Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops

We made Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops from a recipe in The New York Times. It didn't ring my bell. I'm not sure why it didn't work out. We like all the ingredients that went into it. Oh Well. With the Pork Chops we served Sautéed Baby Bok Choy which I did like. You can find the recipe for the Bok Choy on our blog of: October 4, 2017. Click the date to get the recipe. 

Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops

Vietnamese Food Any Day

 

SERVES 4

TAKES 45 MINUTES

 

MARINADE

3       garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2       tablespoons coarsely chopped shallot

3       tablespoons roughly chopped yellow onion

¼      cup coarselv chopped fresh lemonarass from

2       medium stalks)

2       tablespoons light or dark brown sugar

Rounded ¾ teaspoon recently ground black pepper

1       tablespoons canola or other neutral oil

1½    tablespoons fish sauce

1¼    teaspoons soy sauce

½      teaspoon molasses, dark amber honey, or Caramel Sauce

4       thin-cut bone-In pork chops (about 6 ounces each), about ½ inch thick

½      cup Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

 

Vietnamese cooks love thin pork chops because the chops pick up seasonings quickly, cook fast, and taste great- perfect for a  weeknight meal. Sold at many supermarkets, the skinny chops  have either a curved rib bone or T-shaped bone. An edge of fat  and marbling signal good flavor. You can marinate the pork  many ways, but lemongrass is a signature Viet flavor.

 

Serve these chops with rice and grilled vegetables; season the veggies with leftover marinade, salt, pepper, and oil and then add  to the grill. Add a side of pickle (see page 29) for tangy crunch.

 

To make the marinade without a food processor, mince the garlic  and shallot, transfer to a large bowl, and mix with 3 tablespoons  grated or minced lemongrass (or lemongrass paste) and the  remaining ingredients.  - thin-cut bone-in pork  chops (about 6 ounces  each), about ½ inch thick 2 cup Nuoc Cham Dipping  Sauce (page 30; optional) To make the marinade In a small food processor, combine the garlic, shallot, lemongrass, brown sugar, and pepper and whirl to a fine texture. Add the canola oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, and molasses and process until relatively smooth, like a wet paste. Transfer to a medium bowl

 

Use paper towel to blot excess moisture from the pork. Add the  pork to the marinade, turning to coat well, then cover and set aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Or, refrigerate for up to 24 hours; let the meat sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.

 

Warm a cast-iron stove-top grill pan over medium-high heat, prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire, or preheat a gas grill to medium-high (you can hold your hand 6 inches above the grill for 3 to 4 seconds). Grill the pork chops for 5 to 7 minutes, turning frequently, until firm and cooked through. Pierce with the sharp point of a knife to test (it's okay if the center is faintly pink). Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

 

Serve the chops warm, passing the dipping sauce at the table, if desired.