My family loves the flavor combination of lemon juice and soy sauce. We prefer the sour and salty combo over the sweet and salty, in savory dishes. The likes of Sinigang are always welcome any day.
Unlike in the Philippines where we have thinly cut bone-in pork chops (which I love), the ones I find here are thicker. Because its meat is closer to the bones, pork chops are moist and have more flavor. I usually buy a big pack at the wholesale club and divide it in half. The first half goes straight to the freezer and the remaining half is marinated and parked in the fridge for next day’s dinner. If you’re pressed for time, a few hours will do as long as you turn the meat halfway as you marinate.
The prep work in this dish is very simple and baking it in the oven is way easier than babysitting a pot in front of the stove. As you uncover the pan after the first hour, the kitchen will be filled with the citrusy scent of lemongrass. A few more minutes and the meat will be nicely browning and ready to be shared with your family. My family loves this dish and hope yours will too.
Easy Baked Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 6 thick-cut ¾ inch thickness bone-in pork chops (about 3 pounds)*see Notes
- ⅓ cup lemon juice about 2 lemons
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 3 – 5 lemongrass stalks I use frozen ones**see Notes
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pound the lemongrass (with a mallet or the heel of a knife) and use only about 6 inches from the bulb. Cut each one in half (optional) then discard remaining tops. Combine the lemon juice, soy sauce and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Place the pork chops in a shallow food container (in a single layer). Pour the prepared lemon-soy sauce over it and flip the meat to coat both sides. Spread the lemongrass around (under, on top and tuck some in between). Cover and marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
- Remove from the fridge and let it stay at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line a rectangular baking dish (9×12 pyrex) or a roasting pan with sliced onions and some of the lemongrass. Arrange the pork chops on top (in a single layer) and spread the rest of the lemongrass around. Pour the remaining marinade over and tightly cover the pan with 2 sheets of foil (double).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Take the pan out of the oven and increase the oven temperature to 375F. If your pork chops are about an inch or more in thickness, you can add an additional 30 minutes to the initial baking time (1 ½ hours total, covered with foil).
- Remove the foil and baste the meat with the pan juices. Place back in the oven for another 30-45 minutes or until the meat is browning on top and sauce is reduced to the desired amount. Baste the meat after 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve with rice or mashed potatoes and some greens.
