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Vietnamese Pork Chops (Sườn Nướng)

4.96 from 22 votes

Sweet and savory grilled Vietnamese pork chops, also know as Sườn Nướng. This restaurant-quality dish is so easy to make yet so flavorful. It can be prepared ahead of time and prepared quickly on those busy nights. 

Vietnamese pork chops Sườn Nướng

If you love Vietnemese food, try this Vietnamese pork chops Sườn Nướng recipe at home. This pork recipe is so easy to put together.

You just need to make your own homemade Asian marinade sauce, then marinate the pork chops for at least 12 hours or up to overnight. The meat is so tender and flavorful.

Also, check out this Japanese Pork Cutlet (Tonkatsu) recipe.

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Sườn Nướng

Sườn Nướng or Vietnamese pork chops is one of the most popular meat dishes that you can find at any Vietnamese restaurant.

Sườn Nướng Cơm Tấm is usually served with steamed broken rice, pickled carrots and daikon, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fish sauce on the side.

Vietnamese pork chops Sườn Nướng

Why This Pork Recipe Works: 

1. You can use any type of pork cuts you like.

From pork ribs, pork rib chops, center cut chops to boneless pork loin; as long as you use the right ratio of Vietnamese BBQ sauce to meat they all work well. 

2. Easy marinade sauce.

The homemade sauce is so delicious and you can find most of the sauce ingredients in your pantry or local grocery store.

It's not overly sweet and you can easily adjust the amount of sugar and fish sauce according to your liking.

3. It's an inexpensive dinner meal.

Sườn Nướng

How To Cook Tender and Juicy Pork Chops Every Time


Pork chops cook quickly and if not careful are very easy to overcook. 

The key to a juicy and tender pork is cooking it at high temperature by grilling, pan-searing, air frying, or broiling to prevent the port from drying out. 

Brining the meat in salt is also one the best ways to yield the juiciest cooked pork chops.

In this recipe however we are going to skip brining and instead marinate the meat in fish sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, lemongrass, rice wine vinegar, black pepper, garlic, and oil. This sauce does a great job to also tenderize the meat.

Asian sauce

How long should I cook pork chops for?

The cooking time depends on the thickness of the pork chop and the type of cooking method you choose.

Please keep in mind that the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise a little during the resting period. Be sure to remove your meat from the grill prior grill prior to reaching its target doneness temperature. 

Overcooked meat becomes tough and chewy. That will ruin the whole dish (even if the sauce tastes good, such a shame!). 

How to Make Grilled Pork Chops

Step 1. Make the Marinade Sauce

  • Use a sharp knife or food processor, finely minced the garlic, shallots, and lemongrass.
  • In a medium-size bowl, combine garlic, shallots, lemongrass, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, black pepper, and vegetable oil. Stir to combine. Set aside.

Here's a good tutorial on how to cook with lemongrass.

Vietnamese marinade sauce

Step 2. Prepare the Pork Chops

  • Rinse the pork chops under cold running water to remove bone fragments and other debris then pat dry with paper towels.
  • Make 3-4 tiny slits on the connection tissue between the meat and fat and without cutting through meat.
pork chops bone in

Step 3. Marinate the Meat

  • Place the rinsed pork chops in a large zip lock (double zip locks if you are using bone-in).
  • Pour in the marinade sauce then massage the pork chops to combine.
  • Marinate the meat in the fridge for at least 12 hours or up to overnight for the best result.
marinated pork chops

Step 4. Grill or Pan Sear the Pork Chops

  • Remove the pork chops from the marinade sauce. Discard the extra liquid. Let the meat sit out on the counter for 15 minutes before cooking.
  • Preheat a grill to medium high. Grease, and cook the pork chops for about 4 minutes on one side, flip and cook for 3 minutes or longer or until lightly charred on both sides and an instant-read the deepest part of a chop registers anywhere between 140°F - 145°F. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
grilled pork

If you are using a grill pan, work in multiple batches if needed so you don't steam the pork chops.

grilled pork

FAQ and Cooking Tips

How to store leftover cooked pork?

Store the leftover in airtight container within 1-2 hours after serving.

How long is refrigerated cooked pork safe to eat?

Properly stored, cooked pork lasts 4-5 days in the fridge or 2-3 months in the freezer.

Can you use leftover marinade to baste the pork?

No. Once you've marinated the meat, you should throw away any leftover marinade.

How to bake bone-in pork chops in the oven?

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet pan over high heat. Sear the pork chops for 2 minutes on each side then transfer to the oven, bake for 6 minutes or longer (depending on the thickness) or until the chops register 140°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Check Out More Asian Recipes:

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! I'd appreciate it. 

📖 Recipe

Vietnamese pork chops Sườn Nướng

Vietnamese Pork Chops

Rika
Sweet and savory grilled Vietnamese pork chops, also know as Sườn Nướng. This restaurant-quality dish is so easy to make yet so flavorful. It can be prepared ahead of time and prepared quickly on those busy nights. 
4.96 from 22 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 2
Calories 538 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 2 pork loin chops, (about 6 oz each)

Marinade Sauce:

Instructions
 

  • In a medium bowl, combine all of the marinade sauce ingredients. Set aside.
  • Rinse the pork chops under cold running water and pat them dry with paper towels. Make 3-4 tiny slits on the connection tissue between the meat and fat and without cutting through meat.
  • Transfer pork chops and marinade sauce into a large Ziploc or bowl. Massage to combine. Marinate in the fridge for 12 hours or up to overnight.
    Remove the pork chops from the marinade sauce. Discard the extra liquid. Let the meat sit out on the counter for 15 minutes before cooking.
  • Preheat a grill pan to medium high. Grease, and cook the pork chops for 4 minutes per side or until lightly charred on both sides and an instant-read the deepest part of a chop registers anywhere between 140°F-145°F. Remove from the grill.
    Place the meat on a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures 
The safe internal pork cooking temperature is 145°F. Please keep in mind that the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise a little during the resting period. Be sure to remove your meat from the grill prior grill prior to reaching its target doneness temperature. 
Sodium Content
The sodium content seems high but remember that you will discard most of the sauce.  
Fish Sauce
Please note that not all fish sauce products/brands are created equal and they usually have different sodium levels (ex: Thai fish sauce has a lower sodium content than Vietnamese fish sauce).
To add saltiness to the dish, just add a small amount of salt (about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt) . Do not go overboard with fish sauce or all you’ll taste is fish sauce.
You can purchase fish sauce at any Asian grocer or Target, Kroger/Ralphs, Vons, and Amazon.com

Nutrition

Calories: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 32gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 2489mgPotassium: 695mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 2mg
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Comments

    4.96 from 22 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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  1. Paula says

    Could the marinade be frozen (on its own, without the meat)? Wondering if I could make it batches and freeze for future use in order to use up the remaining lemongrass.

    • Rika says

      Hi Paula,

      Yes, you can freeze the marinade sauce without the meat for up to 9 months. Let me know if you still have any other questions.

      Best,

      Rika