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Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops (Thit Nuong)

Close-up of two beautifully caramelized Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops on a white plate.
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A recipe for flavorful Vietnamese pork chops marinated with lemongrass, fish sauce, and garlic, perfect for grilling or pan-frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
  • 3 stalks fresh lemongrass, tough outer layers removed and finely minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional, for color)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the marinade: In a bowl, combine the minced lemongrass, minced garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, black pepper, sesame oil, and turmeric powder if using. Mix well until the sugar dissolves slightly.
  2. Marinate the pork: Place the pork chops in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chops, ensuring they are fully coated. Seal the bag or cover the dish.
  3. Refrigerate the pork for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate.
  4. Prepare the cooking surface: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, or heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates or the skillet.
  5. Cook the pork: Remove the pork chops from the marinade, letting excess drip off (discard the remaining marinade). Grill or pan-fry the chops for 5 to 7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F and have good caramelization.
  6. Rest and serve: Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with steamed rice, vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables (Đồ Chua), and Nước Chấm dipping sauce.

Notes

  • To prepare lemongrass, trim off the dry top and root end. Peel away the tough outer layers until you reach the tender, pale white and light green core. Finely mince this core.
  • For extra char, you can briefly broil the chops after grilling or pan-frying.
  • This pork is excellent served over rice plates (Cơm Tấm style) with a fried egg.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://recipesfleet.com/vietnamese-lemongrass-pork-chops-recipe/