator allows the lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce to fully infuse the meat. Cook over high heat first:
Starting with high heat helps caramelize the marinade and develop the golden-brown surface that makes these pork chops so flavorful. Make the sauces ahead:
The dipping sauce and scallion oil can both be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, making the final cooking step much faster. Protein swap:
This same marinade works beautifully with thin slices of pork shoulder, chicken thighs, or even tofu for a lighter alternative.