Asian Honey Pork Chops

Asian food makes me happy – Chinese buffets, Japanese steakhouses, and Mongolian grills are some of my favorite places to go out to eat.  However, those places are a rare treat for me because of the cost and fattiness of the food.  Thus, I have embarked on a journey to create delicious Asian food at home for a fraction of the price and calories.

Although I generally don’t eat a lot of pork because of the cost, this week at my local grocery store pork chops were on a BOGO sale!  I immediately snapped up a couple packages, and began to wonder what Asian masterpiece I could create with them.  After pondering different flavors that might taste good together, I mixed together several ingredients for a marinade and hoped for the best.

I was extremely pleased with the results of my experiment!  The Asian-inspired dish only has a few ingredients, but tastes absolutely lovely.  The marinade is great with pork chops, as written, but can also be used with chicken with wonderful results.  The simplicity and quickness of this recipe makes it great for a day you know you won’t have much time to cook in the evening – just whip up the marinade, stick the meat in it, and place it in the fridge that morning.  Then all you need to do is cook the chops and sauce, then serve!

Asian Honey Pork Chops 

You will need:

• 3 lean, boneless pork chops
• ¼ cup honey
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1½ tsp. cornstarch or flour
• Small mixing bowl
• Gallon-sized baggie
• Frying pan

(Click here for a printable PDF version of this recipe!)

First, assemble your ingredients.

Trim any visible fat from around the outside of the pork chops.

Put all the ingredients besides the pork chops and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl, and mix well to thoroughly combine.

Place the pork chops in the baggie and add the sauce.  Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 4-8 hours, turning the bag halfway through the time so that both sides of the pork get marinated.

After marinating, take the pork chops out of the sauce and place them in the frying pan.  Set the sauce aside for later.  Cover the pan, and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes per side (or until the pork chops are cooked through – they shouldn’t look at all pink when cut into if they are done).

Take the pork chops out of the pan and set them aside for now.  Take the pan and dump out the fatty pork juices that have come out while cooking.  Return the pan to the stove, and add the sauce from the baggie to the pan.  Mix in the cornstarch with the sauce and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until thickened.

To serve, place a pork chop on the plate and pour a spoonful or two of sauce over it.

This yummy recipe is perfect served with roasted broccoli and a baked potato, or whatever other vegetables you desire!  Enjoy this simple, delightful meal without worrying about busting your waistline or your budget!