Braised Pork Chops Shanghai-style, 葱烤排骨 (cōng kǎo páigǔ), are one of the pinnacles of Shanghainese home cooking.
Pork chops are pounded, dredged in egg, briefly shallow-fried, and then braised in a sweet soy sauce with a generous bunch of scallions. And I mean a lot of scallions! They’re just as much a treat as the pork chops themselves.
One of the Best Shanghainese Dishes
You may not have heard of it, but this recipe is right up there next to Hong Shao Rou and Shanghainese Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs. They’re all considered heavy hitters and crowd pleasers.
All share the same DNA of being braised with ample amounts of light and dark soy sauce. A hit of rock sugar brings it all together into a glossy and irresistible sauce! If you’ve never tried one of these dishes, you simply have to give them a try!
Finally, A Good Use for Center Cut Pork Chops!
I’m sure that I am not the only one to have noticed that the cost of center cut pork chops has gotten a lot cheaper than most other cuts of meat. You can get them at $1.99 to $2.49 a pound, and that to me is a great deal. You can feed a whole lot of people without spending a boatload of money.
But, they’re cheap for a reason. The problem with center cut pork chops is they’re lean and very tough. Cooking them can be difficult, because they often turn out dry.
So how can you make center cut pork chops tender, juicy and bursting with flavor? The techniques shared in this recipe will answer each one of those desires.
First I pound the pork chops with the back of a cleaver to tenderize the meat. Secondly, I add water to the pork chop marinade so it absorbs into the meat. A quick shallow fry in a dredge of egg seals in the juices. Not to mention there is plenty of sauce at the end, but even without the sauce, every bite is delicious and tender.
You are about to make the juiciest center cut pork chop you’ve ever tasted! The key is to follow the recipe to a T—and use a timer!
One of Our Favorite Scallion Recipes
My last word of advice is, don’t skimp on the scallions! If for some reason you have a bunch of scallions that you need to use up, you can use a few bunches just for this recipe! They are almost tastier than the pork chops. Almost. :)
Plus, they create a lot of crucial flavor for the dish. If your scallions are robust and thick, it is necessary to slice them in half lengthwise. They’ll have a better chance cooking down and turning sweet in the short braising time.
So, if you don’t know what to do with your pork loin, come across center cut pork chops on sale, or simply want to test out the techniques shared in this recipe, make it and marvel at what you can create in your own kitchen!
Tip!
If you are using pork loin, slice it into ½-inch (1.25cm) thick pieces before following the recipe as written.
Shanghainese Braised Pork Chops Recipe Instructions
For each pork chop, cut 2 small slits along the pork fat on the outer perimeter of the chop to prevent it from curling up during the cooking process.
Then pound it front and back using the back of your knife (or a meat tenderizer), until the chops are between ¼ and ½ inch thick (about 0.75cm). This is an important step. Take your time to do it thoroughly.
Mix the pork chops with the Shaoxing wine, salt, light soy sauce, and water, using your hands to toss the chops until they absorb all the liquid.
Add 2 medium eggs, and mix until everything is well absorbed and the chops are uniformly coated in egg. Finally, add the cornstarch and mix everything well one more time. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Wash the scallions and pat them thoroughly dry with a kitchen towel to prevent splattering in the wok later. Cut them in half crosswise. If the stems are particularly thick, you can also cut them in half lengthwise.
Preheat your wok over medium-high heat until it starts to smoke. Coat the bottom of the wok with 1/3 cup of oil. Test the oil temperature by sticking a chopstick in the oil. A stream of small bubbles means the oil is hot enough to cook the chops. Add the pork chops in two batches, cooking each side for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the pork chops are a light golden color and the coating is set. Avoid over-frying, or the meat will become tough.
Transfer to a plate.
There should be some oil left in the wok. (If not, add a couple tablespoons.) Over medium heat, add the scallions. Cook for a few minutes until they are wilted and lightly browned around the edges.
Place the pork chops on top of the bed of scallions.
Add the rock sugar, water, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. With the heat still at medium, cover and simmer for about 3 minutes.
Tip!
If making this recipe with bone-in pork chops, simmer them for a minute longer.
Remove the lid, flip the pork chops, and submerge them under the sauce. Cover and simmer for another 2-3 minutes (or 4 minutes for bone-in chops).
Remove the cover, and increase the heat to high. Stir everything well one more time, and quickly transfer all of the pork chops to a serving platter.
Let the sauce thicken, cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally with your wok spatula and letting it turn glossy and thick enough to coat the spatula. You will still want some sauce to mix with your rice, so don’t reduce it too much!
Spread the scallions over the pork chops, and pour the sauce over the whole thing.
Make sure to serve with steamed rice to soak up all the sauce!
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Recipe
Braised Pork Chops, Shanghai-Style
Ingredients
For the pork chops:
- 2 pounds boneless center cut pork chops (6 pieces)
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 3-4 tablespoons water
- 2 medium eggs
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
For the rest of the dish:
- 2-3 bunches scallions
- 1/3 cup neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
- 15 g rock sugar (or substitute 1 tbsp granulated sugar for 15g rock sugar)
- 1 1/4-1 1/2 cups water (use less water if your stove has lower BTUs, or more if your stove is very hot)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
Instructions
- For each pork chop, cut 2 small slits along the pork fat on the outer perimeter of the chop to prevent it from curling up during the cooking process. Then pound it front and back using the back of your knife (or a meat tenderizer), until the chops are between ¼ and ½ inch thick (about 0.75cm). This is an important step. Take your time to do it thoroughly.
- Mix the pork chops with the Shaoxing wine, salt, light soy sauce, and water, using your hands to toss the chops until they absorb all the liquid.
- Add 2 medium eggs, and mix until everything is well absorbed and the chops are uniformly coated in egg. Finally, add the cornstarch and mix everything well one more time. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Wash the scallions and pat them thoroughly dry with a kitchen towel to prevent splattering in the wok later. Cut them in half crosswise. If the stems are particularly thick, you can also cut them in half lengthwise.
- Preheat your wok over medium-high heat until it starts to smoke. Coat the bottom of the wok with 1/3 cup of oil. Test the oil temperature by sticking a chopstick in the oil. A stream of small bubbles means the oil is hot enough to cook the chops. Add the pork chops in two batches, cooking each side for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the pork chops are a light golden color and the coating is set. Avoid over-frying, or the meat will become tough. Transfer to a plate.
- There should be some oil left in the wok. (If not, add a couple tablespoons.) Over medium heat, add the scallions. Cook for a few minutes until they are wilted and lightly browned around the edges.
- Place the pork chops on top of the bed of scallions. Add the rock sugar, water, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. With the heat still at medium, cover and simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Remove the lid, flip the pork chops, and submerge them under the sauce. Cover and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the cover, and increase the heat to high. Stir everything well one more time, and quickly transfer all of the pork chops to a serving platter.
- Let the sauce thicken, cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally with your wok spatula and letting it turn glossy and thick enough to coat the spatula. You will still want some sauce to mix with your rice, so don’t reduce it too much!
- Spread the scallions over the pork chops, and pour the sauce over the whole thing. Serve!
