These grilled Hawaiian pineapple pork chops are an easy recipe for a quick weeknight dinner. This mouthwatering sweet and savory dish is the perfect summer meal. Ready in just 30 minutes in total!
¾cuplow sodium soy sauce(you can also sub out ¼ cup of this for water if you're more sensitive to salt)
¼cupwater
1Tablespoonsesame oil
⅓cupbrown sugar, packed
¼teaspoonground ginger
½teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes(or more if you want it to be spicy)
3large cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
2Tablespoonsketchup
1can of pineapple rings(reserve ½ cup of the juice for the marinade)
1.5-2poundspackage Pork Chopsbone in or boneless
2Tablespoonscorn 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
You can marinate your pineapple pork chops for as little as 10 minutes, but for best results give them at least a few hours.
Remember to preheat your grill and add the nonstick cooking spray. Both ensure proper searing and caramelization! Plus, you won't have to worry about the chops or the pineapple rings sticking.
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.
Ingredients to prep ahead- You can prepare the marinade and marinate the pork chops a few hours ahead of time, or even the night before. Like I said... the longer the chops have to marinate, the more flavorful they'll be!
Leftovers and storage- You can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a frying pan on the stovetop until warmed through, or use your microwave for single servings.