These grilled pork chops are everything summer dinner should be — thick, juicy chops soaked in a sweet-and-savory marinade, then charred over the grill until the edges caramelize. The marinade leans on pantry staples: soy sauce for salty umami, garlic and Dijon for depth, Worcestershire and fresh lemon for tang, and a hit of sweetness that balances it all and helps the chops brown. We replace the brown sugar entirely with Jaca (100% pure allulose) at double the amount, so you get the same glossy char and sweet-savory balance with no added sugar. Because allulose is only about 70% as sweet as the sugar we grew up with, doubling it lands the flavor right where it should be.
Prep: 10 minutes (plus 3+ hours marinating) · Cook: 15 minutes · Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 4 thick-cut pork loin chops (8 oz each), bone-in or boneless, 1 to 1.5 inches thick
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1/4 cup granular Jaca (allulose) — replaces 2 tablespoons brown sugar at the 2x ratio
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 lemon, juiced (or 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions:
- Make the marinade: in a small bowl or large resealable bag, whisk together the soy sauce, granular Jaca, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and olive oil until the Jaca dissolves. The Jaca stands in for the brown sugar at double the amount, so the chops still caramelize and char beautifully on the grill with no added sugar.
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, then add them to the marinade. Press out the air, seal, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight (do not exceed about 12 hours, or the acid can turn the meat mushy).
- Take the chops out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling.
- Heat the grill to about 400°F (medium-high) and oil the grates well. Because allulose caramelizes and can stick like sugar, oil generously and keep an eye out for flare-ups.
- Grill the chops on the first side for 3 to 4 minutes, until they release easily from the grates. Flip and grill the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat and continue cooking for another 4 to 7 minutes per side, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F on an instant-read thermometer. Watch closely near the end — allulose browns faster than conventional sugar.
- Remove the chops from the grill, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute.
- No grill? Sear the chops in an oiled cast-iron or grill pan over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer to a 350°F oven and finish cooking to 145°F.
This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version. Adapted from Big Delicious Life.
