Hong Kong-Style Baked Pork Chop Rice

Name: Hong Kong-Style Baked Pork Chop Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder (or deboned pork chops); 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar and mozzarella blend); 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil, for frying the pork); 1 tsp regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce); 2 tsp cornstarch (or potato starch); 1/2 tsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine (or dry sherry wine / chicken broth); 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 4 large eggs (beaten); 4 cups cooked jasmine rice (or white long-grain rice - cold, day old rice recommended); 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables ((carrots, peas, corn, or green beans blend)); 2.5 tbsp regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce); 1 tbsp sesame oil (toasted); 1 cup onion (thinly sliced); 29 fl oz crushed tomatoes (canned); 1/4 cup ketchup; 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or vegetarian stir-fry sauce); 2 tbsp white granulated sugar; 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (or potato starch); 1/4 cup water (cold)

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Tender pork chops on a bed of fried rice topped with a savory, tangy tomato sauce with onions and melted cheese. This Hong Kong-style baked pork chop rice is so delicious and so comforting! A family-friendly main that's both affordable and better than takeout. I share a key tip to achieve tender, juicy pork.

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Variations
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage & Reheating
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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Hong Kong-style baked pork chop rice is a baked casserole rice dish featuring pork cutlets on fried rice topped with a savory tomato and onion sauce and melted cheese.

It's a popular Chinese dish served at Hong Kong-style cafés (aka 'cha-chang-teng' in Cantonese). These cafés serve Western-style comfort food with a Chinese twist, as Hong Kong was once colonized by Britain.

You'll find dishes like Hong Kong-style French toast, macaroni soup, pasta dishes at these cafés and I love dining at them with my husband. They're humble and unpretentious, but always satisfying!

I’ve always been a big fan of this baked rice dish! The taste of the melted cheese with the tangy tomato sauce over the tender pork and fried rice is so comforting.

What sets my recipe apart, is the pork is pan-fried and not deep-fried, so less oil is wasted. My fried rice also contains frozen mixed veggies, making it a complete meal.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Boneless Pork Shoulder (aka Pork Butt): I recommend this cut of pork for its tender taste, as it's marbled with fat. Alternatively, you can use de-boned pork chops or pork loin center cuts.
Shredded Cheese: I recommend using a blend of shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese for the perfect balance of flavors. Alternatively, you can use either shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella.
Neutral Oil: Use a neutral oil like avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, peanut, vegetable, or canola oil. Avoid using olive oil or any low-smoke point oil.

Fried Rice

Cooked Jasmine Rice or White Long-Grain Rice: It's important to use cold, day-old cooked rice to make any fried rice, as the grains are drier, which prevents clumpy fried rice.
Large Eggs
Regular Soy Sauce: I recommend the brands Lee Kum Kee, Pearl River Bridge, Kikkoman, or Yamasa. Alternatively, you can use low-sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce.
Toasted Sesame Oil: I recommend the brands Kadoya or Maruhon. Or substitute with sesame seeds.
Frozen Mixed Vegetables: Use a blend of frozen peas, carrots, green beans, or corn niblets.
Neutral Oil

Tomato Onion Sauce

Onions: Use yellow or white onions. Avoid using red onions.
Canned Crushed Tomatoes: Alternatively, you can use puréed tomatoes if you prefer some texture. I recommend using crushed San Marzano tomatoes for extra flavor.
Ketchup: To add that tangy flavor.
Oyster Sauce: A thick, brown, umami sauce made of oyster juices and other seasonings. I recommend the Lee Kum Kee (Panda or Premium) brand. Or use vegetarian stir-fry sauce if you don't like oysters.
White Granulated Sugar: Do not skip this as it will balance the tartness in the tomato sauce.

Cornstarch Slurry

Cornstarch: Or use potato starch or tapioca starch to thicken the tomato sauce.
Cold Water: Do not use warm or hot water.

Pork Marinade

Regular Soy Sauce: Or use light soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce.
Cornstarch: Don't skip this ingredient as it makes the pork juicy by locking in the moisture. Alternatively, you can use potato starch.
Neutral Oil: This adds more moisture to the pork.
Shaoxing Wine: A Chinese rice cooking wine. I recommend the brands Pagoda, Shaohsing Hua Tiao Chiew, or Double Phoenix. Or use dry sherry, dry white wine, or chicken broth.
Baking Soda: Do not skip this ingredient—it raises the meat's surface pH, loosening the muscle fibers resulting in a more tender texture.
Black Pepper

Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores, or you can check online.

Variations

Chicken version: Replace the pork with boneless chicken thighs and cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF with a digital instant-read thermometer.
Gluten-free version: Replace the soy sauce with tamari sauce, coconut aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce. Use gluten-free oyster sauce. Replace the wine with dry sherry, dry white wine or chicken broth.
Dairy-free version: Replace the shredded cheese with vegan shredded cheese.

Expert Tips

Use boneless pork shoulder: This cut contains more fat, which keeps the pork juicy and prevents them from drying out during cooking.
Use canned San Marzano tomatoes for best flavor: They have a perfect balance in acidity and sweetness.
Break up the cold rice: Use a rice paddle or clean hands to separate the grains so they can toast evenly in the pan.
Don't skip the oil, cornstarch, and baking soda in the marinade: These ingredients are key to keeping the pork juicy and tender.
Avoid overcooking the pork or fried rice: They will finish cooking under the broiler later.
Brown the onions: This step creates extra flavor in the tomato sauce.
Watch the broiler closely: Broil only until the cheese melts and begins to bubble, as it can burn quickly.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Hong Kong-style baked pork chop rice:

Pre-heat the oven to 500ºF.
Slice the boneless pork shoulder against the grain into 3 x 4-inch pieces at ½-inch thick. Then marinate the sliced pork with the marinade ingredients as listed above for 15-20 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch slurry ingredients as listed above and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add the beaten eggs, let them set for 15 seconds before scrambling them into bite-sized pieces. Then push them to the side of the pan to make space.
Add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil into the empty space. Add the cooked rice, break up the rice in the pan, then toss with the eggs until evenly combined.
Add the frozen mixed vegetables, regular soy sauce, and sesame oil and toss until evenly combined with rice.
Transfer the fried rice into a 9 x 9-inch baking dish and evenly spread it out. Set aside.
Reduce to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil. Then pan fry the marinated pork until cooked and no longer pink, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the pork onto the fried rice and evenly spread it out. Set aside.
On medium-high heat, brown the onions until they're caramelized. Mix in the crushed tomatoes and break up any larger tomatoes. Season with ketchup, oyster sauce, white granulated sugar, and mix until combined. Reduce to medium heat and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the sauce to a boil to thicken. Once thickened, ladle the tomato sauce over the pork evenly.
Evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over the tomato sauce. Broil in the oven at 500ºF until the cheese has melted and begins to bubble, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before enjoying.

Storage & Reheating

Hong Kong-style baked pork chop rice can last up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
Freezer-friendly? Hong Kong baked pork chop rice is not ideal for freezing as the fried rice will harden and the vegetables will become mushy.

Pairing Suggestions

Hong Kong baked pork chop rice pairs well with:

Noodle Dishes: Satay Beef Vermicelli Soup or Cantonese Soy Sauce Chow Mein .
Vegetable Dishes: Chinese Garlic Gai-Lan or Stir-fried Snow Pea Leaves.

FAQ

Can I make Hong Kong Baked Pork Chop Rice in advance?

Hong Kong baked pork chop rice can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or in the oven until heated through.

Can I use freshly cooked rice instead?

Freshly steamed rice can be used, but you'll need to dry it out first, or it'll result in clumpy fried rice. To do this, evenly spread it out on a large baking sheet, freeze for 45 minutes, and break it up with a rice paddle.

Can I skip the sugar?

I don't recommend skipping the sugar or the tomato sauce will taste tart and unbalanced. You can substitute the sugar with another sweetener of your choice, like stevia.

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