Vietnamese Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Sườn Nướng (Grilled Pork Chops)
Lemongrass and garlic marinated grilled pork chops, often served with Cơm Tấm.
Contains common allergens
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Instructions
6 steps- 1
Prepare Meat: Use a meat mallet to gently pound the pork chops until they are about 1/4 inch thick. Make a few small slits in the fat band around the edges to prevent curling during grilling.
- 2
Mix Marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the lemongrass, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, soy sauce, honey (or condensed milk for deeper caramelization), oil, and black pepper.
- 3
Marinate: Add the pork chops to the bowl. Massage the marinade into the meat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
- 4
Grill: Prepare a charcoal grill or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the grate with a little oil.
- 5
Cook: Grill the pork chops for 3-4 minutes per side. Because of the sugar/honey, keep a close eye on them to prevent burning, but aim for nice, dark charred edges.
- 6
Rest and Serve: Let the pork chops rest for 3 minutes. Serve hot over broken rice with scallion oil and dipping sauce.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
67/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving85
Calories
3 g
Protein
10 g
Carbs
4 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Suon nuong is one of the defining dishes of com tam (broken rice) culture in southern Vietnam, where charcoal-grilled pork chops served over broken rice with a fried egg, pickled vegetables, and nuoc cham have been a staple meal since the mid-20th century. The marinade of fish sauce, lemongrass, and a touch of sweetness — often condensed milk in the southern tradition — produces a caramelized, lacquered char that is the visual and flavor signature of the dish. Com tam suon was historically a working-class breakfast; today it is eaten at all hours.
Listahan note
This version uses condensed milk in the marinade, which is the southern Vietnamese approach — it caramelizes faster on the grill than honey alone and produces the amber-brown glaze characteristic of com tam restaurants.
Technique cues
- Thin pork chops (1/2 inch) cook in 3-4 minutes per side over high heat; the goal is a charred, slightly caramelized exterior while the interior just reaches done — a meat thermometer reading of 145 F is the target before resting.
- Sugar and condensed milk in the marinade accelerate browning under high heat; resist the urge to reduce heat to prevent burning — the char is intentional and is what gives suon nuong its flavor, but watch closely after the first flip.
- Lemongrass must be minced very finely (almost a paste) so it sticks to the meat surface during grilling; coarse pieces fall off in the heat and the aromatic impact is lost.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Mix and apply the marinade first, then start the rice cooking while the chops marinate — by the time the rice is done the chops will have marinated long enough for a weeknight meal.
- Make-ahead
- Marinate the chops for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 24 hours refrigerated; overnight marinating produces noticeably more flavorful and deeply seasoned meat.
- Leftover move
- Slice leftover grilled chops and serve cold over broken rice or regular jasmine rice with do chua and a fried egg the next day — the classic com tam presentation works just as well with reheated or cold suon.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Scrape and oil the grill grates immediately after cooking while they are still hot; the sugary marinade chars onto cold grates and is much harder to remove once it cools.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
4 bone-in pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
main protein
Purpose: Bone-in chops cook more evenly than boneless and the bone protects the edge meat from drying out over high heat.
Handling: Score the fat cap on each chop with 3-4 shallow cuts to prevent curling on the grill; pound gently with a mallet or the back of a knife handle to even out the thickness.
Adaptation: Boneless country-style ribs can replace bone-in chops; they benefit from slightly longer marinating (4-6 hours) due to their denser texture.
3 tbsp minced lemongrass
primary aromatic
Purpose: Lemongrass is the defining fragrance of this marinade; it perfumes the meat as it cooks and the volatile oils caramelize on the surface to create the aromatic crust.
Handling: Use only the pale bottom 5-6 inches of each stalk; mince or pound to a near-paste in a mortar so the fiber does not create stringy bits on the cooked chop.
Adaptation: Lemon zest plus a few drops of lime juice can substitute in an emergency, though the aromatic profile is notably different.
3 tbsp fish sauce
marinade salt, umami, and caramelization driver
Purpose: Fish sauce seasons the meat deeply during marinating and its sugars and amino acids contribute significantly to the Maillard browning and caramelization on the grill.
Handling: Combine with all other marinade ingredients in a shallow dish before adding the chops; press the chops into the marinade and flip to coat both sides.
Adaptation: Soy sauce provides saltiness but produces a slightly different caramelization color — the chops will be darker, almost mahogany, rather than amber.
2 tbsp honey or condensed milk
sweetness and char-glaze
Purpose: Condensed milk or honey provides the sugar needed to caramelize into the lacquered crust that is visually and texturally the hallmark of suon nuong.
Handling: Stir thoroughly into the marinade so it distributes evenly; condensed milk is thicker and may need a small splash of fish sauce to loosen it before mixing.
Adaptation: Palm sugar dissolved in a teaspoon of warm water works and adds a slightly caramel note; brown sugar is the easiest pantry substitute.
2 tbsp soy sauce
secondary seasoning and color
Purpose: Soy sauce adds a second layer of salt and umami to the marinade and deepens the mahogany color of the finished chop beyond what fish sauce alone achieves.
Handling: Add to the marinade mixture; no separate prep required.
Adaptation: Coconut aminos works for lower-sodium needs and provides a slightly sweeter, less salty alternative.
3 tbsp minced lemongrass (see above) + 2 tbsp minced garlic + 2 tbsp minced shallot
aromatic base trio
Purpose: These three together form the aromatic backbone of the marinade; each contributes a distinct note — citrus-floral (lemongrass), sharp pungent (garlic), and sweet-savory (shallot).
Handling: Mince all three as finely as possible so they adhere to the surface of the meat and do not fall off during grilling.
Adaptation: A pre-made Vietnamese lemongrass paste (available in tubes at Asian grocery stores) can replace the fresh trio in a weeknight pinch.
Technique notes
- Pat the marinated chops dry with a paper towel before grilling to remove surface moisture that would cause steaming rather than searing — leave enough marinade clinging to the surface but remove any pooling liquid.
- Grill over the hottest part of the grill for char marks, then move to indirect heat for the last minute if the chops are not cooked through — this prevents burning the exterior while the interior catches up.
- Rest the chops on a wire rack (not a plate) for 3-5 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute without the bottom steaming against a surface and softening the crust.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Replace soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos; all other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
- Indoor option
- A cast-iron grill pan over high heat produces excellent char marks and caramelization; open a window and use the ventilation fan as the marinade sugars will smoke significantly.
- Fish-sauce-free direction
- Replace fish sauce with soy sauce at the same volume plus 1/2 teaspoon of tamarind paste; the depth changes but the marinade remains flavorful and usable.
Serve alongside
- com tam (broken rice) or regular steamed jasmine rice
- do chua (pickled daikon and carrot) — essential to cut through the richness
- fried egg (op la) sunny-side up laid directly on the rice
- sliced cucumber and tomato with a pinch of salt
- Vietnamese iced coffee (ca phe sua da) — the traditional com tam breakfast pairing
- cold Vietnamese lager for a dinner setting
- fresh chrysanthemum tea or tra da (Vietnamese iced tea)
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Cooked chops keep refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side to restore some crust; microwave reheating works but softens the caramelized exterior.
- Raw marinated chops can be frozen flat in a zip-lock bag for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before grilling.
Equipment
- outdoor grill or cast-iron grill pan
- mortar and pestle or small food processor for lemongrass paste
- instant-read meat thermometer
- wire rack for resting the chops
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