Chili-Rubbed Pork Chops with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Bell peppers or zucchini, cooked on the grill with the rest of the meal, would be an easy and flavorful side dish. Grill-warmed tortillas would be nice, too. You can also make the recipe using bone-in center rib chops or boneless chops. You can make the salsa with grilled peaches, nectarines or mangoes. If you like, add chopped onion or cilantro to the salsa. Likewise, feel free to play with the rub ingredients to make the mixture your own.

Prep: 15 min | Cook: 10 min | Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in ribeye (rib) pork chops, about 3/4 inch thick, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 slices pineapple, cut crosswise about 1/2-inch thick, trimmed or 3 slices canned pineapple, drained
• 1 jalapeno chile, halved lengthwise, seeds and veins removed
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

1. In a shallow bowl, combine chili powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Sprinkle both sides of pork with spice mixture.
2. Prepare a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Grill pork until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Grill pineapple (if using fresh) and jalapeno until lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
3. Remove chops from grill and let rest 3 minutes.
4. *Meanwhile, dice pineapple and finely dice jalapeno.
5. In a medium bowl, combine pineapple, jalapeno and lime juice. Season to taste with salt.

Notes

* Or substitute any store-purchased fruit salsa.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories: 180 calories Protein: 20 grams Fat: 6 grams Sodium: 470 milligrams Cholesterol: 50 milligrams Saturated Fat: 2 grams Carbohydrates: 10 grams Fiber: 1 gram

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: National Pork Board