Jerk Pork Chop with Sweet Potato Mash
The ultimate summer pork chop recipe @livevitae
The ultimate summer meal, pork chops and sweet potato.
But not any old pork and sweet potato recipe?
My upgraded version is seasoned with Caribbean jerk spices and kissed with a slight char under the grill then served with sweet potato mash. Does life get any better?
Pork chop and Sweet Potato Recipe
This recipe not only packs a punch with flavour but will give you a dose of nutrients as a side effect. Pork is one of the most exclusive sources of thiamine, vitamin B1. Thiamine is integral in how we create energy in our cells. It is needed as a cofactor in the first step of aerobic respiration and also required to make neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine and also recycle one of major antioxidants in our bodies, glutathione.
Sweet potatoes, also give us good source of magnesium, potassium and beta carotene. I am also sharing the my easy sweet potato mash recipe below.
The recipe takes approximately 30 minutes start to finish.
Jerk pork chop and sweet potato mash ingredients
What is Jerk Seasoning?
A Jamaican, Caribbean origin dry or wet marinade typically with a spice kick, used as a preservative too.
A flavourful mixture of aromatic herbs and spices such as allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic and onions.
The spice mix is commonly seasoned with brown sugar.
Different kitchens will have their own variation but the base ingredients should typically remain the same.
Usually served with chicken, pork or fish.
Jerk is technically the cooking method, with meat rubbed with a hot spice blend and then cooked by being rotated over burning coals.
Jerk Pork chop and Sweet Potato Ingredients
In my recipe, I swapped the brown sugar for a more optimal and unrefined option, honey. The added sweetener is an option but I do believe it adds a robust caramel flavour and allows the pork chops to take the flavours to a new level.
You can use any type of pork cut. Whether that’s pork fillet, ribs, belly or chops in my case. The jerk seasoning will work across the board.
I use organic sweet potatoes to ensure that I ingest less pesticides compared to conventional grown. Environmental working group also found sweet potatoes to have a high amount of chemicals. Additionally, by peeling the sweet potato for the mash, we do naturally lower the amounts on the exterior.
You have a choice depending on your available time is to make your own jerk seasoning which you can keep and store for a few weeks or buy a high quality ready made version.
Obviously, the homemade version will taste better and be more self rewarding but if time is an issue, using a readymade jerk spice and cooking the meal is better than nothing.
When sourcing your pork. Do your best to get free range or pasture raised pork. Not only will it taste superior but will have a more healthier and optimal fat profile. Porks should be an active animal and when it is enclosed it will influence the muscle and fat content.
Low Calorie Pork Chops
The calorie content of the Pork chop and sweet potato mash will dramatically change depending on the pork cut used. To naturally lower the calorie content, I like to strike a balance between having some fat but not going crazy with a one inch thick piece of fat on the outside. When cooking the pork chop, it is extremely hard to replicate that crispy pork belly crackling. You can make it a little crispy on the outside, with the fat rendering down, basting and protecting the meat from being dry.
I like to handpick from the butchers, a pork chop with around 1/2 inch fat covering. If you decide to go for a pork fillet the fat is extremely lean. However, when it is lean, you need to vigilant in not allowing it too overcook and become too dry.
With my recipe, we are using an oven grill. I find that using a griddle pan causes too much smoke and smells out my apartment. If you have a BBQ this would be preferred. Additionally, if you have none of the above options, you can use an oven. Just cook it super high at the beginning on both sides, then reduce the heat down to a low heat to cook through.
Grilled Jerk pork chop recipe below
What to serve with Pork Chops
Being summer here in the U.K, I decided to serve the jerk pork chops with a sweet potato mash and side of sautéed greens with red onion. The sweet potato mash provides a match made in heaven combo to the savoury spice jerk flavour. Additionally the simple sweet potato mash is moist and allows you to stay focused more with the pork chop cooking.
If sweet potato is not your thing then white rice or a more Caribbean traditional rice and peas would work wonders too.
Finally, If you wanted to keep the meal more ketogenic friendly and low carb then adding more vegetables as a side with guacamole would be amazing. Additionally, you can never go wrong with a summer herb filled salad.
Jerk pork chops marinade. Ideally for a few hours prior to cooking.
How To Make Healthy Pork Chops
Total Time: 30 minutes
(5 minutes preparation and 25 minutes cooking time)
Servings: 2
Cooking skill: Easy / Medium
Cost Per Serving: £4
Ingredients:
2 x pasture raised / free range pork chops (200grams each - at least 1/2 inch thick)
Jerk seasoning (makes 10 tablespoons worth) Best way is to ground yourself using a pestle and mortar. If not buy grounded.
1 1/2 TBSP each: Garlic, Onion powder, dried thyme
1 TBSP: Allspice, raw honey
2 TSP each: Celtic salt and Cayenne Pepper (personal preference)
1 TSP each: Nutmeg, cumin seeds, cinnamon, smoked paprika
1/2 TSP Black pepper
2 medium sweet potatoes - skin removed
1/2 tbsp coconut oil
handful of calvo nero aka Black or Russian Kale (or other greens)
1 medium red onion - thinly sliced.
Method:
Get the sweet potato mash going first. Peel the sweet potatoes and then dice into equal sized cubes. Add to a pot filled with water, add a pinch of salt, bring to boil and then simmer for 12 minutes until soft and ready to mash.
Once potatoes are on. Prepare the spice mix. Ground yourself. Using 1 tbsp per portion of meat. Coat the jerk mixture over the pork chops and set aside for a bit.
Heat the grill to a medium - high heat.
In a saucepan add 1 tsp of the coconut oil. Add the thinly spiced red onion. Allow to soften, slowly for a few minutes.
Once the grill is hot, add the pork chops to an oven tray. Put the oven tray under the grill. Cook for two minutes. Then turn over to the other side.
Once both sides have been done. Turn the heat down to a medium. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes per side. Total cooking time 14 minutes. Once cooked through, remove from the oven and allow to rest.
Once the red onion has softened then add the calvo nero sautéing for a few minutes.
Drain the sweet potatoes liquid once they are soft enough to mash. Then add the sweet potato cubes back to the pot. using a fork or a metal whisk, mash to a smooth consistency. Add celtic salt and the remaining coconut oil.
Next, plate up with the pork, greens and sweet potato mash.
Enjoy!
Optional:
If you have the ability to marinade the pork chops in the morning, or a few hour prior to cooking this would taste even better.
Jerk pork chop with sweet potato mash and greens / Nutritional value per serving.
Meal prep with Jerk Pork chops and sweet potato mash leftovers
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