Vietnamese Pork Chops (Sườn Nướng)

Up close of a plate of Vietnamese pork chops and traditional sides.

Vietnamese Pork Chops (Sườn Nướng)

This under 30-minute Vietnamese pork chops recipe yields the most tender and juicy pork chops! These lemongrass pork chops are deeply infused with rich aromatics, and umami seasonings and are too mouthwatering to resist.

Course Lunch & Dinner Recipes, Main Course

Cuisine Vietnamese

Keyword lemongrass pork, lemongrass pork chops, sườn nướng, Vietnamese grilled pork chop, Vietnamese pork chop recipe, Vietnamese pork chops

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Marinate Time 6

Total Time 6 15

Servings servings

Calories 280kcal

Author Megan

Equipment

Ingredients

Pork Marinade

2 lb pork chop
1 shallot finely minced
5 cloves garlic finely minced
1 lemon grass finely minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tbsp Maagi
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp five spice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tbsp honey More to taste if its too salty
1 tbsp garlic chili paste or sambal

Serve

Jasmine rice
Fried Egg
Tomato
Cucumber
Lettuce
Nuoc Cham Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

Instructions

Marinate the pork chop. In a large bowl, mix the pork chop with all the ingredients for the marinade. Cover or transfer to a large ziplock bag and marinate for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight. I recommend marinating overnight so the pork has time to soak in the flavor.
Bring the pork chop to room temperature. Take the lemongrass pork chops out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cooking to reach room temperature for an even sear.
Option 1 Cast iron. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high until hot. Add the marinated pork chops 1 or 2 at a time. Be careful not to crowd the meat. Cook on one side for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Then flip and sear about 1-2 more minutes until browned. The pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 F. (*cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the cut).
Option 2 Bake: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the pork chop about 1-2 inches apart on a wire rack over a lined baking sheet. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Then flip the pork chop, brush on the marinade and cook for another 7 minutes. Then increase the heat to broil and cook until the pork chop browns on each side and reaches an internal temperature of 145 F.
Option 3 Grill: heat the grill on medium heat and grill for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway until charred and cooked through.
Serve. Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before serving with rice, cucumber, tomato, lettuce, nuoc cham and a fried egg! Enjoy!

Notes

Mince the aromatics as fine as you can. This will ensure the aromatics will marinate the pork better and prevent you from eating large chunks of lemongrass.
Marinate the lemongrass pork overnight. Pork chops take time to absorb flavor. You will need a minimum of 3 hours to marinate the pork, but for best results, I recommend marinating overnight.
Bring the lemongrass pork chops to room temperature before cooking. Before you begin to cook your Vietnamese pork chops, make sure to take the pork chops out of the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so that the pork will cook evenly.
Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Pork is a tricky protein to cook. If you undercook it, it is inedible. Yet if you overcook it, then it becomes dry and rubbery. The best way to make sure you cook your meat perfectly is by using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature at the thickest section of the meat.
Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before eating. When you let the meat rest, it allows everything to relax and redistribute the juices, which creates a tender and more juicier pork chop.

Nutrition