Fish Sauce Caramel-Glazed Pork Chops

Dinner · Meat & Poultry Mains

Fish Sauce Caramel-Glazed Pork Chops

A savory caramel gives these pork chops a glossy, bittersweet coating. Fish sauce, garlic and black pepper balance the sugar, with lime wedges served alongside.
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Serves
4 servings

Bring it to the table

About this recipe.

Grilled pork chops brushed with a garlic, pepper and fish-sauce caramel.

Before you start

Gather your ingredients.

Check your pantry before you begin. Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.

See the ingredient checklist
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water (for dissolving sugar)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water (for finishing caramel)
  • 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (plus more for chops)
  • 4 1/2-inch-thick bone-in pork rib chops (about 2 pounds total for the base recipe)
  • kosher salt (to taste)
  • vegetable oil (for brushing and grill)
  • lime wedges (for serving)

Glaze near the end

Caramel browns quickly over a grill. Let the chops cook most of the way before brushing and use a cooler area if necessary.

At the table

Serve after the rest with a little reserved caramel and fresh lime.

The cooking plan

How to make Fish Sauce Caramel-Glazed Pork Chops.

  1. Bring the sugar and first water amount to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until dissolved. Stop stirring and cook for about 5 minutes, until golden.

  2. Remove from the heat. Carefully add the fish sauce and remaining water; the hot caramel will bubble vigorously. Add garlic and the measured pepper, return to medium heat and stir for about 2 minutes, until smooth. Reserve a clean portion for serving.

  3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and oil the grate. Pat the chops dry, season with salt and pepper and brush lightly with oil. Grill, turning about every 2 minutes, until browned and nearly cooked through.

  4. Brush with some caramel and continue grilling, turning and brushing often, until the chops reach at least 145°F in the thickest meat, away from the bone. Move to a cooler part of the grill if the glaze darkens too quickly.

  5. Rest on a clean platter for 5 minutes. Drizzle with the clean reserved caramel and serve with lime wedges.

Let’s cook

The full recipe.

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The Broken Scale

Fish Sauce Caramel-Glazed Pork Chops

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Grilled pork chops brushed with a garlic, pepper and fish-sauce caramel.
Print Recipe
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Vietnamese-inspired
Ingredients Instructions Notes

Ingredients
  

  •  
    ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water for dissolving sugar
  •  
    2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water for finishing caramel
  •  
    2 garlic cloves crushed
  •  
    1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for chops
  •  
    4 1/2-inch-thick bone-in pork rib chops about 2 pounds total for the base recipe
  • kosher salt to taste
  • vegetable oil for brushing and grill
  •  
    lime wedges for serving

Instructions
 

  1. Bring the sugar and first water amount to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until dissolved. Stop stirring and cook for about 5 minutes, until golden.
  2. Remove from the heat. Carefully add the fish sauce and remaining water; the hot caramel will bubble vigorously. Add garlic and the measured pepper, return to medium heat and stir for about 2 minutes, until smooth. Reserve a clean portion for serving.
  3. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and oil the grate. Pat the chops dry, season with salt and pepper and brush lightly with oil. Grill, turning about every 2 minutes, until browned and nearly cooked through.
  4. Brush with some caramel and continue grilling, turning and brushing often, until the chops reach at least 145°F in the thickest meat, away from the bone. Move to a cooler part of the grill if the glaze darkens too quickly.
  5. Rest on a clean platter for 5 minutes. Drizzle with the clean reserved caramel and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Add liquids to caramel slowly and carefully off the heat; use a saucepan with enough room for bubbling.
Keep the serving caramel separate from the brush used on the chops.
Cook pork to at least 145°F and rest for at least 3 minutes; this recipe allows a 5-minute rest.

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