Traditional Vietnamese pork chops with a glaze of oyster sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, and honey. These pork chops start in the oven and then get seared in a hot pan on the stovetop to get that caramelized, slightly charred crust that is characteristic of grilled Vietnamese pork chops without needing a grill.
- Prep Time:
10 mins - Cook Time:
25 mins - Total Time:
35 mins *
* Plus marinating time
I didn’t even know I was looking for a Vietnamese pork chop recipe until I found this one. I was flipping through a Vietnamese cookbook at my library called An: To Eat: Recipes and Stories from a Vietnamese Family Kitchen and these pork chops spoke to me.
The caramelized glaze made with Vietnamese umami stars like hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce had my mouth watering. Served with steamed rice and drizzled with some traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce, dinner doesn’t get much homier than these Vietnamese pork chops.
How to cook Vietnamese pork chops without a grill
Until I found this recipe, it had been years since I had pork chops made at home. I’ve never been able to get the cooking technique right.
One of the challenges of making pork chops with a caramelized glaze is getting the meat to cook all the way through before the glaze burns. This recipe solves that problem by roasting the pork chops first and then finishing them off with a quick sear and a reduction of the pan juices to create the glaze.
So ingenious and so delicious.
What to serve with pork chops
The traditional Vietnamese fish sauce recipe (nuoc cham) is essential in my opinion for serving with Vietnamese pork chops. It’s an important part of most Vietnamese meals from rice vermicelli noodle bowls with chargrilled chicken to some salads. It ties all the flavors together.
If you want to go really traditional, you can serve the pork chops with a fried egg on top, an option you see in a lot of Vietnamese restaurants. For once, I am going to suggest skipping the fried egg (don’t tell my husband). The pork chops are plenty flavorful without the addition of some runny yolks.
Instead, opt for a simple salad of cucumbers, carrots and tomatoes to add a little crunch and keep things on the healthy side. Besides, you’re going to want to save those calories for some Vietnamese iced coffee. Trust me.
Vietnamese Pork Chops
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes (plus overnight marinating time)
- Yield: 4 generous servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking, Seared
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Description
Traditional Vietnamese pork chops with a glaze of oyster sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, and honey. These pork chops start in the oven and then get seared in a hot pan on the stovetop to get that caramelized, slightly charred crust that is characteristic of grilled Vietnamese pork chops without needing a grill.
Ingredients
For the pork chops
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 pounds (1/2-inch thick) bone-in pork chops
For the scallion oil
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
For the Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic, optional
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
For serving
- Steamed rice
- Sliced cucumbers
- Carrot ribbons
- Sliced tomatoes
Instructions
For the pork chops
- Marinate pork chops: Whisk together the garlic, shallots, oil, honey, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the pork chops and turn to coat evenly. Marinate the pork chops in the refrigerator overnight.
- Prep oven: Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cook pork chops: Remove the pork chops from the bowl and discard the marinade. Place the pork chops on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Cover the pork chops with another piece of foil. Roast the pork chops in the oven until the pork chops are almost cooked through, 15-20 minutes.
- Remove pork chops: Remove the pork chops from the oven. Set aside.
- Make glaze: Heat a large skillet over high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the pork chops (reserving pan juices) and sear them for 2 minutes on each side until well caramelized and pork chops are cooked through (145 degrees F internally). Pour reserved pan juices over the pork chops. Cook for 30 seconds allowing the sauce to reduce and thicken while turning the pork chops in the sauce to evenly coat them. Remove pan from heat and let the pork chops rest for 3 minutes.
For the scallion oil
- Make oil: Put scallions and oil in a heat proof bowl. Heat oil in microwave on high for 45 seconds to 1 minute until oil is hot but not sizzling.
For the Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham)
- Make sauce: Mix the sugar and water together in a medium bowl until all the sugar is dissolved. Stir in remaining ingredients.
For serving
- Serve: Brush pork chops with scallion oil. Serve pork chops with steamed rice topped with desired amount of dipping sauce and a salad of cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes.
Notes
- Make the scallion oil and dipping sauce while the pork chops roast to save time.
- As of May, 2020, the USDA lowered the recommended safe cooking temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160 degrees F to 145 degrees F with the addition of a 3 minute rest time. To read more, please visit the USDA website. I have updated the recipe to reflect the new recommendation.
- Recipe for pork chops from An: To Eat: Recipes and Stories from a Vietnamese Family Kitchen.
Find it online: https://tamingofthespoon.com/vietnamese-pork-chops/
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Comments
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Jim says
I made it and it turned out great! I’m wondering if the recipe might work well with some kind of fish. Any opinions?
Nguyet Vo says
I’m so happy the recipe turned out great for you! Your question about using fish really intrigued me and I think it could work (or at least it’s worth trying out). Here are some things I would consider and experiment with: First, what type of fish to use. I’m thinking a firm fish like halibut or cod, maybe salmon. Next, marinating time. Usually, it’s recommended to not marinate fish for more than an hour but that’s usually applied to marinades with lemon juice (or other acids) in them. Marinades without acids (e.g. the recipe for Nobu’s black cod) call for long marinating times. So I think an overnight marinade would work here. Lastly, cooking technique. Here, I would sear the fish first in a non-stick skillet with just a little bit of oil on the stovetop and then transfer to a baking dish to finish in the oven. If you still want some sauce, I would actually use half the marinade for the fish and reserve the other half (stored separately in the fridge overnight). Once the fish is transferred out of the skillet and into the oven, I would to pour the reserved marinade into the skillet and simmer over low heat whisking the marinade with the pan juices. I hope that all made sense. Let me know if you give it a try.