Grilled Pork Loin Chop

It's time to start this blog back up again. I'm pretty sure that I can't commit to the daily posts like I used to be able to manage, but blogging seems like a better use of my time than checking out People.com multiple times a day. I am going to try hard to post photos of the dishes that I make, although I don't have one for today's post.

Sunday night, I followed a recipe from the Weber's Real Grilling cookbook. Ben got the book several years ago, and we've not used it much. We grilled the Pork Loin Chop with the Mephis Dry Rub and Sassy Barbecue Sauce. Oh...My...Goodness....delicious! While the pork was moist and tasted great, it was the barbecue sauce that really made the whole dish. The sauce, appropriately named "sassy", was served warm. I don't think I would have ever thought to do that on my own, but I will be heating up my barbecue sauces frequenly now. Here's the recipe:

PORK LOIN CHOP with MEMPHIS DRY RUB and SASSY BARBECUE SAUCE

Ingredients:
Sauce:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tbs molasses
• 1 tbs white wine vinegar
• 1 tbs Dijon Mustard
• 1 tbs light brown
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Rub:

• 1 1/2 Tsp whole black pepper corns
• 1 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 tsp granulated onion
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 6 bone in pork rib chops, 10 to 12 ounces each and about 1 inch thick
• Canola Oil

Directions:

1. To make the sauce: In a small heavy bottom saucepan, whisk the sauce ingredients with 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil over med heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. To make the rub: In a spice grinder, pulse the peppercorns and mustard seed until coarsely ground. Place in a small bowl and add the remaining rub ingredients, mixing well.
3. Allow the chops to stand at room temp for 20 to 30 min. before grilling. Lightly brush or spray the chops on both sides with oil and season with the rub, pressing the spices into the meat. Grill over Direct Med Heat until barely pink in the center of the meat, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 min. Serve with warm sauce on the side.

While I would love to report that my kids ate the pork chops too, they did not. Kyle doesn't eat meat very often. It seems crazy that Ben and I could have a child who doesn't like meat, but that is our reality. Katie had meatballs and peas. Kyle ate bread and peas.

Sunday, 4/25/2010

A couple years ago Ben bought "How to Grill" by Steven Raichelen. We haven't tried very many of the recipes in it, but we love the Basic Barbecue Rub recipe (see below). We actually gave jars of it as Christmas gifts a couple years ago along with the recipe. What I like about this rub is that it is easy to put together, keeps for a long time, and doesn't need to go on the meat for very long to give it good flavor.

Tonight we grilled chicken drumsticks rubbed in this good stuff, finished off with a coating of Jack Daniels bbq sauce. The drumsticks cooked on indirect medium heat for 40-50 minutes- turning at 25 minutes. And before finishing, they were coated with bbq sauce, flipped, the other side was coated, flipped, and then cooked for two minutes. Finger lickin' good:)

BASIC BARBECUE RUB

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
3 tablespoons black pepper
3 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon hickory-smoked salt or more coarse salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to mix. Store in an airtight jar away from heat or light; it will keep for at least 6 months.

A couple notes:
* We have never had the hickory-smoked salt, so have always opted to use more coarse salt.
* The published recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of celery seeds. We didn't have this ingredient the first time I made it and it was great. I bought the seeds later on and tried it again. We definitely DID NOT like it. So, no more celery seeds for us. But, if you find you like them, give it a try.