Man, oh, man. Where do I even start? The title pretty much gives it away. Our recipe today is Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops. If you know me personally, you will know how much I LOVE Vietnamese food. If you need a favor, bribing me with Vietnamese food has a 95% success rate. My mouth is watering and my stomach is playing dubstep just thinking about it. Pho, bun salad, Vietnamese spring rolls, and lemongrass pork chops are all the evidence I need to believe in a higher power.
For those of us that follow a paleo/primal diet that allow white rice in their diet or those that are gluten-free, Vietnamese food is a blessing. For the most part, many Asian foods are gluten-free with the exception of soy-sauce. But with an easy substitution of Gluten Free Tamari or Coconut Aminos, you are pretty much good to go. What I’m trying to say here is, be adventurous and expand your food horizon. Do not limit yourself. Many people have the misconception that following a paleo lifestyle will limit your food choices. I completely disagree. I have seen many people, including myself, expand their food variety after going paleo. We don’t limit ourselves to eating grains, grains, and grains like before the paleo lifestyle. We allow ourselves to explore the produce isles more closely and go to new grounds and visit the local farmers’ market. When you allow yourself that freedom, you will see a whole new side of food and it is beautiful. This allows you to create delicious memories.
My memory of the Vietnamese Pork Chop is with my dad. We were downtown at the City Market to visit the Asian grocery store and check out the farmers market. Afterwards, we went to our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. The place is a hole in the wall. I honestly don’t know how the place passed their health inspection, but it definitely passed my taste inspection. The food was phenomenal. This time, instead of the usual combination pho, my dad ordered a rice dish. When it came, it had pork chops, a fried egg, egg loaf, pork skins and pickled carrots. The dish looked so full and I asked my dad what he had ordered and he told me he ordered the lemongrass pork chop. He gave me a piece of the pork to try and I was instantly hooked. It was a perfect balance of sweet and savory. The charred flavor and the lemongrass was a match made in heaven. It was delicious! To this day, I can eat those pork chops daily and never get tired of them.
Before we start the recipe, let’s talk about the cut of meat you should use. I highly recommend picking a fattier cut of pork chop. I like using the pork shoulder chop because once the fat starts rendering, the fat catches fire on the grill and crisps up in certain areas which is what you want. The fat also helps the meat stay moist and tender. Without further ado, let’s get grilling!
Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chop:
[ezcol_3quarter]Pork Shoulder Chops
Marinade:
Fresh Lemongrass (Minced)
Fresh Garlic Cloves (Minced)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Ginger Powder
Ground White Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Coconut Palm Sugar
Honey
Sesame Oil
Gluten Free Tamari or Coconut Amino (Paleo Friendly)
Salt (If using coconut amino)
Topping:
Sunflower Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Crushed Rep Pepper Flakes
Diced Green Onion
[/ezcol_3quarter][ezcol_1quarter_end]2 lbs
2 tbsp
6 cloves
1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp
1/4 tsp
1/4 tsp
To preference
2 tbsp
2 tsp
1/2 tsp
1/4 cup
1/2 tsp
1 tbsp
1 tsp
1/2 tsp
2 tbsp[/ezcol_1quarter_end]
Today, I’m going to try a different approach. Instead of using numerical bullets for the instructions, I will just write out the instructions. The reason being, there is a lot more I would like to cover instead of a simplified bullet list.
Let’s start by marinating your pork chops. For most people, they have probably never worked with fresh lemongrass before. If you can’t find fresh lemongrass, you can use lemongrass powder, but I would highly suggest checking with your local Asian grocer if you cannot find it at your neighborhood market. Try to avoid cutting corners and look for the fresh stuff, it really tastes so much better.
To use fresh lemongrass, make sure you wash it well and before you can mince it, you have to crush it. Many people recommend using the back of your knife but I have found that a good size pestle to be perfect for it.
This brings me to the subject of mortar and pestles. I am obsessed with my mortar and pestles. No kitchen should be without one. I suggest a good heavy granite one and not a small one either. They are useful for so many occasions when it comes to cooking. From mixing spices to creating marinades, they are so universal. They are like the Swiss army knife of the kitchen. If you only let me pick a handful of cooking utensils for the kitchen, the chef knife and a mortar and pestle would be on my top five list. They can be a bit expensive but a good mortar and pestle is an investment. Take good care of it and it will last for generations.
To marinate the pork chop, in a large zip lock bag, mix the pork chop, minced garlic, minced lemon grass, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, white pepper, crushed red pepper, coconut palm sugar, honey, sesame oil and your choice of coconut amino or gluten free tamari soy sauce.
Let the pork chop marinade for a few hours. I let mine marinade for two hours or so. Just make sure that before you start to grill that you allow your meat to reach room temperature.
Let’s talk about grilling. I have mentioned this in a few of my previous posts. I highly recommend using a charcoal grill. Hardwood lump charcoal that is started with a charcoal chimney.
I am not a huge fan of using lighter fluid or charcoal starters. I know many people use them because it is easy, and some argue that the lighter fluid flavor will burn off if you let it sit for a bit but I can usually still taste it. A charcoal chimney is less than $20 and it’s a great investment if you like grilling and using charcoal as fuel. Charcoal really gives grilled food a lot more flavor compared to a gas grill. Use whatever grilling method feels right to you, but my personal preference and recommendation for the best flavor is hardwood lump charcoal alone.
Now, make sure your grill is nice and hot and grill the pork chops until they are fully cooked. I like to cook it until it is still slightly pink in the middle but it is your personal preference. I know some believe that pork needs to be cooked completely for it to be safe.
After removing the cooked pork chops from the heat, let it rest for a few minutes before serving. To serve the pork chops, I like to top it with some freshly diced green onion, sesame seeds, crushed red pepper and sunflower seeds. As far as the sunflower seeds go, you can really use any seeds or nuts you like. For those who are paleo, I suggest chopped up roasted cashews or sunflower seeds and for those who don’t limit themselves on legumes, you can crush up some peanuts. You can serve it with your choice of sides, but it is wonderful served with jasmine rice or roasted sweet potatoes. Now go expand your food horizons!
