Wasabi-Miso Glazed Pork Chops with Smashed Pickled Cucumber Salad 

In partnership with S&B Foods, we’re putting wasabi to work beyond sushi with sticky miso-glazed pork chops and a sharp smashed cucumber salad.

If your tube of wasabi only sees daylight on sushi night, this recipe is about to change that. S&B Wasabi Paste is whisked with white miso, mirin, sake, soy and honey into a sticky, savoury glaze that catches and caramelises around juicy pork chops in the pan. The wasabi brings a gentle kick that cuts through the richness without stealing the show, while tangy smashed cucumber keeps everything crisp and fresh.

Pile it all onto fluffy steamed rice and dinner is done in just over 30 minutes. Sweet, salty, glossy and just spicy enough, it’s a sensational weeknight meal that tastes far more impressive than the effort required.

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes 
Serves: 4 

Recipe by Chloe Skipp

Ingredients 

For the Wasabi-Miso Glaze

• 2 tbsp S&B Wasabi Paste
• 2 tbsp white miso paste
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp cooking sake
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp sesame oil

For the Pork

• 4 pork loin chops (180–200g each)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 20g butter

For the Smashed Pickled Cucumber Salad

• 2 Lebanese cucumbers
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

To Serve

• Steamed Japanese rice
• Extra sliced spring onions
• Lime wedges (optional)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the S&B Wasabi Paste, white miso, mirin, cooking sake, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil until smooth. Set aside.
2. Lightly smash the cucumbers using the flat side of a knife until they crack into rustic pieces. Cut into bite-sized chunks and place into a bowl with the sea salt. Leave for 10 minutes, then drain away any excess liquid.
3. Add the rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, caster sugar, sesame oil, spring onions and toasted sesame seeds to the cucumber. Toss well to combine and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes to lightly pickle while the pork cooks.
4. Pat the pork chops dry and season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook for 4–5 minutes on the first side until golden brown. If required, wipe away any excess fat from the pan.
6. Turn the pork chops and add the butter. Continue cooking for 3–4 minutes, basting with the foaming butter until the pork is almost cooked through.
7. Reduce the heat to low. Brush the pork generously with the wasabi-miso glaze, turning and brushing several times over 1–2 minutes until the glaze becomes glossy, sticky and lightly caramelised. Remove from the pan and rest for 5 minutes.
8. Spoon the steamed rice onto serving plates. Top with the glazed pork chops and serve alongside the smashed pickled cucumber salad.
9. Finish with white sesame seeds, extra spring onions and any remaining glaze spooned over the pork. Serve immediately.

Chef’s Tip 

For extra-juicy pork chops, salt them and refrigerate uncovered for 12–24 hours before cooking. This dry-brining step helps the pork hold onto moisture and seasons it all the way through. Brush on the wasabi-miso glaze only during the final minutes in the pan, giving it enough time to turn glossy and caramelised without burning or dulling the punch of the S&B Wasabi Paste.

The real takeaway here is how much S&B Wasabi Paste can do with very little effort. A spoonful brings heat, depth and freshness to glazes, marinades, dressings and sauces, turning familiar ingredients into something far more exciting. Keep a tube in the fridge and suddenly weeknight pork chops, grilled chicken, roast vegetables and even a quick noodle bowl have somewhere much better to go. Big flavour, one clever pantry staple, endless dinner potential.