Jamaican Jerk Pork With Mango Salsa

Search for “Jamaican jerk pork with mango salsa” and you will be gifted, or overwhelmed – depending on your point of view, with thousands of recipes. Not all will be truly Paleo, but we’ve made sure that this one is. To date, we’ve created many jerk seasoning recipes ourselves, ranging from jerk chicken with mango and pineapple sauce to jerk shrimp with warm cabbage slaw, even including a vegetarian option of Jamaican jerk eggplant and zucchini. But this meal is about so much more than the jerk seasoning, it is all about the mango salsa.

So, grab those mangoes at the supermarket or your favorite ethnic food store, and get dicing! How to choose the best mango? Contrary to other fruits – do not focus on the color, rather judge by feel instead. A ripe mango will give slightly under pressure like a peach or avocado and they will soften as they ripen. If you find some on the harder side, do not put them in the fridge, they will ripen better on the countertop at room temperature; you may even try putting them in a brown paper bag, just as you would with bananas or pears.

Traditionally a side dish for Jamaican jerk pork would consist of rice or peas, even a simple fried cabbage, but we like to employ cauliflower rice with some generously seasoned and sautéed vegetables, along with roasted sweet potatoes. Every bite is worth the effort and leftovers are greatly welcomed!

Jamaican Jerk Pork With Mango Salsa Recipe

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Ingredients

• 4 to 6 pork chops
• 4 fresh scallions, minced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 habanero peppers, stemmed and chopped
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp. Jamaican allspice
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 2 tbsp. dried thyme
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mango Salsa Ingredients

• 2 mangoes, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 hot pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Combine all the ingredients for the mango salsa in a bowl and toss until well combined, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. In a food processor add all the ingredients, minus the pork chops, to make the jerk-style marinade.
3. Pulse everything until you get a smooth paste, add more coconut milk if you want a smoother consistency.
4. Place the pork chops in a marinating container and season to taste, then pour the jerk marinade over and gently toss until everything is well covered.
5. Refrigerate, and marinate 2 to 12 hours.
6. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
7. Grill the pork chops 4 to 5 minutes per side or until nicely charred and cooked through.
8. Let the pork chops rest 2 to 3 minutes, and serve with the mango salsa.