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Chinese fried pork chops

Chinese Fried Pork Chops

5 from 1 vote
Satisfy your appetite and budget with these flavorful, juicy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside Chinese fried pork chops for dinner. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
To make the dish gluten-free, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine, and use tamari to replace soy sauce.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinating time:: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: restaurant-style
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

  • 4 pieces (1 lb / 450 g) in total boneless thin pork chops (*Footnote 1)
  • 3/4 cup thick sweet potato starch (or potato starch, or cornstarch) (*Footnote 2)
  • 2 to 3 cups Vegetable oil (for deep frying)

Marinade (x2 if using tupperware instead of ziploc bags) (*Footnote 3)

  • 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Sichuan peppercorn
  • 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
  • 1 big slice ginger , smashed
  • 1 clove garlic , smashed

Serving options

  • Chili garlic sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
  • Mayonnaise

Instructions

Marinate

  • Using a meat tenderizer or the back of a heavy knife, beat the pork chops until they are 1/4” (1/2 cm) thick. (Optional: cut 4 or 5 slits along the edge of the pork chops. This will help prevent the pork chops from curling while cooking). Spread the pork chops into a large ziplock bag (gallon bags work the best) with as little overlapping as possible. Or you can use appropriately sized tupperware containers.
  • Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. If you do not use a ziplock bag, you need to double the marinade so you have enough to cover the pork. Pour the marinade over the pork chops. Squeeze out as much air as possible from the bag and seal it. Massage the bag so that the marinade covers all sides. Marinate in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours. (*Footnote 4)

Deep frying

  • Add 2” (5 cm) oil into a tall pan (or a fryer) that’s just big enough to fit the pork. Heat the oil to 350°F (176°C) over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potato starch onto a plate and spread it into an even layer. Prepare a rack-lined tray or a plate with a paper towel.
  • Remove the pork chops from the marinade but do not dry them off. One at a time, lay a pork chop into the starch and press down gently, then flip and press again. Scoop the starch around the edges and over any bare spots and press lightly so that the chop is fully coated. Shake off the excess starch from the pork.
  • Gently lower the pork chop into the oil. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chop is just becoming golden brown, flipping occasionally for even cooking and color. Remove the chop and lay it on the rack or towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining chops. Note, the oil temperature might drop after frying. It’s the best to measure the temperature after frying each chop and reheat the oil in between if needed, to produce a consistent result.
  • Once all the chops are cooked, bring the oil up to 375°F (190°C). Starting with the first chop that was fried, fry the chops again for 1 minute each, until they reach a deep golden brown color. Transfer the chops to the cooling rack or a fresh paper towel again.
  • Allow the refried chops to cool slightly. Then slice and serve hot as a main dish.

Store and reheat

  • To store the pork chops, let them cool completely before transferring them to a container. Store them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
  • To reheat the refrigerated pork chops, place them in a 450°F (230°C) oven until heated through, 5 minutes or so. Flip once in between. Or you can reheat them in an air fryer.
  • To reheat the frozen pork chops, reheat them directly in a 350°F (176°C) oven until heated through. No thawing needed.

Notes

  1. Small pork chops that are about 1/2” (1.2 cm) thick work the best and are easier to pound thin, therefore producing a more flavorful result.
  2. Thick sweet potato starch contains larger chunks of starch mixed throughout the fine granules which lead to a more textured crunchy coating. If you can't find it, regular potato starch or cornstarch will work as well. In order of preference, sweet potato starch is best, potato is second, and cornstarch would be third. They will all function with this recipe.
  3. Double the marinade if you need to use tupperware to marinate the pork instead of a ziploc bag.
  4. This marinade is quite potent and is designed to shorten the marinating time. Avoid overnight marinating, which might produce a result that’s too salty.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 391kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 29.9g, Fat: 17.6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 83mg, Sodium: 312mg, Potassium: 486mg, Sugar: 1.2g, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg