What’s for Dinner? Grilled Pork Chops with Mango Salsa

Juicy Grilled Pork Chops with Mango Salsa - a most satisfying meat-lover's supper!

The Occasion: A hearty summertime meal for when you want to embrace your inner carnivore. I made this recipe after a few days of eating salads, and eggs, and perfectly delicious light bites. (You know how sometimes it’s too darn hot to eat? Like that.) But then I had a desperate need to chew a chop, really tear into a well-prepared cut of meat. Nothing else would do to satisfy my cravings. (Apologies to my vegetarian readers, I know this must sound horrible and now you think much less of me. I will just have to bear that shame.) 

What Makes This Special? Two things: brining the pork chops for maximum juiciness, and the sweet, summery taste of mangoes. Yes!

Serve With: A grain and a veggie side dish. Couscous and green beans? Rice and sliced tomatoes? You choose. Pinot noir goes really well with pork. Maybe treat yourself to a nice glass with this meal. 

Click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions.

The Verdict: This dish is exactly what your carnivorous self desires. Succulent pork, tender but with a satisfying bite to it. Moist and flavorful meat. Juicy ripe mangoes providing color, sweetness, and a nice neutral foil for the zesty jalapeño and red onion. There’s not much better than that!

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Juicy Grilled Pork Chops with Mango Salsa
Recipe source: Simply Recipes for the mango salsa
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 4 bone-in center cut pork chops, ideally about an inch thick
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 5 cups cold water
• Optional: Taijin, a citrus spice blend commonly found in Latin markets

For the salsa:

• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and finely diced
• 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 jalapeño, minced – taste the chili and adjust the quantity to suit your taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (Note: If you have a cilantro-hater in the family like me, feel free to substitute chopped parsley or chopped Mexican oregano)
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

DIRECTIONS:

• Brine the pork chops: This is a key step for keeping meat moist and juicy through the cooking process. Essentially you are giving the chops a nice long soak in salty water. How long? Some recipes say between 30 minutes and 6 hours. I recommend a brine soak for about 3 hours. Much more than that will result in super-salty meat.
• Combine the salt and brown sugar in the water, stirring vigorously with a whisk to dissolve them. You may add optional spices to the brine water, such as Taijin, black peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic cloves, or other seasonings.
• Put the chops in a baking dish with high sides or in a sealable plastic storage bag. Pour the brine into the dish or bag, covering the chops. Cover and chill for approximately 3 hours.
• When it’s time to grill the chops remove them from the brine, rinse in cold water, and pat dry.
• Meanwhile, make the salsa: Combine all salsa ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Chill until ready to serve.
• Grill the pork chops: Prepare the grill by establishing a medium-high flame and oiling the grates.
• Cook the chops about 4 minutes on each side, or until the temperature reaches about 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
• Remove from the heat and let the chops rest for about 10 minutes before serving.