Grilled Pork Chops with Sweet Corn & Tomato-Cucumber Salad
August 13, 2026 • 0 comments
Directions
Our pasture-raised pork chops, fresh sweet corn, and a simple tomato-cucumber salad make a summer supper worth gathering around. This first Farmstead Meal brings together meat from our farm and a few good things from our neighboring producers.
Farmstead Meal #001
Serves: 4
Total time: About 1 hour, including seasoning and resting
Prepare the salad and corn while the chops are seasoning.
Ingredients
For the Pork Chops
- 4 Jake’s Country Meats Center-Cut Pork Chops, thawed
- LFK Smokey BBQ Mix, to taste
For the Sweet Corn
- 4 ears sweet corn from Mick Klug Farm
- Moo-ville A2A2 Butter, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Tomato-Cucumber Salad
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes from Piedt Acres
- 1 cucumber from Piedt Acres
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced, plus more to taste
- J2K Capraio Feta, crumbled, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, plus more to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Season the Chops & Prep the Sides
Pat the pork chops dry and season both sides with LFK Smokey BBQ Mix. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you prepare the salad and husk the corn. Begin heating the grill toward the end of that time.
2. Make the Tomato-Cucumber Salad
Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and slice the cucumber. Place in a bowl with the red onion. Add the olive oil and apple cider vinegar, then gently toss with the crumbled feta.
Taste before adding salt, since the feta brings some of its own. Add pepper and adjust the oil or vinegar to your liking. Let the salad sit while you cook; the tomato juices will become part of the dressing.
3. Grill the Chops & Corn Together
Heat the grill to medium-high and clean and lightly oil the grates. Place the chops and corn on the grill together, leaving a cooler area available if anything browns too quickly.
Turn the chops once they release easily and have good grill marks. Continue cooking until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part, away from the bone, reads 145°F. For thinner chops, insert the thermometer from the side. Thickness makes a big difference, so use temperature rather than the clock to judge doneness.
Rotate the corn every few minutes until the kernels are tender and lightly charred, about 10–15 minutes. Remove each item as it finishes; the corn and chops may be ready at different times.
Prefer boiled corn? Bring a pot of water to a boil while the chops grill. Add the husked corn when the chops come off the grill and boil for 4–6 minutes, until tender.
4. Rest the Chops & Finish the Sides
Transfer the chops to a clean plate and let them rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered. Use this time to finish the corn, spread it with butter, and season to taste. Give the salad another gentle toss.
5. Serve
Serve each pork chop with an ear of buttered corn and a generous helping of salad. Spoon some of the dressing from the bottom of the salad bowl over the vegetables.
Farmstead Tip
Time is an ingredient. Rest the pork chops before slicing, and give the salad a few minutes to marinate. Both will be worth the wait.
Make It Work with What You Have
Any ripe tomato will work here, including halved cherry tomatoes. Use your favorite feta or leave it out, and swap in another BBQ seasoning if that’s what you have. Start lightly with unfamiliar seasonings, especially those that already contain salt.
Made Possible by Local Producers
- Mick Klug Farm: Sweet corn
- Piedt Acres: Heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers
- J2K Capraio: Feta
- Moo-ville: A2A2 Butter
- LFK: Smokey BBQ Mix
These are the producers featured in our original Farmstead Meal. Availability changes with the season, so use what’s fresh near you.
About The Farmstead
The Farmstead by Jake’s Country Meats brings together meat from our family farm and food from neighboring farms, fisheries, and local makers. It’s a place to know where your food comes from, meet the people behind it, and find simple ways to enjoy what’s in season. Through good food and shared recipes, we’re building a stronger local food system, one meal at a time.
Visit us at 57470 M-51 S, Dowagiac, MI, just south of town.
