by Kimberly Smith

Created on: February 14, 2011   Last Updated: October 31, 2011

A great marinade adds a depth of flavor to pork chops and when you couple that with a nice salsa, you have a terrific entrée. One important thing about marinating any type of meat is to remember it takes time to allow the flavors of the marinade to penetrate the meat and work their magic. I will provide a wonderful example of a marinated pork chop dish that is topped with a pineapple salsa that will leave your diner guests speechless.

For this recipe you will need the following:

Pork Chop Marinade
4 bone-on pork chops
½ teaspoon lime zest
2 limes, juiced
1 tablespoon honey
1 shallot, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped, seeded and white pulp removed (the heat is in the seeds and white pulp)
1 garlic clove, chopped
½ cup olive oil
salt

Blend all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Place the pork chops in a resealable bag and pour the marinade over the chops. Seal and rub the chops to coat well. Refrigerate for 3 hours to allow the flavors to penetrate the chops.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Remove the pork chops from the marinade bag and place them on the grill. Cook for 5 minutes on each side for medium rare chops or 8 minutes for medium. Remove from the grill and allow the chops to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Top with your wonderful Pineapple Salsa (recipe follows) for a delicious marinated pork chop meal.

Pineapple Salsa
½ pineapple (fresh), diced and cored
1 tomato, diced
½ red onion
½ small jalapeno, diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced
salt & pepper

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Taste for seasoning. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

This is a sure winner with marinated pork chops. It’s easy, with few ingredients but gives great taste and wow factor. The most important things to remember when cooking any marinated meats are to allow them plenty of time to absorb the flavors of the marinade and to always allow the meat to rest after you remove it from the heat before slicing. The resting period is important to allow the meat to reabsorb all the juices. If you cut right into the meat, when you remove it from the grill, all of the delicious juices will simply run out and you will be left with a very dry, tasteless piece of meat. The whole point of marinating the chops is to add lots of wonderful flavor so make sure to follow this crucial step to seal in those delicious juices.

Learn more about this author, Kimberly Smith.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.