Tropical Pork Chops

Allrecipes Tropical Pork Chops

I am always on the lookout for great pork recipes, which is surprising to some as I never really liked pork.  However, several years ago I realized I was overcooking pork, and this is why it was always so bad when I made it!  Now it is one of my favorite meats to cook! 

The USDA has always recommended pork be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees - not wanting to kill anyone I, of course, followed the rules! Until i learned that chefs everywhere will tell you that is WAY overdone!  you could break a tooth on pork that is so overcooked! 

Recently the USDA has changed those guidelines and lowered the safe cooking temperature for pork to 145 degrees.  It's true! Check out this article. This is much better! Although with all of those meat thermometers out there that guide you to overcook pork - I'm sure many are still following that practice and eating 'the other white meat' overcooked.  When I cook pork, I take it out around 138-140 degrees and then let it rest for about 5-10 mins. I haven't made anyone sick yet... 

I served Tropical Pork Chops over the weekend, and we really enjoyed them. The sauce is delicious and very easy to make. I made some minor changes to the recipe as follows...

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/8 teaspoon onion salt
• dash cayenne pepper
• 4 boneless pork loin chops
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup pineapple tidbits
• Hot cooked rice

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients. Cover and simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. In a skillet, cook pork, onion and garlic in oil until meat is caramelized. Add pineapple juice and reserved sauce. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until the meat is 140-145 degrees. Stir in pineapple and heat through. Serve over rice.

note:  Next time I make this I will be sure to use fresh pineapple instead of canned.

Pineapple Chicken Sandwiches

post by Marion@Life Taste Good on 2012-04-12

I adapted my Pineapple Chicken Sandwich recipe from allrecipes.com Pineapple Chicken Sliders. The first time I made this recipe, I made it as stated and it was just okay. The sandwiches were a little dry from using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and I wasn't crazy about using straight teriyaki sauce on the roll. I made some changes and now we all love this sandwich.

Ingredients

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 bone in, skin on chicken breasts
• 6 fresh pineapple rings
• 1-2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce (to taste)
• 6 Hawaiian bread rolls - split and toasted (spread mayo or miracle whip on bread prior to oven toasting if desired)
• lettuce, rinsed and dried (I use spinach leaves)
• red onion slices

Directions

1. Whisk together the lemon juice, lime juice, cider vinegar, salt and pepper and pour into a plastic baggie. Add the chicken and shake gently to evenly coat. Seal bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or overnight)
2. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.
3. Heat a frying pan over mid-high heat for a few minutes. Put the chicken breasts breast side down in the dry pan. It will sizzle. Don't move it! Let it sit to caramelize. After about 3 minutes, flip the chicken over and put the pan in the pre-heated oven to finish cooking. If your skillet is not oven safe, be sure to transfer the chicken to an oven safe dish. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Chicken will be done when it reaches 160 degrees F internally, so check it with an instant read thermometer after about 25 minutes.
4. When done, remove chicken from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut breast meat off the bone and then cut each breast in half.
5. While chicken is resting, add teriyaki sauce to pan. Cook on medium heat and stir to remove all the yummy bits from the pan. Continue stirring until the liquid has reduced a little. Add pineapple to the pan and cook a couple minutes each side until heated through.
6. Spread some sauce from pan on the bottom half of a toasted roll. Add lettuce, a piece of chicken, a pineapple round, and an onion slice. Put the top on it and repeat to make rest of sandwiches. Serve and enjoy!

Note: Using bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts will result in much more flavor and moistness. And, bonus, they are always cheaper than buying the boneless skinless breasts.