Sweet and Spicy Garlic Pork Chops

Combine brown sugar, minced garlic, rice vinegar, and fish sauce in a bowl to create the marinade. Add a small amount of soy sauce and a tiny dollop of ketchup to enhance the flavor. Finish by sprinkling black pepper and hot sauce over the mixture.

Transfer 1/2 of the marinade to a baking dish and place pork chops over the marinade. Pour the remaining marinade on top of the pork chops, ensuring they are well-coated with the mixture. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, flipping the chops every 30 minutes.

Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator and place them on a plate, scraping off any excess marinade that has accumulated in the baking dish.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Gently place the pork chops in the hot oil, allowing them to cook until their outsides are nicely browned and the meat springs back when pressed lightly, approximately 5 minutes per side. Remove the chops from the skillet and place them on a plate to rest.

Pour the marinade into the skillet, increasing the heat to medium-high. Cook until the marinade is reduced and sticky, about 3 to 5 minutes. Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices to the skillet.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the pork chops, flipping and basting occasionally, until their centers are slightly pink and the sauce has reached your desired level of stickiness, 6 to 8 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork to check for a temperature of about 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

Plate each pork chop and spoon a portion of the sticky garlic sauce on top.