Chinese Pork Chops With Onions In Tangy Sauce (洋蔥豬扒)

What Is Chinese Pork Chops With Onions?

This Chinese Pork Chops With Onions recipe uses the pan-frying technique which means shallow-frying the pork chops in a pan with a bit of cooking oil.

The oil creates steam which helps to cook the chops. At the same time, the heat on the bottom of the pan gives the pork chops an even browning and crisping.

The onions are lightly cooked to preserve their crunchy texture.

The tangy sauce coats the onions lightly with a sweet and sour flavor that complements the rich flavor of the pork.

Ingredients For Chinese Pork Chops With Onions

1. Pork Chops

Pork chops are nutritious, tasty, and inexpensive. The combination of tender succulent pork chops served on a bed of steaming long-grain jasmine rice is heavenly.

This basic recipe is versatile and it can be paired with different sauces like sweet and sour sauce or spicy black pepper sauce.

The preferred cut for this dish is boneless rib chops. A rib chop is the boneless portion of the rib on the pork loin.  It has more marbling so it is more flavorful and tender than other cuts from the loin. Because rib chop is a fairly lean cut, quick-cooking methods like pan-frying and grilling work the best.

2. Onions

Onions are a staple in all kitchens. They are widely used in many recipes because they add a lot of flavor to any dish. There are many types of onions: white, red, and yellow are the common ones. Choosing the right kind of onions for the dish you are making will produce the best results.

White onions are preferred for this dish. They are milder in flavor and less potent in smell than the other onions. They are a good choice when the recipe calls for sauteed onions. Because of their mild taste and smell, white onions can be eaten raw, and are great in salads, burgers, or sandwiches.

Red onions are sharper in taste and stronger in smell than white onions. They also have a higher sugar content and a deep purple color. Because of their sweetness and appealing color, they are the top choice for salads and pizza. Red onion wedges are great for grilling because they char well, and the interior of the onion does not go mushy like yellow or white onions.

Yellow onions have the most pungent flavor and taste than white and red onions. These onions are hardy in texture and can withstand long cooking times. When they are cooked slow and long they release the sugar and caramelized beautifully, perfect for burger topping. Yellow onions can be used in soups, stews, and go well with most meat dishes too.

3. Tangy Sauce

The tangy sauce is made from tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. It is a sweet sauce with a slightly acidic and peppery taste. Tomato ketchup is made from tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar. Seasonings and spices such as garlic, onion, celery, ginger, and allspice are added to enrich the flavor.

Worcestershire sauce is a fermented condiment made from a base of vinegar and flavored with anchovies, molasses, tamarind, onion, garlic, and other seasonings. It has a savory and spicy flavor and can give a little boost to meat stews, casseroles, marinades, and sauces.

Tips For Chinese Pork Chops With Onions

1. Tenderize The Pork Chops

A quick brining makes the pork chops really tender. Add some salt to cold water and place the pork chops in this solution for 30 minutes.

Rinse, drain and pat dry the meat thoroughly with a paper towel. Excessive moisture dilutes the marinade and prevents the meat from being coated properly. 

Pounding the pork chops gently with a meat mallet helps to tenderize the meat by softening the fibers. Pounding also thins and evens out the meat for quick cooking. 

2. Marinate The Pork Chops

Marinating refers to the process of soaking the pork chops in a marinade prior to cooking.

A marinade is a seasoned liquid made from a combination of salt, sugar, acid, spices, and oil. It adds flavor to the pork and makes them more tender by retaining moisture.

In order to get the benefits from the marinade, it is recommended to marinate the pork chops for at least one hour for this recipe. 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Can I Serve This Dish With?

Like most Cantonese meat dishes, you can’t go wrong serving long-grain white rice with it. But other types of rice like brown rice or Egg Fried Rice are great substitutes too. 

2. Can I Prepare This Dish In Advance?

The pork chops can be marinated a few hours before cooking. 

3. Can This Dish Be Frozen?

This dish is best enjoyed immediately. The pork chops lose their crispiness when reheated.

Chinese Pork Chops With Onions In Tangy Sauce

Elaine Fung

Tender juicy pork chops topped with tangy crunchy onions... so big in taste it's worth the effort!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Additional Time 1 hr 30 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 25 mins

Course Pork

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 6 servings

Calories 461 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 6 Boneless Pork Rib Chops 750grams
• 1 Cup Medium Sliced White Onions
• 1 Clove Garlic Minced
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar

Brine

• 6 Cups Cold Water
• 1 tsp salt

Marinade

• 1 Egg Beaten
• 1/3 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1/4 tsp White Pepper
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp Flour
• 1 tbsp oil

Sauce

• 3 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Water

Instructions

 

• Prepare the brine, and leave the boneless pork chops in it for 30 minutes.
• In the meantime prepare the marinade, mixing the ingredients into a smooth paste.
• Remove the meat from the brine, rinse, drain and pat dry the chops thoroughly with some paper towels.
• Pound the chops gently to even thickness.
• Coat each chop with the marinade and massage it evenly into the meat for 1 minute.
• Add 1 tbsp of oil to seal the marinade.
• Marinate for at least 1 hour in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
• Cut onions into medium slices, and minced the garlic clove.
• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan on high heat.
• Place the pork into the hot oil and reduce the heat to medium. Do not move the pork chops for 30 seconds to lock in the juices, and allow the crispy crust to form.
• Prepare the tangy sauce in the meantime by mixing the ingredients.
• Turn the pork chops over after 3 minutes or when they become golden, and fry the other side for another 3 minutes or until golden.
• Transfer the cooked pork chops onto a plate and keep warm.
• Add 1 tbsp of oil to the same pan at medium-high heat.
• Add onions and saute for 2 minutes till they become fragrant, then add the minced garlic and mix well.
• Add the sugar and salt into the onions and continue sauteing for a minute.
• Add the tangy sauce and mix well with the onions and serve them over the pork chops.

Notes

1. Do not overcrowd the frying pan when frying. Overcrowding means steam generated from frying cannot evaporate quickly, and this affects the browning and crispiness of the meat.

2. Do not make too much tangy sauce. The idea is to have just enough to coat the onions lightly. Too much sauce will cause the pork chops to lose their crispiness.

3. Crunchy onions go well with the crispy pork chops, but if soft onions are preferred lower the heat to medium and sautee to desired texture.

4. Minced garlic chars easily in oil and becomes bitter, so always sautee onions first to release a little moisture onto the pan then add minced garlic.