Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops (Thit Heo Nuong Xa)
This easy-to-make sweet and savory grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork chops recipe is full of flavors from lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce and grilled over a bbq or cooked on a stovetop!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 11 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 2 Pork shoulder steaks (*see notes (approximately 1/2 3/4 inch thick))
- 1 tbsp Oil ((used to coat porkchop right before grilling))
- 1 stalk Lemongrass (*see notes (approximately 31/2 tablespoons))
- 4 clove Garlic ((approximately 2 tablespoons))
- 1 Shallot ((approximately 2 tablepoons))
- 11/2 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 11/2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1/2 cup nuoc cham dip (fish sauce dip)
- cucumbers ((a few slices))
- tomatoes ((a few slices))
- green onions/scallions ((finely chopped))
Instructions
- 1
Remove the top 2-3 inches of dried tips from the lemongrass and discard it. I like to smash the base of the lemongrass so that it's easier to chop and it releases the oils. Cut the lemongrass into small pieces 14-inch pieces and place it in a food processor. If you are not using a food processor, finely chop the lemongrass as fine as you can.
- 2
Add the rest of the marinade ingredients (4 cloves Garlic, 1 Shallot, 1½ tablespoons Dark Soy Sauce (optional), 2 tablespoons Water, 1½ tablespoons Fish Sauce, and 2 tablespoons Sugar) into the food processor and blitz it until it becomes a paste.
- 3
Add the pork shoulder into a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the pork and make sure it is well coated. Marinate the pork chop for 24 hours
- 4
After it has marinated for 24 hours. Bring the pork chop out of the fridge for an hour to marinate at room temperature - bringing the meat to room temperature makes it cook faster, more evenly and the marinade absorbs better as well.
- 5
Scrape off and remove the marinade by hand, as much as possible so it doesn't burn while you are grilling the pork chops
- 6
Drizzle 1 tablespoon Oil on the pork chop and lightly coat each piece. This will help prevent it from sticking on the grill (you still should oil the grill as well)
- 7
Pre-heat bbq to high heat and wait for it to get hot.
- 8
Grill for 2-3 mins on high with the lid up (approximately 1-2 minutes per side), then adjust the heat to medium heat and cook it for 4-6 mins with the lid down, no flipping required.
- 9
Once it is done, remove it from the grill and let it rest for 5-10 mins
- 10
Enjoy with a side of rice and some cucumbers, tomatoes and, nuoc cham dip!
- 11
If you do not have a grill, you can use a cast iron pan or a heavy bottom frying pan to cook this as well. It is very important to remove as much as the marinade off the porkchop as possible before you pan-fry it so that it doesn't burn.
- 12
Add oil to a heavy bottom frying pan or cast iron pan and set the heat to high heat.
- 13
Once the pan is very hot, add the pork chop in the pan and sear it for 2 minutes per side. (approximately 4 minutes in total) Try not to flip it too much so it can create a bit of char. The house may get a bit smoky during this step.
- 14
Once you have charred and seared the outside, cook it with a lid for 4 minutes a side with a lid. (8 minutes in total)
- 15
Depending on how hot your stovetop is, the pork chop should be cooked by now. This is based on a ¾ inch shoulder chop. Remove it from the pan and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving it
- 16
Enjoy with a side of rice and some cucumbers, tomatoes and, nuoc cham dip!