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Jalapeño Marinated Pork Chops

A whole can of jalapeños does double duty as marinade and side dish — feeds a family of five for under $20.

🐷 Serves 5 💵 Under $20
Jalapeño marinated pork chops with dark char marks, grilling over open flame

Instructions

  1. Set some peppers aside

    Open the can of whole jalapeños. Remove a few whole ones and set aside — these get grilled as a side.

  2. Marinate

    Place the pork chops in a container or zip-top bag with the remaining jalapeños and all of the can liquid. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

  3. Season

    Remove the chops from the marinade, pat dry, and season generously with the Blazing Testimony Rub — that's where the real heat on the chop comes from.

  4. Glaze — boil it safe first

    Pour the reserved marinade and the bourbon into a saucepan and bring to a hard rolling boil for a full 5 minutes. That handles the raw-pork safety and burns off the harsh alcohol edge in one go. Do this before any sugar goes in — brown sugar and honey scorch at a hard boil.

  5. Glaze — blend

    Blend the boiled mixture smooth. Strain it if you want a silkier glaze; leave it as-is if you like texture.

  6. Glaze — build it

    Melt the 2 Tbsp butter in the pan and cook the garlic about 60 seconds. Add the blended base back in along with the brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire, Dijon, cayenne, smoked paprika, cumin, and black pepper.

  7. Glaze — reduce and finish

    Simmer gently 10–15 minutes, stirring, until it coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 1–2 minutes more. Off the heat, whisk in the cold butter for gloss. Pull it while it's still slightly pourable — it thickens as it cools. Spoon it over the rested chops on the plate, or put it out as a dipping sauce. No need to brush it on over heat — it's sugar-heavy enough to scorch, and it looks better going on at the end anyway.

  8. Cook

    Grill or oven-cook the pork chops until they reach 140°F internal. Rest a few minutes before serving.

  9. Grill the peppers

    Grill the reserved whole jalapeños alongside the chops as a spicy side.

Uses the Blazing Testimony Rub

Season with the Blazing Testimony Rub — the hot one. Swap in the Sunday Best Rub if you want to dial the chop itself back and let the glaze do more of the work.