I was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Malaysia, giving me a fondness for Hong Kong-style cuisine. I appreciate how it blends Western cooking methods and ingredients with everyday cooking. One recipe that stands out is pan-fried pork chops, a staple for home cooks, cafes, and eateries throughout the bustling city.

This recipe for pan-fried pork chops offers a unique twist on traditional Western preparation methods by incorporating Chinese seasonings and coatings before cooking. It is a versatile dish suitable for any mealtime, including breakfast, and pairs well with plain rice or noodles. For an added touch, serve the pork chops with a fried egg. This recipe is worth trying if you want to try a new way of seasoning and cooking pork chops.

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1. How to make crispy, juicy, and tender pork chops

When cooking pork chops, it’s important to avoid overcooking them as they can become dry and tough due to their relatively lean nature. To ensure the chops remain juicy and tender, I use several methods in this recipe to prepare them.

It’s essential to ensure they are relatively dry before pan-frying to get crispy pork chops. One way to do this is by patting them dry with a paper towel or dry cloth.

a. Pound the meat with a meat mallet

It’s important to break down the connective tissue to make lean pork chops more tender when pan-frying. You can do this using a meat mallet or the back of a knife. Avoid hitting too hard and accidentally breaking the pork chops apart. Make sure to turn the pork chops over to pound both sides. 

b. Marinate with Cantonese seasonings

For those who love Hong Kong-style pork chops, this recipe involves marinating the pork chops with oyster sauce, light soy sauce, black pepper, ginger juice, brown sugar, salt, and Chinese wine. The marinade makes the pork chops slightly wet, so cornstarch or tapioca starch is added to make it dry. Marinating the pork chops for at least an hour before pan-frying is recommended to allow the seasoning flavors to penetrate the meat.

c. Coat the meat with tapioca or cornstarch.

For the best results, it’s recommended to coat marinated pork chops with either tapioca or cornstarch, shake off the excess, and let them rest for a few minutes to allow the starch to be absorbed.

d. Pan-fry over medium heat

When pan-frying, use a large skillet over medium heat and ensure sufficient space between the chops to allow moisture to escape, resulting in a crispy exterior. It’s also best to place the chops in a single layer to achieve the best searing result. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the chops. Bone-in pork chops can be challenging to cook evenly as they may not lie flat on the pan. Boneless pork chops are preferred as they have better contact with the pan and produce an even golden brown surface. The chops will only crisp up effectively if the temperature is high enough. Still, if the temperature is too high, the exterior may turn golden before the internal temperature is sufficient to cook the meat through.

e. Do not overcook the pork chops

If pork chops are overcooked, they can become tough. The best way to avoid this is to remove them from high heat as soon as they are fully cooked. To ensure they are adequately cooked, use an instant-read thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 145°F/63°C.

f. Other ingredients apart from the pork chops and the marinade

For this Chinese pan-fried pork chops recipe, you will need ginger, garlic, and onions to enhance the flavor. I recommend finely mincing the ginger and garlic, but you can also use store-bought ginger garlic paste for convenience. I suggest preparing ginger juice to marinate the pork chops to tenderize the meat and add flavor. 

To prepare the onions, cut them into thin slices and separate them. Once you pan-fry the pork chops, the onions will deglaze all the flavor from the pan, absorbing it and making the dish incredibly flavorful. 

For detailed steps on how to make this dish, please see below.

2. Step-by-step instructions

I’ve split the process into two parts: preparation and cooking.

a. Preparation

1. To prepare the pork chops, pat them dry using a paper towel or clean cloth. 
2. Pound 
3. Combine light soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, salt, ginger juice, Chinese rice wine, ground black pepper (or white pepper), and cornstarch in a large mixing bowl. 
4. Place the pork chops in the bowl and rub in the seasoning. Cover the bowl and allow the pork chops to marinate for an hour. 
5. Finely mince garlic and ginger. 
6. Cut one medium-sized onion into thin slices. 
7. Cut some green onions into thin rings to garnish the pork chops when serving. 
8. After marinating, coat the pork chops with tapioca or cornstarch and shake off any excess. It’s important not to use excessive cornstarch when cooking pork chops, as this can make them more likely to stick to the pan.

b. Pan-frying

1. To start, heat a large skillet or pan. It’s best to use a cast iron pan, but a good-quality stainless steel pan will also work.
2. Add the cooking oil to the hot skillet.
3. Lower the heat when the oil is hot and place the pork chop into the pan, ensuring it’s in a single layer.
4. Allow the pork chops to pan-fry undisturbed over medium heat until they are no longer stuck to the bottom of the pan. Eventually, they will form a crispy coating and loosen. 
5. At this point, turn over the chops and continue pan-frying until golden brown. The time needed for cooking will depend on the thickness of the pork chops, with thicker cuts requiring a slightly longer cooking time to ensure they are cooked through.
6. Once the pork chop turns crispy, remove them from the pan.
7. Pour additional oil into the pan and heat it. Add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook until aromatic. After that, add the sliced onion and continue cooking until slightly brown.
8. Put the crispy pork chops back into the pan, positioning them on top of the layer of onions. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat to low, and let it steam for a short while until the pork is fully cooked inside. This step works exceptionally well for thick-cut pork chops.
9. Use a kitchen thermometer to check if the pork chops are cooked. The meat cook
10. Transfer the pork chops and onions to plates. Sprinkle the thinly sliced spring onions on top to serve.

Other delicious pork chop recipes you will like:

If you like Asian pork chops, you will be delighted to try some other related easy recipes on this blog:

• Five-spice pork chops. A pork chop recipe with bursting flavor after marinating with the five-spice powder, the classic seasonings for Chinese cuisine.
• Honey garlic pork chops are marinated pork chops that are pan-fried and drizzled with a delightful honey garlic sauce.
• Hainanese-style pork chops. A culinary wonder of the cross-cultural amalgamation of Chinese and European cuisine. It is unique because it coats the pork chops with cream crackers instead of breadcrumbs.

Continue to Content

Pan-fried pork chops (Hong Kong style)

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Prepare pan-fried pork chops (Hong Kong style) with the basic ingredients from the kitchen pantry—an easy Chinese recipe.

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Ingredients

Ingredients A (marinade)​

• 500g pork chops
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp rice wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ginger juice
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Ingredients B (others)

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 inch ginger, minced
• 1 medium-sized onion, thinly slices
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp spring onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

Preparation

1. Pat dry the pork chops with a paper towel or clean cloth. 
2. Pound the pork chops with a meat mallet.
3. Combine Ingredients A in a large mixing bowl. 
4. Place the pork chops in the bowl and rub in the seasoning. Marinate for an hour. 
5. Finely mince garlic and ginger. 
6. Cut one medium-sized onion into thin slices. 
7. After marinating, coat the pork chops with cornstarch and shake off any excess.

Pan-frying

1. Add the cooking oil to the hot skillet.
2. Lower the heat and place the pork chop into the pan.
3. Pan-fry the pork chops undisturbed over medium heat until they are no longer stuck to the bottom of the pan. 
4. Turn over the chops and continue pan-frying until golden brown. 
5. Once the pork chop turns crispy, remove them from the pan.
6. Pour additional oil into the pan and heat it. Add the minced garlic and ginger, and cook until aromatic. After that, add the sliced onion and continue cooking until slightly brown.
7. Put the pork chops back into the pan, positioning them on top of the layer of onions. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat to low, and let it steam for a short while until the pork is fully cooked inside. (This step works especially well for thicker pork chops. You can skip it if the thinner chops have fully cooked.)
8. Transfer the pork chops and onions to plates. Sprinkle the thinly sliced spring onions on top to serve.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 773Total Fat: 49gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 210mgSodium: 1431mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 66g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 9/2/2023