Jalapeño Grilled Pork Chops

Name: Jalapeño Grilled Pork Chops
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 5 large jalapeños, stemmed; 5 large garlic cloves, peeled; 1 bunch cilantro stems, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 packed cup); 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for cooking; 1 tablespoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 8 thin-cut, bone-in pork loin chops (1/2-inch thick); 1 large jalapeño, thinly sliced into rings; 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings; 1/3 cup rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for garnish; Cilantro rice or cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

By Eric Kim

Updated June 17, 2021

Jalapeño Grilled Pork Chops — Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 5(2,066)
Comments: Read comments

Juicy jalapeños offer discernible heat, but they have a higher purpose beyond that: They provide welcome freshness with their distinct vegetal flavor. When blitzed with aromatic cilantro stems and plenty of garlic, jalapeños transform into a punchy marinade that flavors and tenderizes pork chops gloriously, and tinges them a bright Reptar-Bar green, too. That brilliant color, evidence of the chlorophyll in the peppers and herbs, stays vibrant even after a fiery kiss on the grill.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

For the Pork Chops

5large jalapeños, stemmed
5large garlic cloves, peeled
1bunch cilantro stems, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 packed cup)
2tablespoons rice vinegar
½cup olive oil, plus more for cooking
1tablespoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
2teaspoons granulated sugar
8thin-cut, bone-in pork loin chops (½-inch thick)

For the Relish

1large jalapeño, thinly sliced into rings
1small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
⅓cup rice vinegar
1teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
2tablespoons granulated sugar
Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for garnish
Cilantro rice or cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Make the pork chops: In a food processor, blitz the jalapeños, garlic, cilantro stems, rice vinegar, olive oil, salt and sugar until smooth. Place the pork chops in a large bowl or resealable container and pour the marinade over them; turn the chops to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
Step 2
While the chops marinate, prepare a charcoal grill for direct high-heat cooking, or heat a gas grill to medium-high.
Step 3
Make the relish: In a small bowl, toss the jalapeño, red onion, rice vinegar, salt, sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Set aside to quick-pickle until ready to serve, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Step 4
Carefully grease the grill grate: Use tongs to grip a wadded paper towel dipped in oil and then rub the grates with the oiled towel. With the marinade clinging to them, place the pork chops on the hot greased grate. Grill until the chops are charred at the edges and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. The meat is ready to flip when it releases easily from the grates. (If using a gas grill, close the lid between flips.) Alternatively, cook the chops on the stovetop in batches. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan, and heat until shimmering. Add the chops, with the marinade clinging to them, to the pan. Sear until browned and caramelized at the edges and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Discard any remaining marinade.
Step 5
Serve the chops with the relish and cilantro on top. If you’d like, serve rice alongside.

Ratings

5 out of 5

2,066 user ratings

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Comments

Luther4 years ago

Best pork chop recipe on NYT recipes! Did scrap seeds from a few jalapenos but after cooking this, there is no need. Marinated for 7 hours. Relish is absolutely essential to this and just crazy good. Suggest fixing relish several hours ahead and refrigerating. Grilling thin chops is notorious for typically tuff meat. Not here. Used 1/2" as suggested but next time will probably up the chops to 3/4, but that's not a given. Fixed cilantro rice recipe also. Fabulous meal! Thanks Mr. Kim

anne4 years ago

Yum. Marinade, relish, chops. Subbed shallots for red onions. Will be trying marinade for chicken thighs and lamb chops. Relish is the relish of summer.

Heidi Mayer3 years ago

I loved this recipe! The cilantro rice was addictive, with the juice of 5 limes, rather than what the recipe called for. With all the jalapenos, one would think the chops would be wildly spicy, but it was flavorful with practically no heat. (Not that I don't love heat!) The relish was refreshing and superb! Despite the thinness of the chops, they were tender and far from dry. Another bonus--speedy cooking time!

Josh K3 weeks ago

Good recipe. The relish is a bit sweet for my taste, I would cut the sugar in half next time (although I agree with the general idea of having a source of sweetness in the dish).

Audrey3 weeks ago

I love jalapeños , but omg was this a bit too much heat! I grow my own and I’ve read that home grown are hotter than store bought. I don’t know if that’s true but next time I’ll cut down on the amount of jalapeños.

Michelle3 weeks ago

So worth making! I didn’t make the relish but still came out delish

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