THE BEST PORK chop recipe starts with the best chefs for the job.
That’s why we contacted Trigg Brown and Josh Ku, co-owners of Win Son restaurant in Brooklyn, NY, and authors of Win Son Presents: A Taiwanese American Cookbook.
Their approach involves selecting the right cut of pork chop (yes, there are a few), marinating it for just a bit, pan-frying the chop until golden brown and crispy, and then serving it scattered with quick-sizzled basil and beside a few key accompaniments.
The six-step recipe is straightforward, but if you don’t happen to have a meat mallet, use the back of a cleaver or chef’s knife to whack deep lines across one side of the chop. Then turn the chop and make another row of deep lines creating a crosshatch. Repeat on the other side. It’s basically a workout.
The One Right Way to Cook a Pork Chop
Step 1: Find a superior chop
Pork collar steaks—also known as CT butt or coppa steaks—are tender like a loin chop, but with rich marbling for extra flavor. A good butcher will have them, but sevensons.net does too. Other chops (bone-in or boneless) work too. They’re just a touch less tasty. You’ll need 4 chops about ¾-inch thick for this method.
Step 2: Smash!
Take a meat mallet and bludgeon the protein until it’s about ½-inch thick all over (working around the bone, if needed). The beatdown ensures that the meat cooks evenly while also tenderizing it. Plus: kind of fun.
Step 3: Marinate
In a bowl, combine 2 Tbsp liquid shio koji, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, and 1 tsp each sesame oil, minced ginger, minced garlic, Chinese five-spice powder, sugar, and salt. Transfer to a zip-top bag with the pork, squish everything around, and let it sit for an hour or four.
Step 4: Prepare to fry
Remove the chops from the marinade. Spread out 1 cup of coarse sweet potato starch (Asian markets, Amazon) on a large plate, and dredge both sides of each chop. The starch will give the pork a craggy, super-crunchy shell—no egg wash or breadcrumbs needed. Oh, and heat a large pan filled with at least 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high until it temps 350°F.
Step 5: Cook
Using tongs, carefully guide each chop (working in batches, if necessary) in the hot oil. Sizzle until well browned, about 3 minutes a side. Transfer to a cooling rack propped above a sheet pan to drain. Then, with the oil still hot, carefully add a handful of basil leaves and cook till crisped, 30 seconds. Remove the basil with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Step 6: Serve
Sprinkle the chops with salt, chile flakes, more five-spice powder. Slice it into strips and serve alongside steamed rice and over-easy eggs. Scatter with the fried basil and there’s dinner.
Contributing Writer
Cathy Erway is a James Beard Award-winning freelance food writer with bylines in The New York Times, Eater, Grub Street, TASTE, Food & Wine and more.
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