Sesame Ginger Garlic Pork Loin Chops (Ignore that toddler finger in the photo lol)

This little piggie went into my tummy.

When I was a kid, my imagination was just as active as it is now. And no, my parents never put me into much needed therapy hehe. But when I would hear that old rhyme, I always imagined piggies, dressed in cute knee length dresses, pushing a shopping cart through Jewel with little piggie kids being freely allowed to throw packs of Twinkies and ice cream into the cart. Because piggie parents are cool like that. I also always felt sorry for the little pig that stayed home. WHY did he stay home? Was he in trouble? Too busy reading Charlottes Web? Eating roast beef? As to that, do pigs eat roast beef? My mind would envision him with plate, napkin around the neck and snout buried deep into his food.

Yes. I was a strange strange child.

Nowadays, I much prefer my sizzling pig on a plate rather than in a dress, going shopping. Though I do still want a pot bellied pig of my own. I would name it Fred. Even if it was a girl. I have no idea why that thought makes me giggle other than that need for help thing I already mentioned.

I mentioned recently when I posted these Spicy Sweet Southwestern Pork Loin Chops that I had made another type of grilled chop that day that I personally loved even more than those. So that’s what I’m sharing with you today. If you like Asian flavors, you’ll love these. Garlic, sesame, soy, the sweetness of brown sugar, onion and a hit of heat all make these a meaty treat. Forgive my boring photo. I wasn’t feeling particularly creative that day. I SHOULD have drizzled some of the glaze over them and maybe garnished with green onions. But I promise, pretty photo or not, these are yummy! They are extremely easy and  makes enough marinade/glaze to have plenty left over for use as a dipping sauce. Just remember, always bring a marinade to a full boil for at least a minute before using it as a dipping sauce.

Sesame Ginger Garlic Grilled Pork Loin Chops

• 6 to 8 boneless pork loin chops, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
• 2/3 cups dark brown sugar
• 5 cloves garlic, minced (yes, five; trust me for petes sake 😛 )
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (can use less if you’re a spice wuss hehe)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (not Maryann; not Gilligan)
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/2 cup soy sauce (a low sodium one is a good choice)
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large (gallon or bigger) zip loc bag. You can put it all in there and kind of squish it around with your fingers to mix it.
2. Add the pork chops and turn the bag up and down to get the marinade all over them. Try to press out as much air as you can from the bag.
3. Put the chops in the fridge and let marinate for anywhere form 2 to 8 hours. I wouldn’t suggest any longer because it will end up too salty from the soy if you do.
4. Oil your grill grates with a neutral oil. Heat grill to medium hot (about 350 to 375 degrees if using a gas grill. I only use charcoal so I’m not a gas grill expert).
5. Lay your chops on the grill, not too close to each other.
6. Cook until they reach an internal temp of about 140 to 145. They will finish cooking from the residual heat. Do NOT overcook. This isn’t like when many of us were kids and you had to cook pork to 900 degrees to make sure it didn’t have any worms in it. Today’s pork is bred differently and 145 degrees is the recommended cooked temp.
7. Take off the grill and cover and let rest for at least ten minutes before serving.
8. Boil your leftover marinade for at least  two minutes and serve with the pork as a dipping sauce. Garnish with more sesame seeds and some sliced green onion.
9. Oink. Wear a pretty dress and go shopping. Eat roast beef. Erhmmm, I mean, pork.