Lemon Teriyaki Pork Chops

Method12 steps · about 20 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Before handling raw pork, wash the lemon and prepare four slices on a clean produce board. Place the two thick boneless pork chops on a separate stable meat board and make cuts through their fatty edges to help prevent curling. Keep produce utensils separate from raw pork.

   Uses 2 thick raw boneless pork chops · Water for washing the lemon before slicing, as needed

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Season both sides of the prepared chops with salt, using a pinch on each side as the written method directs. Keep them ready for the pan while preparing the garlic.

   Uses Pork chops with cuts through the fatty edges · Salt for seasoning both sides of the chops, a pinch per side

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Thinly slice the peeled garlic clove (1). Heat all 1 tbsp cooking oil in the frying pan over medium-low heat, add all the garlic slices and fry gently until golden and crisp on both faces. Watch closely and remove them before they burn.

   Uses 1 tbsp cooking oil · 1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Lift the fried garlic chips onto kitchen paper to drain, reserving them for garnish. Keep the pan and its remaining garlic-flavoured oil for cooking the pork.

   Uses Fried garlic chips lifted from the pan · Garlic-flavoured oil remaining in the pan

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Increase the heat of the same pan with its retained garlic-flavoured oil to medium-high. Add both seasoned chops and fry their first face for 1½–2 minutes, checking from 1½ minutes for a golden surface before turning.

   Check the first pork face · 2 minUses Both seasoned pork chops · Pan with retained garlic-flavoured oil

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Turn both chops, lower the heat to low-medium and cover with the lid. Cook for 3–4 minutes, checking from 3 minutes; the thickest part must reach at least 63°C / 145°F before proceeding with the glaze. Continue cooking if necessary. Prepare the mushroom and sauce in the next step while this covered phase cooks, returning to the pan when the alert sounds.

   Check covered pork doneness · 3 minUses First-face-browned chops in the retained pan oil

   
7. 7

   Step 7: While the covered chops cook, use clean utensils to cut the king oyster mushroom (1) into bite-sized pieces. Mix all 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp sake and ½ tbsp honey in a small bowl. If the pork cooking alert sounds before this preparation is complete, check the pan first and finish preparation safely.

   Uses 1 king oyster mushroom (eryngii), cut into bite-sized pieces · 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) · 2 tbsp mirin · 2 tbsp sake · ½ tbsp honey

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Once the covered chops have reached at least 63°C / 145°F, remove the lid and add all the prepared mushroom pieces and mixed teriyaki sauce from step 7. Bring the heat back to medium-high.

   Uses Cooked chops and retained pan oil · Prepared king oyster mushroom pieces · Mixed teriyaki sauce

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Cook, watching and turning the chops to coat both sides, until the mushroom pieces are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly. The source gives no fixed duration for this stage.

   Uses Pork, mushroom and teriyaki sauce in the pan

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Add all four prepared lemon slices and increase the heat. Continue cooking and watching until the sauce becomes syrupy and coats the chops, without letting the honey glaze burn.

    Uses Pork and softened mushrooms in thickened teriyaki sauce · 4 lemon slices, washed before slicing

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Check the thickest part of each chop has reached at least 63°C / 145°F. Remove the pan from the heat and lift the pork onto clean serving plates. Rest the cooked chops off heat for at least 3 minutes before eating; keep the cooked mushrooms, lemon slices and actual sauce remaining in the pan for plating.

    Minimum pork rest off heat · 3 minUses Cooked glazed chops lifted from the pan · Cooked mushrooms, lemon and sauce remaining in the pan

    
12. 12

    Step 12: After the pork has rested, divide the two chops between two plates. Add the cooked mushrooms, lemon slices and remaining pan sauce, then garnish with the reserved fried garlic chips from step 4. Serve promptly.

    Uses Both cooked rested pork chops · Cooked mushrooms, lemon and pan sauce for plating · Reserved fried garlic chips, separate from the pan oil