Thai Style Honey-Glazed Pork Chop

“The sweetness and the ‘lemony grassy’ flavor are simply delicious!“

For dinner yesterday, I experimented with a new creation using tenderloin, slicing the pork into thin, small pieces for a quicker cook.

With just about 25 minutes of baking time, the dish was ready to serve. However, for a meatier and juicier taste, I suggest thicker slices – around 2cm for baking or grilling.

In my first attempt, I overestimated the baking time, resulting in quicker sauce drying and a bit of blackened residue on the foil. Fortunately, the chops weren’t overly charred, and they were easily removed, boasting a great appearance with a rich browned texture.

The pork chop had a delightful taste! The initial bite offered a gingery flavor reminiscent of Thai cuisine, with a subtle hint of lemongrass. The crystallized ginger bits added a sweet aftertaste, making each bite enjoyable. The ‘lemon grass’ flavor was pleasantly subtle on the palate. In terms of texture, the meat was just right – tender enough to chew.

Mastering this recipe is a breeze. Check it out below:

Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
6 slides of pork chop (shoulder butt part for more tenderness), about 1-2cm thick (Use boneless chop if eating with rice)
4 table spoon of light soy sauce (2 spoons for marinating use)
2 – 4 tablespoon of honey (adjustable depends on your liking of sweetness)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 slide of ginger, chopped
1 small onion, chopped (use half if it’s big)
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/2 small cup of water (50ml)
1 cup of oil

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 200°C for 10 min. Pound both sides of each pork chop with a meat pounder or simple use the back of the knife to tenderize the meat.

2) Marinate pork chops with 2 tablespoon of light soy sauce for 15 – 20 minutes. Sprinkle some grounded pepper, as desired.

3) Turn on stove, heat oil in a skillet over medium fire, sauté both sides of the pork chop until well-browned. About 3 min each side.

4) Transfer the chops to baking dish (line baking dish with a sheet of aluminum foil, with ends of foil extending slightly over sides) before placing the chops, if needed).

5) In a bowl, mix honey, water, soy sauce, onion, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Pour over pork chops in baking dish.

6) Bake pork chops 25 – 30 min in preheated oven evenly. Serve with mashed potato and salad or rice.

Apart from steamed rice, I discovered that mashed potato and salad complement this pork chop beautifully.

It’s also an excellent choice for BBQ events. While this dish takes about 50 minutes (including marinating time), multitasking is permitted throughout the process. :)

Calories-count: 3 thin pieces (1cm thickness of tenderloin part) at about 220 kcal. If 1 thicker chop (about 2cm) should be at about 150 kcal.

If you don’t have an oven at home or prefer not to use one, pan-frying is an excellent alternative. My pan-fried pork chop recipe could be a great option for you.

Tips:
* Honey is easily burnt, so flip pork chops after 15 minutes of baking.
* Don’t worry about blackened honey juice; it won’t affect the taste.
* Alternatively, drizzle honey only in the last minute of cooking.
* Turn off the heat, add honey, and leave in the off oven for a minute to avoid any sourish taste.
* Use of spare rib or loin is sufficient, reducing calorie intake.
* Skip sautéing in Step 3 to minimize fat intake; note a less fragrant taste.