Tropical Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables

Name: Tropical Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 4-6 Pork Chops, boneless; 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil; 1 20 oz can Pineapple Slices, drained; 1 pound Sweet Potatoes, peeled, sliced 1/4" thick; 2 cups Red Onions, chopped 1" pieces ((about 2 medium)); 2 cups Bell Peppers, chopped 1" pieces ((about 3 of various colors)); 2/3 cup Canola Oil; 2 teaspoons Jamaican Allspice; 1/2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke; 1 teaspoon Chipotle Tabasco; 1 8 oz can Crushed Pineapples, not drained; 2 cloves Garlic, crushed; 2 teaspoons Fresh Ginger, crushed; 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar; 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt; 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Jump to Recipe

Taste of paradise! Tropical Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables. . . just the name makes your mouth water! The sweetness of the pineapples, the savory of the allspice, and the slight hint of heat with the chipotle sauce is a perfect blend to make your mouth say “Wow” and your stomach say “Aaah”! Serve this with our Coconut Cilantro Rice for a dinner your friends and family won’t forget!

Tropical Pork Chops – An Excursion to the Tropics!

You don’t need to go to the tropics to enjoy delicious tropical food (although, for some reason, everything does seem to taste better on a tropical island!). This Tropical Pork Chops recipe will have you feeling like you are in paradise! Just add a Piña Colada or Rum Runner and you’re all set!

There are three elements to this dish, but all are super super easy. I personally prefer to cook this meal on the grill, but the instructions in the recipe are for stove top cooking to make it easier. But I will include a basic outline how to cook this on a grill.

What Kind of Pork Chops Should I Use?

Pork chops are pork chops, right? Not exactly. There are a bunch of different pork chops that are taken from different parts of the pig. Here are the 3 main pork chops that are common in most grocery stores:

Rib Chops – has a rib bone that comes off the end of the pork chop that looks like a handle
Loin Chops – has a “T” shaped bone on one end, similar to a porterhouse steak
Boneless Loin Chops – these are the most common and are boneless; they come in thick cut and thin sliced

For this recipe, I prefer the thick cut Boneless Loin Chop. They tend to stay the juiciest since there is no brining involved in this recipe. Brining pork chops is recommended to keep them moist. So the thickness of these helps them retain much of their moisture.

When Is Pork Cooked?

Why 150º F? Meat thermometers have pork at 165º F. However, bacteria in pork dies at 145º F. Interestingly, the National Pork Board recommends to cook pork chops, roasts, loins, and tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145° which should be followed by a 3 minute rest period. The pork will continue to cook during that 3 minute rest. However, you do what you are comfortable with. The recipe below has the temp being 160º F with a 3 minute rest.

What Ingredients Are in Tropical Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables?

Pork Chops
Canola Oil
Pineapple Slices
Sweet Potatoes
Red Onions
Bell Peppers

Marinade/Sauce

Canola Oil
Jamaican Allspice
Liquid Smoke
Chipotle Tabasco
Crushed Pineapples
Fresh Garlic
Fresh Ginger
Brown Sugar
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

How Is Tropical Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Vegetables Made?

The first thing to do is warm up the pineapple slices. You do this first so they can cool off by the time you’re ready to serve the food.

Heat the oven to 400° F. Spray a roasting pan, preferably a glass pan, with cooking spray and set aside.
In large bowl, mix 2/3 cup canola oil, Jamaican allspice, Liquid Smoke, Chipotle Tabasco, crushed pineapples with liquid, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Set 1/4 cup aside for later.
Toss sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and red onions in mixture to coat thoroughly. Put the vegetables in the baking pan and put it in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once about half way through. You want a little crisp on the potatoes, but be careful not to let them burn.
* Heat 1 Tablespoon canola oil in large nonstick pan over medium heat. Place 3-4 pineapple slices in pan at a time, cooking on both sides until caramelized, but not burnt, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove cooked pineapple slices to serving platter.
While vegetables cook, coat the pork chops in spice mixture to marinate.
When vegetables have about 10-12 minutes left to cook, heat 1 Tablespoon canola oil in large nonstick pan over medium heat. Cook pork chops on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side, until internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Let the pork rest for 3 minutes before serving it.
Remove cooked vegetables to serving platter. Place cooked pork chops and pineapple slices on serving platter. Enjoy!

* Cooking the pineapple slices brings out the sugars and gives the pineapple a really nice, caramelized flavor. A grilling pan works great to give the grill marks on the slices.

Simply place the slices in a heated skillet and cook each side for a minute or two, then transfer them to a plate and let them cool.

That’s it! Super easy. You can stick them in the fridge if you want them a little chilled or serve them at room temperature.

Grilling Instructions for Tropical Pork Chops with Sweet Potatoes and Onions

Take your pork chops out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature. This will help them cook faster and turn out juicer. Get the grill nice and hot, around 400-425º.

While it’s heating, make your spice mixture and divide it in 2 bowls. Toss your veggies in one and the pork in the other. Make sure to get everything coated nicely.

I have a couple different trays for my grill that are for vegetable. They work so well for this. If you have one, great. If not, you can use an aluminum pan or a sheet pan.

I usually put everything on the grill at the same time. The pork chops will take the longest to cook, then the potatoes. With everything on the grill, I cook the pineapple slice for about a minute or 2 on each side, take them off the grill and set them aside to cool. The veggies need to be stirred often to prevent burning.

The pork chops I cook for about 4-5 minutes per side for a total of 8-10 minutes. You need to get the internal temperature to 150º. You can take them off the grill at 145º because they will cook a little more after they’ve been removed.

Once you’ve take them off the grill, tent them with aluminum foil. Finish cooking the veggies until the sweet potatoes are soft.

There you have it! I like the grilled option for two reasons, ok, three . . . 1) I love to grill, 2) the smoked flavor takes this up to a different level, especially if you use charcoal, and 3) grilling gives it that extra bit of a tropical feel!

What Can I Do with the Leftovers?

Leftovers will keep for up to 4 day in a sealed container in the fridge. To reheat, I recommend using a skillet on the stove with a little bit of canola oil. Cut the pork chops in smaller pieces to heat through without drying

Using a microwave will work for the veggies, but it will dry out the pork.

Can I Freeze Tropical Pork Chops?

Yes, absolutely! This will freeze well and keep for up to 6 months in an airtight container. Use the instructions above to reheat them.

Useful Kitchen Tools

I don’t know what I would do without these amazing kitchen tools. I use all of these at least once a week, some I use every day. None of these are sponsors. However, the links below are brands I trust and use regularly. I highly recommend these product to make your life in the kitchen easier.

<br />	<br />	<br />
<br />	<br />	<br />

**Other Amazing Recipes That You’ll Love!**

Coconut Cilantro Rice Recipe

Caribbean Grilled Chicken Breast

Hawaiian Pork Tenderloin

Caribbean Salmon with Pineapple Mango Salsa

Pork Chops with Pear Hash

Dijon Pork Chops with Herbed Potatoes