Japanese Pork Chops

These easy weeknight Japanese pork chops smell like my childhood in the same way that a bubbling apple pie in the oven reminds me of Thanksgiving. Browning pork, sweet mirin, and savory soy sauce come together in the pan along with ketchup to create a glaze that turns glossy and clings to the meat. I know how it sounds... Ketchup belongs on the table next to the mustard, not in a pan sauce you'd serve to company, but hear me out.

Ketchup arrived in Japan from America around the turn of the last century. At first, it was viewed as an exotic, modern Western condiment associated with imported foods and the trendy new world of yōshoku ("Western food").

That's probably why it never got filed away as a cheap condiment. Over time, it became a base pantry ingredient like soy sauce or miso. It's why it turns up in everything from pasta and fried rice to Japanese-style curry. One squirt brings sweet, tart, and savory tastes, plus a fruity note that melds into whatever you're cooking.

Pork chops with ketchup is a classic, and ポークチャップ (pōku chappu, a portmanteau of pork and ketchup) got its name the same way it got its sauce, by taking something American and making it uniquely Japanese.

I like to start with a marbled rib chop, seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper. A light dusting of flour creates a golden crust that helps the glaze stick to the meat. The mixture of ketchup, mirin, and soy sauce goes in after the excess oil gets removed, and the smell of the sauce caramelizing is the part that draws everyone to the kitchen.

It's the kind of taste kids go crazy for, and there's enough depth in the glaze to keep grown-ups hooked as well.