What is Teriyaki Pork?
Teriyaki (照り焼き) is a cooking method that involves grilling fish or meat coated with a sauce (tare) made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Although dishes using the teriyaki method are sometimes referred to as teriyaki, strictly speaking, teriyaki is more of a cooking method than the name of a dish.
In Japan, the teriyaki method is mostly used for fish and chicken, but of course, it is a versatile technique that goes with pretty much anything. This time, we will explore a teriyaki dish made with pork chops!
How I Developed This Recipe
I really enjoy mixing Japanese cooking techniques with ingredients that aren’t traditional. This creativity is what fuels my passion for developing recipes and, ultimately, cooking itself.
This time, I came up with a new recipe that combines pork chops with teriyaki glaze and a touch of lemon. To give it a unique flavor, I swapped out the sugar for honey in the teriyaki seasoning, which goes perfectly with lemon.
I tweaked the frying method from my Tonteki recipe. The result is absolutely delicious! Why not give it a go for a tasty twist on a classic combination?
Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Pork Chops: I’d suggest using slightly thicker cuts to help keep the shape and juiciness during frying. I’ve used boneless chops here, but bone-in varieties work just as well. For the best results, use high-quality, well-marbled pork.
- Eryngi (King Oyster) Mushrooms: These meaty mushrooms have a great texture, but feel free to experiment with your favorite varieties.
- Lemon: Cut into thick slices to bring out a bold citrus flavor.
- Garlic: Serve a dual purpose by using it to infuse the oil with aromatic depth and as crispy garlic chip toppings.
- Soy Sauce: For recommended authentic brands and a deep dive into different types, check out my comprehensive soy sauce guide on the blog.
- Mirin: Hon Mirin is ideal for an authentic Japanese flavor.
- Sake: Go for sake that’s good to drink. If you can’t get the right kind of sake, use cooking sake, but remember to adjust the salt levels in your dish because it often contains added salt. For more info on sake varieties and other options, check out ‘Sake 101‘ article on the blog.
- Honey: Any regular honey you have in your pantry is fine for this recipe.
Curious about the exact brands and products that bring my recipes to life? Discover the brands and ingredients behind my recipes at the Sudachi Amazon Storefront. Explore my handpicked pantry essentials and find your next kitchen favorites!
Jump to Full Recipe Measurements
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Pork Chop Teriyaki at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
Make a few knife cuts between the fat and the meat of the pork chop. This will prevent the flesh from warping or curling to some extent, although this sometimes depends on the thickness of the pork.
Sprinkle salt on both sides of the pork chops and set them aside.
In a frying pan over low-medium heat, sauté sliced garlic in cooking oil. Watch them turn into golden garlic chips. This process not only crisps the garlic but also infuses the oil with a wonderful garlic aroma.
Once the garlic chips are well crisped, carefully remove them from the pan.
Place the chips on kitchen paper and set them aside.
After removing the garlic, increase the heat to medium-high. When the pan is hot, add the pork chops. Cook one side for 1½ to 2 minutes until they’re crispy and golden.
Once one side is done, flip the pork chops.
Lower the heat to low-medium, cover the pan, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the pork chops. For extra-thick chops, cook until they’re done through. If you have a cooking thermometer, make sure the internal temperature reaches 62ºC (145 ºF) as approved by the USDA.
While the pork is cooking, mix soy sauce, mirin, sake, and honey in a small bowl to create your teriyaki glaze.
Once the pork is cooked enough, turn up the heat to medium-high, and add eryngi mushrooms to the pan with the pork chops.
Pour the teriyaki glaze mix over them and sauté until the sauce starts to thicken. Flip the pork chops to coat them evenly in the glaze.
When the sauce is slightly thick, add lemon slices to the pan. Increase the heat to reduce the sauce to a syrupy consistency.
The glaze should cling nicely to the meat and mushrooms.
Turn off the heat once the glaze fully clings to the pork and mushrooms. Dish up the pork chops and garnish with the crispy garlic chips. Rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsI hope you enjoy this Pork Chop Teriyaki with Lemon recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Delicious Teriyaki Recipes
Lemon Teriyaki Pork Chops
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place 2 boneless pork chop on a chopping board and make cuts through the thick fatty parts. This will prevent curling and improve the texture.
- Sprinkle with 1 pinch salt on each side and set aside.
- Cut 1 clove garlic into thin slices. Heat a pan on medium-low and add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Add the garlic slices and fry until crispy on both sides.
- Transfer the garlic chips to kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.
- Using the same pan, increase the heat to medium-high and add the seasoned pork chops. Fry for 1½-2 minutes on one side or until golden.
- Flip them over, lower the heat to low-medium and cover with a lid. Continue to fry for 3-4 minutes.
- While you wait, cut 1 king oyster mushroom into bitesize pieces. Mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp sake and ½ tbsp honey in a small bowl to make the teriyaki sauce.
- Once the time is up, add the king oyster mushrooms and teriyaki sauce.
- Sauté until the mushrooms have softened and the teriyaki sauce has thickened slightly. Flip the pork chops to coat them evenly on both sides.
- Add 4 slices lemon to the pan and increase the heat. Continue to cook until the sauce is thickened to a syrup-like consistency.
- Once it's thickened to your liking, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the pork to serving plates. Rest for 3 minutes before serving and garnish with lemon slices, leftover sauce from the pan and the sautéed mushrooms.
- Enjoy!
Leave a rating and a comment