Pineapple Pork Packets

04cChopPlatebfLOOK, so, the original name for these tasty little porcine bits o’ goodness was “pork chop and pineapple pie”, and Paula Deen meant to cook them in individual packets nestled into charcoal on teh grill.

Well, I had the chops, but not the charcoal, and I didn’t see the need for making individual packets, so just piled it all into one, larger, bit of foil before baking. Oh, and I made my own Terryaki sauce, too.

Still and all – GREAT chops!

01aSichuanPepperbfLOINGREDIENTS
Terryaki Sauce:
•1 cup pineapple juice
•1/2 cup water
•1/2 cup cider vinegar
•2/3 cup sugar
•1/4 cup Chinese cooking wine
01bTerryakiStartbfLO•1-1/3 cup soy sauce
•1 tbsp ground ginger
•2 or 3 Tien-Tsin peppers
•1 tsp powdered ginger
•1/2 tsp Cayenne
•1/4 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
•1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

01dTerryakiReadybfLOChops:
•2 bone-in center cut pork chops
•Thickly sliced yellow and sweet onion
•Sliced pineapple
•6 tbsp Terryaki sauce
•1 tbsp butter
•Sea salt and black pepper

First, make the terryaki by lightly crushing the Sichuan peppercorns with a mortar and pestle and adding to a small pot with the remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil, stirring often, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Great Terryaki sauce! Stash the leftovers in the fridge and use for Banzai Burgers or mebbe Thai Pork Stew.

02cChopsSeasonAddButerbfLOFor the chops, heat your oven to 350º and line a baking dish with foil.

Line the bottom of the foil with onion slices, then arrange the pork chops on top.

Arrange the pineapple and additional onion slices on top of the chops, then drizzle it all with the Terryaki sauce.

03aChopsBakedbfLOTop with a couple of slices of butter, season with sea salt and black pepper, then fold the foil tightly up and over the chops to make a packet and pop into the oven for one hour.

Open the foil packet and bake for another 30 minutes.

Nicely done!

The roasted onion and pineapple went really well with the (rather nicely) seasoned chops, which were tender and juicy from the first hour of baking sealed in the foil.

04aChopPlatebfLOWe had ours with a tossed salad, corn bread croutons, and a bit of honey mustard dressing on the side and didn’t miss the charcoal at all.

I am totally at a loss to see why and/or wherefore Ms. Deen thought to call this assemblage a pie – but I cannot argue with tasty.

Oh, and the pork chops? I used Frenched center-cut chops I found on special at Target for $3 off the package! YUM. If you haven’t checked out Target’s meat case, what are you waiting for?

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