Grilled Pork Chops & Summer Squash: Bursting with Flavor in 30 Minutes

Sizzling summer days call for refreshing meals that are bursting with flavor and easy to prepare. And what better way to satisfy those cravings than with a perfectly grilled pork chop paired with seasonal vegetables?

Grab some fresh herbs and garlic to season them, toss them on the grill and finish with a dab of garlic herb butter. And voila a deliciously healthy dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

Photo byThat Recipe

One of the great thing about summer vegetables and herbs is that they do not need a lengthy preparation to taste fabulous.

This dish is a great example: rub some pork chops with fresh herbs and toss them on the grill with some in season vegetables and then top it off with some easy homemade herbed butter.

So simple and so delicious.

INGREDIENTS FOR GRILLED PORK CHOPS AND SUMMER VEGETABLES

Rule number 1: Use what you have.

I have huge thyme and rosemary plants so I use them both a lot. Use whatever herbs you have and like. The same holds true for the vegetables. If you don't like bell peppers, don't use them.

Here's what I used to make this:

• thick-cut bone-in pork chops (approximately 1 inch thick)
• butter
• fresh herbs: basil, rosemary, thyme
• green zucchini and yellow zucchini (or any summer squash)
• bell peppers (any color)
• red onion (or yellow if you prefer)
• garlic cloves
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

When grilling pork chops, thick and bone-in is better than thin boneless ones. They take longer to cook which gives them time to absorb that delicious grilled taste while staying moist.

Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Herb Butter

• ¼ cup butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons fresh herbs, finely chopped ((basil, rosemary, thyme, etc.))

Grilled Pork Chops

• 3 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
• 2 tablespoons coarse Kosher salt
• 6-8 large fresh basil leaves (torn into pieces)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (leaves stripped from stems and crushed)
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (crushed with fingers)
• 4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops (approximately 1 inch thick)

Grilled Vegetable Medley

• 2-3 medium green zucchini
• 2-3 medium yellow zucchini
• 2-3 bell peppers, any color
• 1 medium red onion
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix butter and herbs together in a small bowl. Place in fridge.
• Combine salt, basil, rosemary, thyme, and garlic thoroughly in a small bowl. Rub mixture over all sides of pork chops until thoroughly covered. Set aside.
• Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Cut top and bottom off of the bell peppers (discard) and cut the remaining in 1 inch long strips. Cut the red onion into ½ inch thick rounds. Brush all vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat grill to medium. Place pork chops and vegetables over direct heat.
• Cook the pork for 7-8 minutes turning once. Adjust cooking time if your chops are thinner or thicker than 1 inch or boneless. Cover the pork chops and let rest for 3 - 5 minutes before serving.
• Cook vegetables until "crisp tender" (heated throughout and softened but not soggy), about 5-7 minutes for the zucchini and 10-12 minutes for the onions and peppers.
• Serve the pork chops and grilled summer vegetable medley with a pat of herbed butter on top.