Easy Marinade for the Grill
Tuesday was my son’s birthday, and it got me thinking about the wonderful pork loin chops that I’ve been making for decades, but I hadn’t made them in a very long time. They were always his favorite meal. This is an easy marinade for the grill!
Since moving, I’ve been sorting and organizing all the things, including my stacks and stacks of recipes. Last week, I ran across this favorite and I made them for my husband and mom for the first time. They loved them, too! The chops were as good as I remembered. When we texted on his birthday, I told my son that I had made them, and he put in a request for them next time they visit. I hope it’s soon!
I don’t remember where I first found this recipe, but it was in the 90’s. I thought I had lost it, and have searched for it online, but never found “the one”. I was so excited to find it in my files! Now that I’ve unearthed it, I’ll share it with you!
Craig’s Favorite Iowa Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 – 6 1/2 inch Pork Loin Chops 1-inch chops are fine, too.
- 3/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Ketchup Or 1 Tbsp tomato paste and 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 Medium Onion, chopped
- 3 or 4 Cloves Garlic, minced You can never have too much garlic, right?
- Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In glass dish, or large plastic zip-lock bag, Combine Soy Sauce, Olive Oil, Ketchup, Onion, Garlic, and fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix well, and add pork chops. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours, but no more than 4. I typically give them 3 hours, but they're fine if you only have 2 hours before you plan to grill. Turn chops occasionally.Grill the chops on hot grill, for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Then stand chops up on their bones, cover the grill and cook for 14 minutes. Since I typically buy the boneless, my husband moves them to indirect heat for this grilling time.
I took a trip to Jamaica in 1989. It was the very first vacation my wasband and I had taken alone since we were married, in 1982. What I remembered most about the trip, was the delicious Caribbean cooking. Their spices and grilled meats were so, so good. When it came time to leave, I bought a bottle of Jerk Seasoning, to recreate the island flavors at home.
Welcome Home Party
A few weekends later, we had a party, and I made a wonderful marinade with fruit juice and jerk seasoning. I marinaded both chicken and shrimp skewers (I’m allergic, and can’t eat shellfish, so we had to grill the shrimp on a foil barrier). Everyone at the party asked what I had used in the marinade. It was spicy, but so flavorful. Unfortunately, the spice I used wasn’t readily available in the States.
Since I used the last of my bottle, I decided to write to the company and ask if they would send me some. I included a $20 bill. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try, and the investment was horribly high. I think the bottle had cost around $4 or $5 in the gift shop.
The Long Wait
Weeks went by and I never heard back. I figured the money was lost. Then one day there was a large box on my porch. In it was a gallon milk-jug filled with jerk seasoning. They had put plastic wrap on the top, secured it with a rubber-band, and then taped the lid to the bottle. They included a lovely hand-written note in the box. I wish I had saved the note.
I will forever be a fan of the Walkerswood company for their delicious seasonings, and their sweet customer service. The could have sent me a couple of jars, and I would have been completely happy. But they sent me enough to share a bit with friends, and gain a whole new following.
Where to Buy THIS Jerk Seasoning
I have seen their bottles from time to time, in specialty stores. But the best place to find them (outside of Jamaica) is online. Here’s the link to buy from them on Amazon. Just click on the bottles. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I only recommend items I really enjoy!
Super Easy Marinade for the Grill
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Skewers
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless, and cut into chunks.
- 1 Cup Pineapple Juice
- 1 Cup Orange Juice
- 1 Lime, Juiced
- 2 Tbsp Walkerswood Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
- Salt to taste There is plennty of heat in the seasoning, so you won't need pepper.
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in your marinade container of choice. Add your prepared meat, and marinade for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Meanwhile, chop up your vegetables of choice. I typically use green and yellow squash, a variety of sweet bell peppers, Red Onion, Cherry Tomatoes, or Mushrooms. Make a smaller batch of marinade, to marinade the veggies, if you like. Or simply drizzle them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little white balsamic, and whatever minced herb you have on hand. About 20 minutes before you want to prepare the skewers, soak your wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes. (We have metal skewers, but wooden are great for parties.) Thread the meat and veggies onto the skewers, beginning and ending with something dense, like meat or mushroom, so the veggies don't fall off in the grill. You should have about 16 skewers, enough for 2 each for 8 people. I usually only eat one, but some people eat more.Grill until the internal temperature of the chicken is 160 degrees, turning occasionally with your tongs.
In the interest of ease and saving the use of plastic bags, I use a great Tupperware marinade dish that I bought years ago. I have two sizes. I can mix my marinade right in the dish, add the meat and snap it closed. Then I just turn the dish over every so often to evenly marinade. I highly recommend it! This is also an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I only recommend items I really enjoy! But you can probably find something similar on the Tupperware site, or elsewhere.
We love to grill corn to serve along side our marinaded meats. It’s super easy to do. Simply shuck and clean your corn, slather it with softened butter, salt, pepper, and any herbs you want, wrap each cob in foil, and throw on the top rack of your grill to do it’s magic while the meat is cooking. Don’t forget to turn it every now and then to avoid burning in any one place.
Bon Appetit! I hope you love these super easy marinades for the grill as much as we do. If you’re more in to comfort foods, check these out.
