Lemongrass Marinated Pork Chops

These Lemongrass Marinated Pork Chops are flavorful, fragrant, and easy to prepare. This pork chop recipe uses lemongrass paste to deliver the same delicious flavor of fresh lemongrass with convenience. The pork chops are marinated and grilled to obtain juicy perfection. Baking instructions are also included!

Vietnamese pork chops are one of my favorite childhood foods. They are an affordable cut of meat in an easy to prepare recipe that tastes amazing! Lemongrass infuses a fragrant, citrusy, and grassy flavor to the salty, sweet marinade, pairing incredibly well with any meat, especially pork.

I’ve previously shared Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops, which uses fresh lemongrass. This recipe simplifies it even further with ready to use store-bought lemongrass paste, which can be found in most grocery stores. The marinade comes together in just a few minutes. Then the pork chops are marinated in it for at least 3 hours, but overnight is best. They are then simply grilled. It’s so easy!

Ingredients needed:

• Pork chops—this Vietnamese pork recipe uses standard-thickness pork chops, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. They take approximately 8-10 minutes to grill at 400° F, but keep in mind that each grill heats differently. You can use thinner or thicker chops, but you’ll need to adjust your grilling time accordingly; cook longer for thicker chops and less for thinner ones. The key is to cook until the internal temperature reaches 145° F, regardless of the thickness of the meat.
• Lemongrass paste—I use Gourmet Garden brand (not sponsored), which comes in a 4-ounce tube. It’s the featured flavor of the marinade. You may substitute it with a different brand; however, the taste may vary slightly.
• Garlic—one tablespoon, chopped, for flavoring the marinade.
• Ginger—one tablespoon of minced ginger for flavoring the marinade.
• Oil—use a neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable. It’s added to the marinade to help carry flavors, lubricate the meat, and keep it moist.
• Dark soy sauce—for saltiness and depth of flavor.
• Fish sauce—its salty, pungent, and umami notes—creates great flavor in the marinade.
• Honey—adds sweetness to balance the saltiness. It also helps with browning and acts as a tenderizer.

Recipe highlights:

• Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Coat the pork chops with the marinade and let them marinate for 3 hours or overnight in the fridge.
• Preheat the grill to 400° F. Cook the pork chops about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145° F.
• Or bake on the lower third of a preheated 400°F oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145° F, turning over roughly halfway.
• Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

How to serve the pork chops:

• With rice 1: Enjoy the pork chops with broken rice, jasmine rice, or long grain rice. You might also want fresh sliced cucumber and shredded carrots. Add a generous drizzle of nuoc cham, a salty, sweet, and tangy sauce for an extra punch of flavor. (My recipe for nuoc cham can be found in the recipe card section of this post.)
• With rice 2: Serve the pork chops accompanied by rice, steamed broccoli, steamed bok choy, an Asian cucumber salad, or this Vietnamese salad (without shrimp).
• Rice noodle bowl: Slice the pork and serve it with sliced cucumber, shredded carrots, and shredded lettuce over a bowl of rice noodles. Drizzle generously with nuoc cham. Consider adding cilantro, mint, or Thai basil for a herbaceous and fragrant touch.
• Banh mi sandwich: Slice the pork chop and serve with fresh cucumbers, pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, and optional hot peppers in a toasted baguette.

How to store:

Store leftover pork chops in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or come highly rated.)

• Instant-read thermometer—this one reads in 0.5 seconds and is certified for an accuracy of ±0.5°F.
• Bowl—for mixing the marinade.
• Small wire hand whisk—for making the marinade.
• Jumbo food storage bag—you can marinate the pork chops in a baking dish, storage container, or plastic ziplock bags. These 2-gallon capacity bags are sufficient to marinate the entire batch of pork chops.
• Grilling tongs—these 18.7-inch tongs are extra long to keep your hands away from the heat. They feature rust-resistant construction, a nonslip handle, and a locking feature to secure the tongs for storage.
• Baking sheet—if you choose to oven bake, this extra-large baking sheet has a corrugated surface for even cooking and quick release.

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Lemongrass Marinated Pork Chops

Author: In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Grilling Cuisine:Vietnamese Courses:Main

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 7 minutesCook time: 8 minutesRest time:3 hours Total time:3 hours 15 minutesServings:6 Servings

Description

These Lemongrass Marinated Pork Chops are flavorful, fragrant, and easy to prepare. This pork chop recipe uses lemongrass paste to deliver the same delicious flavor of fresh lemongrass with convenience. The pork chops are marinated and grilled to obtain juicy perfection. Baking instructions are also included!

Ingredients

• 3 pounds pork chops, about 6 pork chops
• 1 (4 ounce tube) Gourmet Garden Lemongrass Paste
• 1 tablespoon garlic cloves (3 standard size)
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1/4 cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
• 6 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients except for the pork chops to a small mixing bowl to make the marinade. Mix until combined.
2. Place the pork chops in a container or a ziplock bag or bags. Pour the marinade over the pork chops, separating the pork, making sure to coat each evenly on all sides. Massage the marinade into the pork. Cover the container or seal the bag. Marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Turn the pork chops over if they’re in a container or flip the bag over if they’re in a ziplock halfway through, if possible.
3. Let the pork sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cooking to ensure even cooking. When ready to cook, remove the chops from the marinade, dabbing excess liquid off with paper towels while keeping as much of the lemongrass on them as possible. Discard the marinade.
4. To grill: Preheat the grill to 400° F. Cook the pork about 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 145° F.
5. To oven bake: Place the pork chops on a greased baking sheet, spacing them out to avoid overcrowding. Set it on the lower third of a preheated oven at 400° F and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145° F, turning the meat over halfway through.
6. Makes 6 servings.

Note:

• If you use thinner or thicker cuts of pork, adjust the cooking time accordingly, with longer cooking times for thicker chops and shorter ones for thinner ones. Regardless of the thickness, the pork is done when the internal temperature reaches 145° F.

Keywords:Vietnamese Pork Recipe, Lemongrass Pork Chops, Pork Chops, Pork Chop Recipe, Vietnamese Pork Chops, Lemongrass Paste

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