This is a super easy dinner…quick enough for a hectic week-night, or for when you have guests over for a laid-back barbecue. I cook the potatoes (in the microwave) and boil the corn on the cob, then finish them off on the grill for some extra flavor. Make your salsa and corn sauce before you cook the chops, have your potatoes and corn cooked and ready to add to the grill and everything will be finished at the same time. Then entire meal came in at around $7.00 (the chops, mango, potatoes, corn and cilantro were on sale).
GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH PINEAPPLE-MANGO SALSA
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6-10 minutes
Serves: 4 for approx $4.70
Ingredients:
- 4 pork chops (any chop will do-I picked up what was on sale)
- 1/2 can of pineapple tidbits (or chunks or rings-you can chop it up) I used 1/2 of a 20 oz can
- 1/2 mango, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
In a medium bowl, mix the pineapple, mango, red onion and cilantro together. Cover and chill till ready to serve.
Heat the grill, brush the chops with a little oil if desired, season with salt and pepper. Cook on one side, then flip and finish grilling till done. (Your grill time will be based on how thick your chops are. I used bone-in pork chops that were about 3/4 inch thick and cooked them for about 3-4 minutes on each side). Serve with salsa.
SALT-CRUSTED POTATOES
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes in the microwave (and then heat on grill while chops cook)
Serves: 4 for approx 80 cents
Ingredients:
- 4 Russet Potatoes (or potato of choice)
- 1-2 tablespoons butter
- Kosher Salt
Wash potatoes and prick with fork. Place on microwave safe plate and cook on high for about 8-10 minutes, or until done. Tear 4 pieces of tin foil into big enough pieces to wrap each potato in. Place potato on foil, rub the outside of the potato with butter and sprinkle kosher salt all over the potato. Wrap in foil and cook on grill while the chops cook.
SPICY GRILLED CORN ON THE COB
When I was telling Trig and Ashley what kind of sauce we were going to brush on the corn (before we started taping), they both looked at me like I was some kind of alien. But when it was done, they both gobbled it up. In fact, Ashley ate two pieces! This is really good and something different from just plain old corn on the cob.
Prep Time: 10 minutes or less
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes (plus about 5 minutes on the grill)
Serves: 4 for approx $1.50
Ingredients:
- 4 ears of corn, cleaned and shucked
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/3 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
In a small bowl, mix the mayo, paprika, cilantro, hot sauce and garlic salt. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the corn, cover, and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until tender. Drain the water. Add the corn on the grill after you’ve started your chops cooking and have the potatoes on the grill too. Brush a little bit of sauce on the corn and turn every couple of minutes, adding more sauce as you turn the corn. You want a little bit of charring and for the sauce to thicken up on the corn.
Pull the chops, potatoes and corn on the cob off the grill and serve with the pineapple-mango salsa on the side. DELICIOUS! And super easy!