This glazed pineapple pork chop recipe is one of those dishes that just happened by accident and ended up quickly becoming a weeknight staple. I had some pork chops in the fridge and a pineapple on the counter that were both about to go bad. I’ve always loved a fruit and pork combo, so I threw the two together to create this easy baked pork chop recipe.
The first time I made this pork chop recipe, I used soy sauce and brown sugar for the glaze, but I swapped it out for honey next time. I also added in a bit of ginger for a touch of warmth, and it all came together.
These oven-baked boneless pork chops are fancy enough to impress at dinner parties, and they’re also simple enough for an easy weeknight dinner.
Enjoy!
Why This Recipe Works
You’ll often hear that searing locks in juices, but that’s a myth. What searing does do is give you that that golden-brown crust from the Maillard reaction. This adds a ton of flavor and texture, and just makes the dish look a whole lot better. If you try to achieve this crust just from baking, you’d have to wait so long that the whole pork chop dries out, and we’re not trying to make pork jerky with this one.
The glaze does most of the heavy lifting here. The honey caramelizes as everything bakes, the pineapple juice helps keeps things from drying out, and the soy sauce cuts through all that sweetness. The ginger adds a touch of warmth without being overpowering.
I like boneless chops for this because they cook fast and the glaze coats them evenly. At 375°F, everything finishes cooking without burning the glaze, but you do need to watch the timing. Pork chops dry out fast if you leave them in too long, so don’t wander off during the last few minutes.
Servings
This baked pork chop recipe makes eight servings, which sounds like a lot, but we love them so much that we always want leftovers. If you’re cooking for fewer people, just cut everything in half (or more) and follow the same cooking instructions. The proportions work exactly the same way, and you’ll save a bit of time on the searing step.
What to Serve with Glazed Pineapple Pork Chops
This is such a go-to recipe for me that I almost always make it with the same sides to save myself from having to think about it too much: garlic mashed potatoes and green beans.
However, these baked pineapple pork chops go well with a bunch of different sides.
Rice is great because it soaks up the glaze (coconut rice is even better if you’re going for more of a tropical vibe). Sweet peas and glazed carrots are big favorites at my house. Roasted Brussels sprouts, carrots, potatoes, or asparagus pair wonderfully too.
Of course, a classic green salad also works great.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. Let them cool down first, then put them in an airtight container.
The oven or air fryer is the best way to reheat the baked pork chops. In the oven, heat at 325℉ for 10 minutes. In the air fryer, try 275℉ for about 6-8 minutes. Whichever method, stay on top of checking on the chops to make sure they don’t dry out.
The microwave works if you’re in a hurry, but you’ll want to be even more on top of checking them so they don’t get dry and rubbery.
You can freeze these for 2-3 months. I wrap each one in plastic wrap and throw them all in a freezer bag. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating. They’re not quite as good as fresh, but still pretty solid.
Also, save any leftover glaze. It’s really good mixed into fried rice or drizzled on vegetables.
Tips & Tricks
Finally, while I’ve written the recipe here as I prepare it the vast majority of the time, you can get a similar result in a lot of different ways. Here are a few extra tips and tricks to make the recipe work for you!
Pineapple Rings
You can use fresh or canned pineapple. You can even use canned pineapple chunks; it just won’t look as pretty.
Olive oil
My husband prefers to use canola oil because of its higher smoke point, but I hate dealing with the popping and splashing that canola oil is more prone to. Both work just fine for this recipe, so feel free to try either one.
Minced Garlic
Garlic powder isn’t ideal, but it works just fine as a substitute. If you go that route, use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder. I prefer to use fresh garlic, but usually have jarlic in the fridge on standby and will use that if we don’t have fresh garlic on hand.
Ginger
I’ll be honest: I usually just use the pre-packaged stuff from the grocery store. It’s not as good as fresh, but I never end up needing a whole ginger root anyway!
Honey
Feel free to experiment with sweeteners. I’ve made this recipe with honey, brown sugar, and cane syrup, and each produced a great result. When I use cane syrup, I just directly convert from 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) of honey to 1/4 cup of cane syrup. When I make it with brown sugar, I double it to about 1/2 cup.
Pineapple Juice
Pineapple juice can be retained from cutting the pineapple, poured from canned pineapple, or bought separately. I usually make this recipe with canned pineapple, so I just use the juice in the can.
Soy Sauce
I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce in this recipe, but regular soy sauce also works if that’s all you have. Just skip the salt on the pork chops. Otherwise, the recipe ends up way too salty, especially if you brined the pork chops.
Brining
Speaking of brining, that step is totally optional. It does, however, give an absolutely gorgeous, tender texture to the chops. Plus, if you accidentally overcook the pork chops, a wet brine goes a long way in preventing them from drying out.
At least two hours is ideal, but even just 30 minutes helps, so don’t worry if it’s approaching dinner and you realize you still haven’t started bringing your pork chops.
I’ve only ever done wet brining with this particular recipe, but I can’t think of any reason a dry brine wouldn’t work as well. If you try it out, let me know how it goes!
Glazed Pineapple Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 8 thin-cut boneless pork chops
- 8 pineapple rings, fresh or canned
- 8 cups water
- 1 cup coarse kosher salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- (Optional) Brine by soaking pork chops in water and salt for between 2 and 8 hours.
- Drain pork chops and pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat your oven to 375℉.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. While the olive oil is heating, add salt and pepper to the pork chops.
- Once your oil is hot enough, add 2-3 pork chops and cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip them over and do the same on the other side. Repeat until all pork chops have been seared.
- While pork chops cook, mix glaze: combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, ginger, and garlic into a small bowl.
- Transfer all pork chops onto a large baking sheet. Top with pineapple rings, then pour glaze over pork and pineapple.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145℉.
Growing Forward
I’ve made this recipe so many times at this point that I don’t even look at the measurements anymore. It’s easy enough for a random Tuesday, but nice enough that I’ve served it to guests plenty of times. The glaze is simple, but it works, and the whole thing comes together without too much effort — especially after the first coupleof times you’ve made it.
You can mess around with the ingredients pretty freely: canned or fresh pineapple, honey or brown sugar, whatever you’ve got works. And the leftovers are so good that my family gets upset if I don’t make enough to eat over the next couple of days.
Give it a shot and see what you think. Once you make it a few times, you’ll probably start tweaking it to fit what you like anyway. Let me know in the comments how the recipe works for you and what changes you make!
