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    The Life Jolie » Main/Entree » Grilled Hawaiian Pork Chops

    Grilled Hawaiian Pork Chops

    Published: Jun 1, 2021 · Modified: Aug 31, 2022 by Jessy Freimann · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    The side of a pan focusing on pork chops and pineapple rings drizzled with Hawaiian BBQ sauce and topped with chopped scallions.

    These Grilled Hawaiian Pork Chops are an easy recipe for a quick weeknight dinner. This mouthwatering sweet and savory dish is the perfect summer meal!

    A man in a blue shirt holding a pan of grilled pork chops and pineapple.

    Try some other one pot pastas: Drunken Stove Top Pork Chops, Herb Grilled Pork Chops and Brown Sugar Bourbon Pork Chops.

    Hawaiian-Inspired Pork Chop recipe

    This post contains Affiliate Links. Please see the disclaimer here.

    I think it's super important to have some quick and delicious go-to recipes for those nights when 5 o'clock rolls around and you haven't even begun to think about dinner yet. And that's where these Hawaiian barbeque pork chops comes in. They're quick and easy to prepare but still versatile enough to to enjoy on a busy weeknight or a relaxed weekend dinner with friends.

    These Hawaiian Pork Chops are sweet and savory- while not authentic-Hawaiian cuisine, they're inspired by the delicious flavors and beautiful culture of Hawaii. The little bit of char you get from the grill goes perfectly with both the meat and the sweet pineapple. These are not to be missed!

    Tips for making grilled Hawaiian pork

    • You can marinate these for as little as 10 minutes but for best results give them at least a few hours.
    • Make sure you rest the chops for a good 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
    • I’ve had a few people comment that this was a bit on the saltier side for their taste. While I tested this a few times and didn’t feel it was overly salty (make sure you use low sodium soy sauce!) I recognize that everyone has different palates. With that in mind, if your palate is a bit more sensitive to salt, consider replacing ¼ cup of the low sodium soy sauce with water.

    The side of a pan focusing on pork chops and pineapple rings drizzled with Hawaiian BBQ sauce and topped with chopped scallions.

    Can I use boneless pork chops?

    Yes- this recipe tastes great with either option!

    Can you freeze this recipe?

    Yes! Put the pork chops in the marinade and freeze them and then thaw when you’re ready to cook. The only thing I wouldn’t recommend freezing is the pineapple slices.

    How long to cook pork chops on the grill?

    Since so many grills are different (and the thickness of your pork chops also plays into this) I encourage you to determine doneness of the pork chops by temperature. The safe pork chop temperature for consumption is 145 degrees. A digital thermometer is best to assist with this. Remove the pork from the grill at 140 degrees and rest it tented in foil for 4 minutes. During that time it will keep cooking to 145 degrees and be perfectly juicy. This is not the case for ground pork, which should be cooked to 165.

    What goes well with these pork chops?

    A few great recipes to round out and complete this meal would be:

    • Rainbow Asian Chicken Salad
    • Crunch Ramen Coleslaw
    • Crunchy Red Cabbage Salad

    Leftovers and reheating:

    These last 3 days covered in the refrigerator once cooked. You can reheat in a frying pan or individually in the microwave.

    Helpful tools:

    1. Measuring spoons
    2. Measuring cups
    3. Whisk
    4. Instant Read Thermometer
    5. Grill tongs

    An overhead image of a pan of grilled pork chops and pineapple on a blue and white striped towel with a wood background.

    If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions! And if you make this please tag me on Instagram with @thelifejolie so I can share it <3

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    A plate of Hawaiian pork chops and pineapple on white rice. with a blue and white striped towel behind it.

    A square image of the side of a pan focusing on pork chops and pineapple rings drizzled with Hawaiian BBQ sauce and topped with chopped scallions.

    Grilled Hawaiian Pork Chops

    Jessy Freimann
    These Grilled Hawaiian Pork Chops are an easy recipe for a quick weeknight dinner. This mouthwatering sweet and savory dish is the perfect summer meal!
    4.94 from 15 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Rest time 5 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 5 pieces

    Ingredients
      

    • ¾ cup low sodium soy sauce (you can also sub out ¼ cup of this for water if you're more sensitive to salt)
    • ¼ cup water
    • 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
    • ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you want it to be spicy)
    • 3 large cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
    • 2 Tablespoons ketchup
    • 1 can of pineapple rings (reserve ½ cup of the juice for the marinade)
    • 1.5-2 pounds package Pork Chops bone in or boneless
    • 2 Tablespoons corn starch
    • Chopped scallions, for garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Whisk the low sodium soy sauce, water, sesame oil, brown sugar, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic ketchup and pineapple juice until well combined.
    • Pour the marinade over the Pork Chops and let them sit for at least 10 minutes or overnight (you can also freeze them in the marinade and thaw them for later use).
    • Spray the grill with non-stick cooking spray and heat it to medium-high.
    • Place the meat and pineapple rings on the grill and reserve the marinade to make the sauce. 
    • Grill them for 4-5 minutes on each side. Rotate them a little bit midway through each side if you want a nice crosshatch grill mark (this is optional). Keep an eye on them because every grill is different- mine were thin but if your meat is thicker you can go a little longer.
    • Once the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees (or longer if you want them well done) remove them from the grill and rest them for 4 minutes tented in foil.
    • While your meat rests, whisk the cornstarch into the marinade and strain it into a sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until it starts boiling then reduce it to low heat for a couple minutes to thicken the sauce.
    • Drizzle the meat and pineapple with sauce, sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve immediately.

    Notes

    Make sure you don't skip the resting step!
    Leftovers last 3 days covered in the fridge.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Comments

    1. Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says

      April 10, 2017 at 1:03 pm

      I totally admit to being a fair-weather griller!!! Or rather, I make my husband do the fair-weather grilling!! Lol. This sounds delicious- I can't wait to break out my grill!!
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        April 10, 2017 at 1:48 pm

        Ahhhh a fair weather griller- I love it! In all fairness, Justin does ALL The grilling- I'm great in the kitchen but TERRIBLE in the grill!
        Reply
    2. David @ Spiced says

      April 11, 2017 at 1:18 pm

      I am all about grilling as much as possible! We've finally hit a stretch of warm days here in the northeast, and our grill is out and ready to go. These Hawaiian pork chops sound delicious, and they definitely need to go at the top of our list soon! Thanks for sharing! #client
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        April 11, 2017 at 2:21 pm

        Thank you- I hope you love it! I'm so thankful for warm weather!
        Reply
    3. Leah says

      April 14, 2017 at 11:31 am

      What a wonderful meal! Spicy and sweet together are just perfect, and this pork chops definitely fit the bill! I can't wait for grilling weather, and thanks for the meal inspiration!
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        April 14, 2017 at 2:22 pm

        Thank you! Grilling weather is my favorite!
        Reply
    4. Jenni says

      April 14, 2017 at 6:09 pm

      These pork chops look completely amazing! I need to break out the grill and make these!
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        April 17, 2017 at 3:54 pm

        Thank you- we loved them!
        Reply
    5. Amanda says

      April 23, 2017 at 9:48 pm

      These pork chops are absolutely gorgeous. I am such a fan of grilled pineapple and this must be such a fantastic flavor combination heading into summer. I can't wait to fire up the grill for dinners like these this year!
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        May 02, 2017 at 11:53 am

        Thank you! I'm all about the grill right now!
        Reply
    6. R Normad says

      June 27, 2018 at 9:25 am

      I was hoping for something a little less Asian and more tropical. There is too much soy sauce and the sauce is SUPER salty. I even added twice the pineapple juice hoping to turn it more to the tropical side. I might try it again, cutting the soy by 2/3 and adding a bit more brown sugar, pineapple juice and pepper flakes. Thankfully, the chops weren't salty, we just like sauce and these just weren't the flavors we were hoping for.
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        June 27, 2018 at 12:52 pm

        Did you use low sodium soy sauce as stipulated in the recipe? Full sodium soy sauce would be much too salty. There are many Asian influences in Hawaiian cuisine, perhaps you were hoping for something derived from more Caribbean influence? Everyone has different tastes and hopefully you can find a variation that works for you. Good luck!
        Reply
        • R Normad says

          June 28, 2018 at 7:00 pm

          Yep, I followed the recipe to a tee, until I tasted the sauce and added a ton more pineapple juice. I never use full flavor soy sauce anymore because it's turbo salty. I think I was hung up on the pineapple pork combo and the asian influence in the islands wasn't on my mind. I might have to look for a more pineapple oriented pork dish to get the flavors I'm looking for.
          Reply
          • Jessy Freimann says

            June 29, 2018 at 1:31 pm

            Bummer- well I hope you find what you're looking for :)
            Reply
    7. Whitney Anderson says

      April 15, 2019 at 5:22 pm

      Made these last night and they were delicous!
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        April 15, 2019 at 10:30 pm

        So glad you loved them- thanks you for sharing <3
        Reply
    8. TERRI S LYNN says

      April 25, 2019 at 8:41 pm

      The marinade was milder than i expected, which is just fine. It smelled amazing while grilling and tasted very good! I had to use sriracha in place of red pepper flakes, and canned pineapple, which isn't comparable imo. I marinated almost 24 hours. I would cook less time, as my inch + pork loin chops tasted a bit over cooked, even using a thermometer and knowing it would cook longer at rest. I would definitely attempt this again! Thank you for sharing!
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        April 25, 2019 at 10:25 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it, Terri- thank you for sharing :)
        Reply
    9. Debra Nettleton says

      June 02, 2019 at 6:39 pm

      This is the second time I've made these chops and just love them!! My family loves them. Thank you for this recipe! I will be making these again, and again.
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        June 07, 2019 at 3:03 pm

        Woohoo! So glad you love them Debra! Thanks for sharing!
        Reply
    10. Michael Olson says

      November 20, 2019 at 9:46 pm

      Made this last night for some friends and family. We all live in Hawaii and have had many, many variations of this—but, this was INCREDIBLE. Mahalo nui loa for the recipe.
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        November 25, 2019 at 2:56 pm

        Thank you- so glad you loved it!
        Reply
        • Virginia says

          October 19, 2021 at 12:55 pm

          I'm totally confused to re: pineapple rings. Are they grilled separately or go in with chops and marinade?
          Reply
          • Jessy Freimann says

            October 25, 2021 at 10:55 pm

            Hi Virginia- I marinate them with the pork and then grill them separately.
            Reply
    11. Austin says

      March 28, 2020 at 7:31 pm

      What do you do with the water? It doesn’t state anywhere.
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        March 29, 2020 at 3:43 pm

        Yikes- thanks for pointing that out- it's a typo. The water is part of the marinade. I'll fix it now.
        Reply
    12. Tami says

      September 07, 2021 at 10:52 pm

      Delicious! Love the mix of flavors, served it with yellow rice and green beans. I also did this marinade with chicken breasts,, so good!!
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        September 15, 2021 at 10:13 am

        Thanks Tami- I'm so glad everyone loved it!
        Reply

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