Why it works: Lime and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,491 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Citrus Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the marinade
Zest limes for 1/2 cup zest.
Juice limes for 1/2 cup.
Zest oranges for 2 tablespoons zest, then juice oranges for 1/2 cup.
In a glass dish, mix lime zest, lime juice, orange zest, orange juice, garlic, oil, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Add pork chops and turn to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.
Grill and serve
Heat grill.
Remove pork from the marinade and sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
Grill pork chops for 12 minutes, turning, until done.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Pork | 100g cooked | 242 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Lime + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,491 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Lime + orangetop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together937 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
-
Clove + peppertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together17,451 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
-
Orange + clovetop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,987 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
-
Lime + clovetop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together909 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Limes
- Their juice and zest provide acidity and bright citrus aroma that flavour the pork.
- Oranges
- Their juice adds sweetness and citrus aroma to the marinade.
- Garlic
- Releases savoury aroma that infuses the pork during marinating.
- Light brown sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps the chops brown on the grill.
- Canola oil
- Carries the citrus and garlic flavours and adds fat for moisture.
- Pork chops
- The main protein, which the marinade seasons and the grill cooks through.
The step that matters
Grill pork chops for 12 minutes, turning, until done.. Thick bone-in chops can dry out or stay undercooked if timed by the clock alone. Sugar in the marinade browns quickly, so the surface can char before the centre is cooked through. Checking doneness with a thermometer and turning regularly helps prevent both problems.
Swap the orange
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (lime, clove, garlic, canola oil, sugar, pork, pepper):
- Avocadofits better
- Lemonfits better
- Mangofits better
- Orangethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against lime, clove, garlic, canola oil, sugar, pork, pepper. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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