Okay, before we start, let’s just acknowledge that I am posting a recipe for a GRILLED pork and pineapple. And the pork is marinated in a puree of mango (and some other stuff). And this is happening in February. The dead of winter. So before you go on thinking I’m cray cray, just keep in mind that I know this is a totally inappropriate recipe for winter, and it’s screaming summer through your computer screen. I know…I know.

I rebel against this in the name of pregnancy.

My pregnant-ness craves what it craves, and this past weekend, it was craving pork and pineapple kabobs. That’s what sounded good. Since the pregnant-ness usually craves burgers and fries from McDonald’s, I decided that this was a nice healthy change of craving and to let it happen despite its out of season-ness.

If you want to be a rebel and make this recipe with me despite the fact that it was 22 degrees and sleeting on my way to work this morning, I invite you to join me. Take my hand and we will walk into the seasonal rebellion together with pork and pineapple kabobs held high!

If you are willing to join me in this journey of un-winter-ness, let me tell you – these kabobs are delicious. The pork is tender, juicy, and flavorful, the pineapple is perfectly tangy and sweet, and the combination of the two together is just perfect. One of the best parts of this recipe is the marinade we use for the pork.

It contains the following awesomeness:

Mango (pureed)
Lime juice
Red onion
Sriracha
Happiness

Throw your cubed up pork in a ziplock with the marinade and let it sit for at least an hour. FLAVA CITY.

You guys. I need to tell you something, and I need you to be excited for me. Do you have something around the house or at work that you are just extra awful at doing or keeping up with? Like your kitchen is NEVER clean no matter what. Or you are always, always late to your morning meetings. Do you have something like that? I do.

Laundry.

LAUNNDDRRYYYY.

Laundry has been my struggle since I was in college and had my own apartment. I never, and when I say never I literally mean NEVER, have all my laundry done. There is always a huge, massive, overloading pile in my room or in the laundry room. Or both. It just doesn’t happen. I’ll do loads with clothes I particularly need or want that week, but there is always a load that is building and barely dwindling down.

If I had to do one load of laundry a day, or even two, that would be totally fine. But what happens is I don’t do it for a few weeks, the pile gets huge, and then I get overwhelmed and go into denial, refuse to believe it exists, and don’t do it. It’s an issue FOR REALS.

But, this past weekend, I was just like…it’s happening, and I did more laundry than a single human has ever done in their life in a two day period. And now I have a normal person amount of laundry. Monday came before every piece of it got finished, but my laundry room floor is clean as a whistle. Not one item of clothing. I even swept and mopped the floor to make it extra clean in there.

All that remains is a hamper full in my bedroom like everyone else in America has. And that is getting done tonight when I get home. And then I can start my routine of doing a load every day or every other day. CELEBRATE THIS WITH ME. I’m free of my massive pile of never ending laundry-nesssssss 😭😭😭.

We can celebrate with pork and pineapple kabobs!!!

Marinated Pork and Pineapple Kabobs

Author: Annie Chesson
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

2 boneless pork loin chops (about 1 pound), cubed into bite size pieces
1 mango, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red onion, minced
Small squirt of sriracha
1 pineapple (you may not use the whole thing depending on the size of pineapple you get)
Sliced basil (optional garnish)

Instructions

To make the marinade, add your mango, lime juice, red onion, and sriracha into a blender with a little bit of salt and pepper
Add your cubed up pork to a large ziplock bag and pour your marinade over the pork
Close the bag, massage the marinade into the pork, and let it sit in your fridge for at least an hour
When your pork is almost done marinating, dice your pineapple into pieces that are approximately the same size as your pork
Take your pork out of the fridge, and, alternating between pork and pineapple, skewer the meat and fruit (you can use metal skewers or bamboo, but if you use bamboo and are using an actual grill [not a grill pan], you’ll need to soak them first)
I had about 6 cubes of pork on each kabob and about 5 of pineapple
Once all your kabobs are ready, heat a grill pan (or actual grill) over medium with some coconut oil. Olive oil works as well
Grill the kabobs, turning often, until the pork is cooked to your preference (I like mine medium)
Be careful to watch the kabobs closely. Because of the sugar in the mango and the pineapple, they can char quickly (but the char tastes yummy!)
Optional garnish: sliced basil