Awesome Pork Chops with Bananas & Bacon
Submitted by cindawv
Grilled pork chops paired with bacon-wrapped banana skewers, dusted with cumin and lemon. The salty-smoky bacon and caramelized banana play off the cumin-rubbed chops for a sweet-savory cookout plate.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
60 minREADY
75 minGrilled pork chops with bacon-wrapped banana skewers sounds like a dare and tastes like a revelation. The cumin-and-butter rub on the chops gives smoky, earthy backbone, while charred bananas swaddled in bacon deliver caramelized sweetness with a salty crackle.
Pre-rendering the bacon is the technique that makes this work. Wrap a banana in raw bacon and the bananas turn to mush before the bacon ever crisps. A quick sear in the pan first releases some fat and gives the bacon a head start, so by the time the bananas are warm and golden, the bacon is properly crisp.
Lemon juice on the bananas does double duty. It keeps them from browning while you assemble the skewers, and the acid balances the sweetness of the fruit once they hit the heat. Don’t skip it.
Go for thick chops, a full inch minimum. Anything thinner overcooks in the time the bacon-banana skewers need, and dry pork chops are nobody’s friend. The optional beer baste is genuinely worth doing: it keeps the meat moist and adds a yeasty bitter note that ties everything together.
Pro Tips
- Use slightly underripe bananas. Soft ripe bananas slide off the skewers and turn to puree on the grill.
- Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading or use metal ones to prevent burning.
- Rest the chops for 5 minutes off the heat before serving so the juices redistribute.
- A digital thermometer takes the guesswork out: pull the chops at 145°F (63°C) internal for juicy, slightly pink centers.
Variations
- Swap bananas for chunks of fresh pineapple for a tropical twist that’s just as good with bacon.
- Add a brush of mango chutney or BBQ sauce in the last few minutes for a glazed finish.
- Use thick-cut prosciutto instead of bacon for a saltier, less smoky wrap.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the butter, salt, pepper and cumin. Rub into both sides of the meat. Sauté the bacon briefly, until some of the fat has rendered. Remove and drain.
Peel banana’s and cut into 1¼ chunks. Place on a dish and sprinkle with lemon juice.
Slice the bacon in strips long enough to wrap around each banana slice. Place on skewers, threading through the bacon.
Place the pork chops on a hot grill, for 15 minutes, turning once. Turn grill down to medium, adding the bacon and banana’s; grill another 10 minutes, turning both the meat and banana’s.
Also good basted with beer, while the meat cooks.
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