Tuesday Night Dinner: Spicy Pork Tacos with Peach & Corn Salsa

From the time the rhubarb starts rolling in until the season’s final peaches, I want to eat nothing but fruit. Stone fruits are my absolute favorite.

But in order to bring a bit more balance to my diet (because, apparently, man cannot live off peaches alone), I like to work these sweet fruits into savory applications.

When paired with fresh herbs and a hint of spice from your trusty kitchen rack, this can quickly become something resembling a well-rounded meal.

I’m always a sucker for a good taco. Usually, I go for a couple of classic beef ones, but I’m in the mood for a new meat! Marinated in yogurt, chipotle pepper, cumin, and coriander, these pork chops are just begging for a sweet salsa on the side.

Add a handful of lettuce, some ripe tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream, and you’ve got yourself a vibrant and tasty, savory, fruit-rich meal!

These tacos come together so quickly, they are the perfect weeknight meal for when you’re short on time. Prep the marinade ahead of time, and when you’re ready to eat it’s as simple as grill, slice, and serve.

Fresh nectarines also work nicely in this salsa. As an added time-saver, you don’t even need to peel them if this is your stone fruit of choice.

The Recipe

Spicy Pork Tacos with Peach and Corn Salsa

Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Print Recipe

These tacos have a bit of heat to them, so they’re nice with a cool peach salsa and a spoonful of sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt on top. Serve with a side of refreshing sliced avocado, tomatoes and cucumber.

Servings	Prep Time
6 servings (max 8)	20 minutes, plus marinating time

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings Prep Time 6 servings (max 8) 20 minutes, plus marinating time

Cook Time 15 minutes

Spicy Pork Tacos with Peach and Corn Salsa Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe These tacos have a bit of heat to them, so they’re nice with a cool peach salsa and a spoonful of sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt on top. Serve with a side of refreshing sliced avocado, tomatoes and cucumber. Servings Prep Time 6 servings (max 8) 20 minutes, plus marinating time Cook Time 15 minutes Servings Prep Time 6 servings (max 8) 20 minutes, plus marinating time Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

Pork:

• 4 boneless butterflied pork chops
• 1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 limes juiced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried chipotle pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

Peach & Corn Salsa:

• 1 cup cooked corn, kernels removed from the cob (can substitute canned or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons diced green onion, white part and 1/3 of greens only
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups peeled and diced peaches (or unpeeled nectarines)

Taco Assembly:

• 8 medium corn or flour tortillas
• Shredded lettuce
• diced tomatoes
• Chopped onions
• Cotija cheese or shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)

Servings: servings (max 8)

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Cut the pork chops into quarters, and pound between two sheets of waxed paper until about 1/2-inch thick.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, lime juice, garlic, and seasonings, and whisk together well.
3. Place the chops in a shallow dish and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 2-4 hours.
4. While the chops marinate, mix the corn, green onions, parsley, mint, honey, and olive oil together in a medium bowl. Fold in the diced peaches, covering all of the pieces well with the herb mixture. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
5. Heat the grill to medium (325-350°F) and grill the chops for 3-4 minutes. Turn and grill for another 3 minutes on the other side.
6. Remove from heat and let the chops rest for a few minutes before slicing thinly across the grain.
7. Heat eight tortillas on the grill just until blistered. Fill with sliced pork, peach salsa, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and chopped onions. Top with crumbled Cotija cheese or a dollop of sour cream.

Cooking by the Numbers…

Step One – Pound

Feel the need to release some tension? This first step will help!

Place the pork between two sheets of waxed paper and pound with a cleaver, rolling pin, or the back of a large spoon until it is about 1/2-inch thick.

Step Two – Mix

Mix together the yogurt, lime juice, garlic, and seasonings in a small bowl.

If you’re worried about the level of spiciness, feel free to hold back on the chipotle powder.

Step Three – Marinate

Place the chops in a shallow dish and cover well with the marinade. Don’t be shy – slather it on! This is what will give the meat most of its flavor.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, preferably 2-4 hours. The longer the meat marinates, the more tender and flavorful it will be.

Step Four – Prep the Salsa

While the meat marinates, mix up your peach salsa.

While you could use cooked corn from a can or the frozen variety, fresh is always best, especially in the summertime. We should know! Check out our round up of the 23 best summertime corn recipes!

For the most flavor, grill the corn on the cob, then slice off the kernels.

Alternatively, you can roast the corn in the oven, boil it on the stovetop, steam it in the electric pressure cooker, or even microwave it. To microwave, remove the corn from the husks and heat on high for 3-5 minutes, covered with damp paper towels.

Combine the corn with the sliced green onions, parsley, mint, honey or brown sugar, and olive oil. Fold in the diced peaches or nectarines and stir together with a spatula until the peaches are glazed in the sweet her mixture.

Cover tightly and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Step Five – Grill

When the pork is ready, heat your grill to medium, between 325 and 350°F.

Grill the chops for about 3 minutes on each side. You want to be sure that they cook all the way through, don’t leave any pink centers! Rare pork not only has a poor texture, it can be dangerous as well.

Once the chops are done, pull them off the grill and let them rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing across the grain into thin strips.

Step Six – Assemble

While the pork rests, toss the tortillas on the grill briefly until they begin to blister.

Fill your tacos with pork, salsa, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Top with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, or a touch of crumbled or shredded cheese – Cotija and Monterey Jack are my favorites for this dish.

An easy way to serve these tacos is to create a taco bar: Put each taco topping in its own bowl and let everyone build their own. It’s the perfect serving method for any size group – whether a family dinner or a large party.

You can also change up the toppings by adding some of your favorite, like guacamole or sliced ripe avocado, diced cucumber, or black olives.

If your mouth watering as much as mine? Go ahead, fire up that grill, and make these spicy pork tacos tonight! And also sneak a peek at another taco recipe featuring succulent pork made in the slow cooker!

Let us know in the comments what your favorite savory methods for serving stone fruit.

And if you’re looking more pork recipes to pig out on, we recommend trying some of these:

• Quick Honey Mustard Pork Chops
• Easy Grilled Pork Chops with Mango Salsa
• Balsamic Dijon Pork Loin with Sweet Potatoes, Onions, & Carrots

Photos by Kendall Vanderslice, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details.

About Kendall Vanderslice

Kendall’s love of food has taken her around the world. From baking muffins on a ship in West Africa and milking cows with Tanzanian Maasai, to hunting down the finest apfelstrudel in Austria, she continually seeks to understand the global impact of food. Kendall holds a BA in Anthropology from Wheaton College and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University, and has worked in the pastry departments of many of Boston’s top kitchens. Based in Somerville, Massachusetts, Kendall helps to run a small community supported bread bakery and writes about the intersection of food, faith, and culture on her personal blog, A Vanderslice of the Sweet Life.

• More Posts(57)