Vietnamese Pork Chops

I’ve recently discovered how to make Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops, and let me tell you, it’s a total game changer! Instead of just throwing them on the grill with some basic seasoning, here the pork chops get marinated in a mix of fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, lemongrass, and brown sugar. The flavors really soak into the meat, making it so juicy and tender.

Let’s not stop there. After grilling or pan-frying, I drizzle a homemade Nước Chấm dressing on top. It’s the perfect balance of flavors. I love serving these pork chops with a side of rice, fresh cucumber and tomatoes, and a fried egg to round out the meal. 

I’ve been cooking Vietnamese food for some time in our kitchen. From Vietnamese meatballs called Bun Cha and Bò Lúc Lắc (Vietnamese Shaking Beef) to Cà Ri Gà (Vietnamese chicken curry) and Vietnamese Chicken Salad, its a very unique cuisine full of fresh, delicate herbs and zingy umami flavors.

Today, I decided to try my hand at some Asian grilling flavors, as I’m a huge fan of BBQ dishes like Korean Galbi. So I thought I’d experiment with pork chops with Vietnamese flavors. Pork chops can be tricky to grill, often turning out dry and boring, but I wanted to give it a shot and see how I could bring some excitement to this classic cut of meat.

What are Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops?

Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops are known as Sườn Nướng in Vietnamese. This dish features pork chops marinated in a flavorful blend of fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, lemongrass, sugar, and sometimes chili, giving the pork a savory, slightly sweet, and aromatic profile. The pork is grilled or pan-fried until it’s crispy on the outside while remaining tender and juicy on the inside.

Sườn Nướng is often served with rice, pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, and sometimes a fried egg. The dish is commonly paired with Nước Chấm, a popular Vietnamese dipping sauce. This enhances the flavor of the grilled pork chops and adds a tangy, slightly spicy kick.

Sườn Nướng is a popular street food and home-cooked dish in Vietnam, especially in Southern Vietnam, where grilling meats is common. The flavors of the marinade, combined with the smoky char from grilling, make this dish a favorite in Vietnamese cuisine. It’s often enjoyed with family and friends as part of a larger meal, or as a standalone dish for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients Needed

• Pork chops – The star of the dish. You can use bone-in or boneless chops, but I am using bone-in pork chops as they tend to cook more tender and juicy.
• Fish sauce – A key ingredient in Vietnamese cooking, fish sauce gives the pork a deep, savory umami flavor.
• Soy sauce – Another Asian staple, this bumps up the umami and adds saltiness.
• Garlic – Finely chopped or minced.
• Lemongrass – The white part is bruised and finely chopped to release its citrusy and slightly herbal notes, which pair beautifully with the pork. It gives that signature Vietnamese flavor to the dish.
• Brown sugar – For a bit of sweetness, balancing the salty and savory ingredients. It also helps to caramelize the meat.
• Chili – Adds heat to the dish. You can adjust the heat level by using fresh hot chilies like Thai bird’s eye chili, or milder options if you’re not big into spicy.
• Nước Chấm – A combination of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic and chili. This sauce complements the grilled pork with its tangy, sweet, and spicy elements.
• Rice – The perfect base to serve the pork chops.
• Fresh vegetables – Cucumber and tomatoes are commonly served on the side to add freshness and crunch.
• Fried eggs – A crispy, golden fried egg is really round out the meal. I love that runny yolk!

How to Make Vietnamese Pork Chops

First, I mix up a marinade with fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, lemongrass, brown sugar, and a little chili. I let the pork chops soak in that marinade for a few hours, or overnight if I have time, so all those flavors really get into the meat.

At some point when the chops are marinating, I whip up my Nước Chấm.

When it’s time to cook, I either grill the chops or pan-fry them in a hot skillet. I make sure to cook each side for a few minutes until they’re nice and golden, and the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Once the chops are done, I drizzle them with some homemade Nước Chấm sauce.

As mentioned earlier, these chops are great on bed of rice with fried eggs on top, along with fresh veggies like cucumber and tomatoes.

Alpana’s Tips

• Marinate the pork for at least a few hours, but overnight if you can. The longer it sits, the more flavor it absorbs, and trust me, it makes a huge difference!
• Bring the pork to room temperature before cooking. I usually take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before grilling or pan-frying so it cooks evenly.
• To prevent your pork chops from curling up when cooking, I’ve found that scoring the fat along the edges helps a lot. Just make a few shallow cuts in the fat before cooking. This allows the fat to cook evenly and prevents it from shrinking too quickly, which is what causes the chops to curl.
• If you’re grilling, brush the grill with a little oil before placing the pork on it to prevent sticking. You want those nice grill marks!
• For the Nước Chấm sauce, taste and adjust as you go. If you want more heat, add more chili, or if you want it sweeter, toss in a little extra sugar.

I’ve really enjoyed cooking pork chops this Vietnamese way. It’s such a fun twist on the usual and adds so much flavor. The marinade and that Nước Chấm sauce really bring the pork to life in a way I’ve never done before. If you’re used to the standard pork chop recipes, you’ve got to give this a try. It’s a great change and makes for such a tasty meal!

More great pork chop recipes:
Crockpot Islander Pork
Italian Braised Pork Chops
Baked Bone-In Chops
Japanese Pork Katsu
Cast Iron Seared Pork Chops

Vietnamese Pork Chops Recipe

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

These Vietnamese Pork Chops with Nuoc Cham sauce are well marinated for maximum flavor. Grilled or cooked in a skillet, they take your chops a whole new level!

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds bone-in pork chops (you can also use boneless pork chops)
• 2 Tbsp oil

Marinade

• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp lemongrass, white part only, bruised and chopped finely
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Thai bird eye red chili (or any other fresh hot chili), chopped

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Chấm)

• 3 Tbsp fish sauce
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1-2 Thai birds eye red chili, chopped

To serve

• cucumber, sliced
• cherry tomatoes or tomatoes
• fried eggs
• cooked rice
• scallions, chopped

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients of the marinade in a bowl and pour over pork chops in a plastic bag. Close it and massage the marinade all over the pork with hands. Marinade the pork chops in the fridge for at least 4-5 hours, or overnight for best results.
2. For nuoc cham dressing, combine the fish sauce, with water along with sugar, vinegar in a sauce pan and give it one boil. When it cools down, add in lime juice, birds eye chili and garlic and mix well before serving.
3. Prep all garnishes by cutting the veggies and frying the eggs.
4. When ready to cook, remove the chops from the marinade and discard the extra liquid (you can keep the aromatics that stick to the chops though).
5. Cook according to your preferred method:
   Grill: Brush the grill with oil and heat to medium-high. Place pork chops on the grill and cook each side for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked (it depends on the thickness of the pork chops). When done, the pork should read 145°F using an instant read thermometer at the thickest part of the cut.
   Pan-Fry: Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick frying pan or cast iron skillet over high heat. Cook pork chops without crowding for 3-4 minutes each side, until internal temperature reaches 145 °F. Remove from heat to rest for 2-3 minutes.
6. Drizzle the pork chops with prepared Nước Chấm dressing and serve with preferred veggies and fried eggs, along with rice.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 492Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 158mgSodium 1577mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 1gSugar 16gProtein 43g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.