Content

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1. Why This Recipe Works
2. Ingredients Required
3. How to Prepare Everything Before Cooking
4. Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
5. A Few Tips From My Kitchen 
6. Common Mistakes to Avoid 
7. Variations
8. More Recipes to Try

Why This Recipe Works

• Distinctive Vietnamese flavor: Lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic, and shallot give these pork chops a flavor that is quite different from typical grilled pork chops.
• Thin pork chops cook quickly: I use thin-cut bone-in pork chops because they are easy to grill and work well with this marinade. Cutting through the fatty or connective edge also helps prevent the pork from curling as it cooks.
• A simple marinade: You do not need a long list of sauces. Fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, shallot, garlic, oil, and black pepper provide all the seasoning the pork needs.
• Medium-low heat works better: The sugar in the marinade caramelizes quickly, so I found that grilling over medium-low heat gives the pork enough time to cook through without the surface becoming too dark or burnt.
• A complete Vietnamese-style meal: Serve the grilled pork with rice, cucumber, tomato, a fried egg, Mỡ Hành, and Nước Chấm for a simple and satisfying meal.

Ingredients Breakdown

Pork and Marinade

I use 4 thin-cut bone-in pork chops, about 500g in total. The marinade is simple: fish sauce for the savory seasoning, sugar for sweetness and caramelization, neutral cooking oil, finely minced lemongrass, shallot, garlic, and freshly ground black pepper.

The lemongrass gives the pork its distinctive fresh, citrusy aroma, while the shallot and garlic add depth and fragrance. Make sure to mince these aromatics very finely so they distribute evenly over the pork.

Mỡ Hành

Mỡ Hành is Vietnamese scallion oil made with sliced scallions, neutral cooking oil, and a pinch of salt. It is commonly served with grilled pork and rice, adding a fragrant finishing touch to the dish.

Nước Chấm

The dipping sauce is made with warm water, sugar, fish sauce, fresh lime juice, garlic, and bird’s-eye chili. The sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors balance the grilled pork.

The exact balance can vary because fish sauce differs in saltiness and limes differ in acidity, so taste the Nước Chấm before serving and adjust it to your preference.

How to Prepare Everything Before Cooking

Prepare the pork

I use 4 thin-cut bone-in pork chops, about 500g in total. If there is a thick layer of fat or connective tissue along the edge, make a few shallow cuts through it. Do not cut deeply into the meat. This helps prevent the pork chop from curling as it cooks, so it will grill more evenly.

Pat the pork dry before adding the marinade.

Prepare the aromatics

Finely mince the lemongrass, shallot, and garlic. It is important to mince them very finely so they distribute evenly over the pork.

I use 3 tablespoons of finely minced lemongrass, 2 tablespoons of minced shallot, and 1½ tablespoons of minced garlic.

Make the marinade

Combine 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1½ tablespoons of neutral cooking oil, the minced lemongrass, shallot, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Coat the pork chops thoroughly with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 2–3 hours. You can also leave them overnight if that is more convenient.

I found that giving the pork enough time to marinate makes a noticeable difference. If you grill it too soon, the flavor will be much lighter and you will miss the deeper savory flavor of the marinade.

Prepare the Mỡ Hành

Thinly slice 3–4 scallions and place them in a heat-proof bowl with a pinch of salt.

Heat 3 tablespoons of neutral cooking oil to about 160°C (320°F). The oil should be hot but not smoking. Carefully pour the hot oil over the scallions. This creates the fragrant Mỡ Hành that is commonly served with Vietnamese grilled pork.

This is an extra step, so if you prefer to use less oil, you can simply leave it out.

Prepare the Nước Chấm

Combine 60 ml of warm water with 1½ tablespoons of sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. If necessary, warm the mixture briefly to help dissolve the sugar, then allow it to cool before adding the remaining ingredients.

Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 1 finely minced garlic clove, and 1 thinly sliced bird’s-eye chili.

Taste the Nước Chấm before serving. Fish sauce varies in saltiness from one brand to another, and the acidity of limes can vary as well. If necessary, adjust the balance with a little more lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, or water until it suits your taste.

The complete ingredient quantities and measurements are provided in the recipe card below.

Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions

1. Remove the excess aromatics

After marinating the pork for at least 2–3 hours, take it out of the refrigerator. Before grilling, remove the loose pieces of minced garlic, shallot, and lemongrass from the surface.

You do not need to scrape everything off. Just remove the loose pieces that can easily fall onto the grill and burn. The pork has already had plenty of time to take on the flavor of the marinade.

2. Grill the pork over medium-low heat

Preheat your grill or grill pan and cook the pork over medium-low heat.

Do not be tempted to use high heat. The sugar in the marinade caramelizes quickly, so a high temperature can make the outside become very dark or burnt before the pork is cooked through.

Place the pork on the grill and let the first side cook patiently until it develops good color and grill marks. Then turn it over and cook the other side until the pork is done.

3. Check the internal temperature

Use a kitchen thermometer to check the thickest part of the pork, avoiding the bone.

Rather than relying on a fixed cooking time, use the internal temperature as your guide. I usually remove the pork from the heat when it is around 60°C (140°F) and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Continue checking the temperature during the rest and make sure the pork reaches at least 63°C (145°F) before serving.

4. Rest and serve

Let the pork rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Serve the grilled pork with cooked rice, cucumber, tomato, lime wedges, a fried egg, Mỡ Hành, and Nước Chấm.

Variations

• Use boneless pork chops: You can use thin-cut boneless pork chops if that is what you have available. They may cook more quickly, so keep an eye on the internal temperature and avoid overcooking them.
• Skip the Mỡ Hành: If you prefer to use less oil or want to simplify the meal, you can leave out the scallion oil. The grilled pork and Nước Chấm will still provide plenty of flavor.
• Serve it as a Vietnamese rice plate: For a more complete meal, serve the pork with cooked rice, cucumber, tomato, a fried egg, Mỡ Hành, and Nước Chấm

More Recipes to Try

If you enjoy the flavors in these grilled pork chops, here are a few more Vietnamese recipes you might like:

• Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken: A simple chicken dish with the same fragrant lemongrass flavor that makes these pork chops so distinctive.
• Vietnamese Pho: A classic Vietnamese noodle soup with a deeply savory broth, rice noodles, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and lime.
• Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls: Fresh rice paper rolls filled with vegetables, herbs, and other fillings, served with a flavorful dipping sauce.

Quick Takeaways

These Vietnamese grilled pork chops get their distinctive flavor from lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic, and shallot. Give the pork at least 2–3 hours to marinate, then grill it patiently over medium-low heat so the sugar caramelizes without burning.

Serve the pork with rice, fresh vegetables, a fried egg, Mỡ Hành, and Nước Chấm for a simple Vietnamese-style meal.