The 5-Ingredient Recipe That Made Me Love Pork Chops Again

My mom used to make pork chops at least once a week. She would pan-fry them and serve them with stewed tomatoes and bread covered in gravy. It was a hard plate of food to love. Yes, I ate it, but I didn’t enjoy it, and let’s just say that it was challenging for me to love pork chops after that.

But like many other unenjoyable dishes of my childhood, pork chops have ironically become one of my favorite meals to make and serve, especially my grilled pineapple-chipotle pork chops.

I’ve written a few recipes for quick-fix meals because I know time is tight but hunger comes on fast. Boneless pork chops cook quickly, making them perfect for a weeknight, but they can be bland in flavor. I like to cook them with bold, punchy ingredients like chipotle peppers, which are earthy and smoky. Adding tart lime and sweet pineapple juices levels up the flavor even more.

As for my cooking method, I use the grill here. I like the control I have over the heat. I can move the chops to different areas of the grill depending on how much more cooking needs to happen. Plus, you can’t beat the charred flavor! 

Choosing the Right Cut of Pork

What I’ve learned about cooking pork is that the cut and cooking methods matter. For example, a pork tenderloin is a delicious and versatile protein, but it’s lean and cooks quickly. That means long, slow cooking techniques don’t make sense—they’ll only dry out the meat, making it chewy and impossible to enjoy.

Bone-in pork chops are flavorful, and because of the bone (and associated fat), are juicier than boneless pork chops, but they take longer to cook. That means in order to get the best results, you’ll need to sear them at a high heat, then follow that with some low-temperature cooking.

While I love a juicy bone-in pork chop, sometimes I need to get dinner on the table ASAP, so I opt for boneless as my starting place on a weeknight. Giving it a dip in a flavorful marinade boosts its oomph and juiciness to compensate for its leanness and lack of bone. Once you know and understand your cut, you can cook it with success.

Tips for Making My Grilled Pineapple-Chipotle Pork Chops

• Skip the thin-cut chops: Thin pork chops cook fast and can be a good option for the grill. But for this recipe, I prefer pork chops that are at least 3/4-inch thick so that I can sear them, then cook them a bit longer for a juicier experience. 
• Use canned pineapple juice: Fresh pineapple juice is delicious, but not a great fit for this marinade. That’s because pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain which breaks down the collagen in meat, making it mushy. Fresh pineapple has more bromelain in it than canned, which has been heat-treated, so stick with the canned stuff. 
• Use two zones: For this recipe, I like to set up my grill so that I have a spot that’s hot and a spot that’s not as hot. I’ll sear the pork on the hottest section of the grill, then move the meat to the cooler side to finish cooking. This results in tender, juicy pork chops. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve these grilled pork chops with rice or another whole grain and a vegetable side to make it a meal. Or, slice the chops and enjoy in tacos or as a topping for a bowl. I sometimes cut up and stuff the grilled pork chops into a pita with a fruit-based salsa.