BBQ Pork Chops w/ Pineapple!

I love pork chops, and eat them at least twice a month. There is something about the flavor the meat gets from the bone that makes it super juicy and flavorful. Yet, if you asked me for recipes for pork chops, I would give you a blank look and say, “salt and pepper?” Yes, I would answer the question with a question because…well, the question was rhetorical! No? Well, guess what, apparently salt and pepper are not the only spices or toppings used on pork chops! Yes, you heard it here! Did I just change your life? Or are you reading this post thinking one of the following:

OMG, Itanni has been living under a rock!
OMG Itanni, tell me more about these other options!

Well, I will never be accused of being too timid when it comes to cooking. So I sat on my couch with a cup of coffee and began to search. These were the steps I took:

google.com
Search: best pork chop recipes EVER

I know, freaking brilliant!

Then I spent the next hour reading recipes and looking at pork chop pictures (YUM!).

So, how did I make a decision on the recipe I was gonna try first? Sigh. Well, I am kinda lazy and HATE waiting for my food to cook. So when I found a recipe from chef Ricardo (link here) that would take less than 30 minutes to make, and looked absolutely delicious, I was sold! Plus, I just happened to have almost all the ingredients, and the ingredient I did not have (the pineapple), was on sale at the grocery store down the street. Score!

What I cooked

BBQ PORK CHOPS WITH PINEAPPLE!

The ingredients

BBQ marinade

3/4 cup (180 ml) fresh or store-bought pineapple juice (see note)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) onion salt

Chops

6 bone-in pork chops, about 3/4-inch (2-cm) thick, fat removed
3/4 fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into 6 long strips
Salt and pepper

Preparation

BBQ marinade

In a glass dish or a sealable plastic bag, combine all the ingredients. Add the pork chops and coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Pork chops

Preheat the grill, setting the burners on high. Oil the grate.
Remove the meat from the marinade. Cook the chops for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until the desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the pineapple sticks on each side. Top the chops with the pineapple sticks and serve a green salad.

Then I hit a snag. I don’t have a BBQ!! Duh! I live in an apartment with no balcony! Argh!

Had a little spaz attack, and then took a few deep breaths and remembered that my mom gifted me with a cast iron grill. A grill that I had never used and could not remember where I stashed it. So then began the search for the missing grill! 2 hours later and with about an ounce of patience left, I began cooking.

True to their word, this recipe was quick to make! But I did make a few tweaks. For example, for the marinade, instead of putting the chops in a plastic bag, I put the pork chops in a large bowl, poured the marinade on top, and then covered the bowl with cling film. Then placed the bowl in the fridge for 3 hours (I took a nap after exhausting myself searching for the grill).

Once I woke up and my stomach roared in protest, I heated the grill, used a brush to spread the oil, and began cooking those babies. Loved the SIZZZZZLE sound.

While the chops were cooking, I made rice. Other friends that made this recipe after I told them about it used different sides, such as couscous, salad, tortillas, naan, beans….the sky is the limit really. That’s the beauty of pork chops, it goes well with just about everything!

Once my chops were cooked, I cleaned the grill with a paper towel, put a bit more oil on the pan, and carefully spread the pineapple slices. I was determined to get pretty grill marks. And sure, it took me MANY tries because I am incredibly stubborn, but I was happy with the final result.

Did I like it?

Hell yes I did! I was not sure I would because I don’t really care for sweet recipes, but in this case, it was not obnoxiously sweet, and with the rice, it balanced out the flavors nicely. The chops were juicy, smoky and with a hint of sweetness. The few friends that found the chops a bit too sweet used hot sauce to balance out the flavors.

Would I make it again?

Absolutely! In fact, I loved the simplicity of this recipe so much, that I have already bookmarked more recipes from Ricardo’s website.

So my lovely friends, there you have it. My first pork chop adventure! Try this recipe out and let me know what you think!

For more recipe ideas check out Ricardo’s website here! And for those trying to go healthy this new year (we all are right?), I found some pretty cool recipes here!