I am lucky to live somewhere where you can grill almost year-round. Pork chops are great on the grill. They can get tough, though. A marinade containing citrus juice can help tenderize the pork - this one uses lemon juice. Breaking up the fibers with a meat mallet before seasoning is another easy method.
I use freeze-dried basil in this recipe. My favorite is Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Basil which I can find in my local grocery in the produce section with the other herbs. Another one I use is Litehouse Freeze Dried Basil.
This recipe does take a bit longer than 20 minutes but most of that time is letting the chops sit to absorb the seasonings. Since that doesn't take any supervision on my part, I include it in my quick dinner list. You can also prepare the marinade earlier in the day or the night before and let them sit in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.
Served with a big salad and some sliced tomatoes, this makes a great summer dinner.
Yield: 4
Lemon Basil Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients:
- 4 thick-cut, boneless pork loin chops
- 2 T olive oil
- 4 T freeze-dried Basil
- 2 T minced garlic
- 3 T lemon juice
- 1 t sea salt
- 3⁄4 t pepper
Instructions:
- Add olive oil, basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix well.
- Spread both sides of the pork chops with the mixture and let the chops sit for about 20 minutes.
- Grill chops over direct heat for about 5-6 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.