Taiwanese pork chop recipe
Learn how to make Taiwanese pork chop with a crispy sweet potato starch coating and juicy center. Includes air fryer, fried, and oven methods for a perfect bento-style meal.
Servings: 4 pieces
Ingredients
- 0.8 lb boneless pork chops from pork tenderloin, 2 pieces (about 0.4 lb each, 1–1¼-inch thick before pounding)
- ½ tsp garlic granules or 3 cloves grated garlic
- ¼ tsp ginger powder or 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp five-spice powder
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Michiu clear rice cooking wine, or shaoxing wine
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 cup Thick sweet potato starch or coarse sweet potato starch
- Avocado oil spray
Instructions
Before You Start:
- This recipe includes an important make-ahead step. The pork chop needs to be marinated for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight in advance for the best flavor.
Prepare the pork:
- Slice each pork chop horizontally (butterfly-style) to create thinner pieces about ½-inch (1.25 cm) thick. This means each chop will become two pieces.
- On the side with the silver skin (the thin white strip), make 3–4 shallow cuts across the strip, about 1 inch (2.54 cm) apart, cutting through the strip but not all the way through the meat. This prevents the pork from curling during cooking.
- Gently pound each piece to about ¼-inch (0.64 cm) thickness to tenderize. Do not pound too thin or the pork will become dry.
Marinate:
- Transfer the pork to a rectangular container. Add all ingredients from garlic through egg. Use your hands to break up the egg and mix well until the pork is evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Coat:
- Lightly shake off excess marinade, then coat each piece evenly with sweet potato starch on both sides. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 10 minutes until the starch appears damp so the coating can adhere and not fall off during cooking.
Cook the pork chops
- Air fryer: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil. Air fry at 360°F (182°C) for 7 minutes. Open the basket, flip the pork, and spray more oil on top. Continue air frying for another 6 minutes. For extra crispiness, flip once more and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes. Use a moderate temperature to prevent the starch from burning or turning too dark.
- Oven Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), or use the convection setting if available. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet to allow airflow, and lightly brush the rack with oil. Arrange the pork chops on top and spray generously with avocado oil until no dry, powdery spots remain. Bake on the middle rack for 7-8 minutes, then flip, spray any dry areas, and bake for another 5-7 minutes until golden. For a lightly charred finish, broil on the top rack for 1–2 minutes.
- Stovetop (shallow fry): Add about ¼ inch oil and heat it to 320–338°F (160–170°C). Carefully lay-in the pork chops and fry the first side for about 90 seconds until the sweet potato starch "pearls" and the edges look golden. Flip the chops and fry the second side for another 60–90 seconds until the crust is a light, sandy golden brown and the meat is cooked through.
Rest and serve:
- Transfer the pork to a wire rack and let rest for 3 minutes. Slice into wide strips and serve hot. The pork chops are well-seasoned and do not require additional seasoning.
- Serve with fried rice, sautéed baby bok choy (or green beans), soy-marinated eggs, and/or pickled cucumbers.
Notes
- The safe internal temperature for pork chops is 145°F (63°C). Once it reaches this temperature, let the meat rest for at least 3 minutes before slicing. This helps keep the pork juicy and tender.
- Oven baking: For the oven method, if your oven has a "Convection" setting, you might find the pork is done at the 12-minute mark. Without convection, you'll likely use the full 15 minutes plus that 1-minute broiler boost.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1166mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
