Suởn Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops) — A Good Son’s Solo Supper

Mother's Day. The annual choreography of divorced co-parenting and Vietnamese-Texan filial duty. Kids are at Christine's — obviously, it's her day. Tyler bought her perfume with his Shipley's money. Emma made her a meal (details classified — she wouldn't tell me what she cooked for her mother, which I respect but also find mildly aggravating). Lily made a card with a drawing of Christine surrounded by hearts and the words "Best Mom Ever," which is sincere and accurate and I don't begrudge it. My Mother's Day: Ma. Dim sum again — we've made it a tradition. Same restaurant on Bellaire, same har gow and siu mai, same chicken feet that Ma eats with concerning enthusiasm. This year I also brought Linh, and her daughter Mei, who's in high school now and brilliant and quiet in the way that Linh was quiet at that age — not shy, just observing, cataloging, waiting. Four of us at a round table in a noisy dim sum hall. Mai Tran, seventy-two. Linh Tran-Nguyen, forty-seven. Me, forty-three. Mei, fifteen. Three generations of Vietnamese-American women and one man who got his priorities right somewhere around age thirty-four. Ma was in good form. She critiqued the cheung fun ("too thick"), praised the char siu bao ("acceptable"), and ate three orders of chicken feet while Mei watched with a mixture of fascination and horror. Linh tried to order a salad. Ma said, "We're at dim sum. You don't order salad at dim sum." Linh ordered another plate of dumplings. You don't argue with Mai Tran, even if you're a doctor. After lunch, I drove Ma home. In the car, she said something she's never said before: "You're a good son, Bao." Just like that. No context, no preamble. I was making a left turn onto Bellaire and my mother told me I was a good son. I didn't crash the truck. I'm counting that as emotional composure. "Thanks, Ma," I said. "Drive faster," she said. "My show is on at two." Back to normal. Made myself suon nuong for dinner. The grilled pork chops that taste like Sunday evenings and everything being enough. Ate them on the porch. Called it a day. A good day.

After dim sum with Ma, Linh, and Mei — after the chicken feet and the cheung fun critique and my mother calling me a good son somewhere on Bellaire Boulevard — I needed a dinner that asked nothing of me except to stand at the grill for a few minutes. Suởn nướng is that meal. You marinate pork chops the way your mother taught you, you cook them over high heat until the edges char and the sugar caramelizes, and you eat them on the porch while the evening does its thing. It’s not fancy. It’s just right.

Suởn Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops)

Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 1 hour marinating) | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 27 minutes | Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick (roughly 1 1/2 lbs total)
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 stalks lemongrass, outer layers removed, finely minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
• Sliced cucumbers and fresh herbs (mint, cilantro), for serving
• Nước chấm dipping sauce (recipe below)

For the Nước Chấm

• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 bird’s eye chili, thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Score the pork chops. Using a sharp knife, make shallow crosshatch cuts on both sides of each pork chop. This helps the marinade penetrate the meat and gives you better char on the grill.
2. Make the marinade. In a bowl, combine the fish sauce, honey, soy sauce, oil, lemongrass, garlic, shallot, sugar, and black pepper. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
3. Marinate. Place the pork chops in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and pour the marinade over them, turning to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
4. Make the nước chấm. Stir the warm water and sugar together until dissolved. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chili. Set aside.
5. Preheat the grill. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. If using a grill pan, brush lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
6. Grill the pork chops. Remove the chops from the marinade and shake off excess. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until the edges are caramelized and slightly charred and the internal temperature reaches 145°F. The sugars in the marinade will darken quickly — that’s what you want.
7. Rest and serve. Let the pork chops rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve over steamed jasmine rice with sliced cucumbers, fresh herbs, and nước chấm on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 32g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 1850mg