The Pan-fried Pork Chops My Dad's Made 100,000 Times
Why this recipe
Most pan-fried pork chops recipes online are tested only a handful of times. My dad used to make this dish multiple times a day, every day, for 60+ years and can make this in his sleep.
I know you'll love it as much as our community does! This recipe has over 1.7M views, 26.4K likes on YouTube.
People tend to shy away from pork chops because of their reputation for being dry and tough. We don't! As long as you cook them just right, they're the opposite of dry and tough; our Pan-fried Pork Chops are succulent and super flavorful. Never fear this budget-friendly cut of pork again!
Thank you, Kikkoman!
This recipe is brought to you in part by Kikkoman. My dad has been using Kikkoman flavors throughout his 50-year career as a chef, and it's a privilege to get to partner with them on such an iconic recipe, Pan-fried Pork Chops!
- Kikkoman products are a major flavor enhancer and bring out the “umami” taste, and help balance and round out flavors
- Kikkoman® Less Sodium Soy Sauce is perfect for home cooks who are looking to cut down on their sodium levels, without sacrificing flavor
- Kikkoman offers a wide range of Gluten-Free Asian sauces, including Gluten-Free Oyster Sauce and Gluten-Free Hoisin Sauce
- The KikkomanUSA.com Chinese site offers easy Asian recipes that home cooks can enjoy any night of the week
You can learn more about Kikkoman and follow them on social media here:
- Website: https://www.KikkomanUSA.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KikkomanChineseUSA (Kikkoman 萬字在美)
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kikkomanusa_chinese/ (Kikkoman 萬字在美)
Pairs well with
View all →
Ingredients
Cooking pork chops "just right"
Pork chops get dry and tough when they're overcooked, especially so because they're such a lean cut; there's no fattiness to lend itself to juiciness if you overcook the meat by any margin. This is how my dad ensures that he never overcooks his pork chops:
- Have several decades of professional and personal cooking experience under his belt (okay, not the case for most of us, so moving on...)
- Even out the meat to a uniform thickness so that every section cooks through at the same rate
- Marinate with a particular combination of sauces and seasonings that make the meat flavorful and juicy
- Coat the pork chops with a light layer of cornstarch that sears beautifully
- Pan-fry the pork chops most of the way through, then finish off with a gentle steam to juuuuust nudge the pork chop to the finish line
Can I skip the wine?
Yes! We used cooking wine for the same purpose as in our recipe for Pan-fried Chicken Thighs and can make identical adjustments for our Pork Chops here.
The cooking wine in this recipe has a particular function: it makes an instant connection to alcohol-soluble flavor compounds that would otherwise prefer to stay in the background.
As a marinade component, alcohol carries and infuses oil-soluble and water-soluble flavors that don't naturally want to mix. It also helps to counteract possible gaminess in fish and meat. When added during the cooking process, the alcohol increases the release of aromatic molecules, enhancing the sensory experience of the dish. We apply both techniques in this recipe for maximum impact.
If you omit the cooking wine, the pork chops will still taste amazing! You'll miss out on those effects of using alcohol, but you can use water or any kind of broth in the last steaming step to at least get the effects of the steam-cooking.
Instructions
Prepare & tenderize pork
Pat the pork chops (1 lb) dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. This will help get it ready to soak up that delicious marinade!
Set the pork chops down on a sturdy cutting board. Tenderize and flatten the meat with the back of your knife or a mallet. Thoroughly pound the meat with your knife angled in one direction, then change your angle 90 degrees and pound the meat one more time to create a cross-hatch pattern. This step is important for that ideal tender texture, so your pork chops won't turn out dense and rough.
Marinate pork
In a medium-sized bowl, combine oyster sauce (2 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tbsp), Shaoxing wine (1 tbsp), sugar (2 tsp), black pepper (0.50 tsp), and cornstarch (1 tbsp). Mix well.
If you don't want to use alcohol in the marinade, just omit it.
Add the tenderized pork chops to the marinade. Let it marinate for about 20 minutes.
Prepare aromatics
While the meat is marinating, prepare the garlic and ginger. Smash, peel, and mince the garlic (3 clove). Then slice and mince the ginger (0.50 oz).
Slice the white onion and red onion into 1/4-inch thick strips. If you prefer crunchier onions, you can slice them into larger pieces, or if you want them to soften more and melt into the dish, you can slice them more thinly.
Coat pork
Spread a layer of cornstarch (3 tbsp) on a plate. Lay each pork chop on the cornstarch and give it a few gentle flips so that the pork chop is lightly coated in cornstarch. Dust off any excess cornstarch.
Pan-fry pork chops
Heat a pan over high heat.
Once the pan is hot, add oil (3 tbsp), enough to cover the bottom of the pan. You want to be generous enough with the oil so that the pork chops don't stick and to get that fragrant frying aroma, but keep in mind that more oil may also result in more splatter.
Let the oil heat up, then gently place the pork chops into the pan. Immediately turn the heat down to medium to prevent the pork chops from burning.
After about 4-5 minutes, or when the bottom surface is golden brown, flip the pork chops.
Add aromatics & final seasonings
Let it fry for another 2-3 minutes, then push the pork chops to the sides of your pan. In the center space, add the ginger, garlic, and onions. Make sure these ingredients get underneath the pork chops so they can be closer to the heat and start cooking nicely.
Let the aromatics cook down for about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle garlic salt (1 tsp) over the pork chops to taste and add Shaoxing wine (1 tsp). Cover the pan immediately with the lid and turn the heat off.
The steam will help finish the pork chops through without drying them out, and the alcohol will really help all the flavors meld together. If you're not cooking with any alcohol, use water or broth for this step. Cook covered with the heat off like this for 2-3 minutes. Then, uncover, give a quick, final stir, and plate. Create a comfortable bed of onions and aromatics and nestle the pork chops on top. Enjoy!
Made with love ❤️
We started Made With Lau to celebrate Cantonese culture and honor the legacy of our wonderful parents, Jenny and Chung Sun Lau.
Our hope is that these recipes and stories help you spread the joy, love, and nostalgia that I felt growing up.
