ASIAN BBQ PORK CHOPS
We are back from our beach vacation and I am ready to grill! We eat out so often on vacation that I actually miss cooking. I do not miss doing those dishes though! Cooking on the grill saves me from at least having to scrub a pan. It also helps keep the house cooler during these hot summer days.
One of my favorite things to cook on the grill is pork chops. We are big pork eaters and I especially like pork chops. Triple S Farms has the BEST pork products with such a huge selection! This recipe is my all-time favorite way to prepare(or should I say eat)pork chops! I love the sweet and savory combination of flavors, along with the zing of ginger and the mild spiciness from the pepper flakes. Also, it’s like an umami bomb with the soy sauce AND the miso. What’s not to love!
If you read my last blog, you will remember that you don’t have to have a grill to get grilled meat. Just use your oven’s broiler. It’s like an upside down grill! And with all the rain we’ve had so far this summer, the broiler might be your only choice.
A Few Grilling Tips: 1. Always preheat your grill (or broiler). Just when you think it’s preheated, wait five more minutes. We want brown food, not gray food RIGHT?! 2. Keep those grates clean! You don’t want burnt bits from your last meal hanging on to your current meal. It also helps the food not stick to the grill. 3. Speaking of not sticking...some people like to oil the grates, some like to oil the food. Do whatever you prefer, just oil something! 4. Know your hotspots. I have a gas grill so it’s consistently going to have the same hotspots. 5. Sear on direct heat but finish cooking on indirect heat. When you get those flare-ups, move the food to the indirect heat till it dies down. 6. If you’re cooking something that needs more cooking time, like pork chops or ribs, keep the lid closed. If your cooking something that cooks quickly, like burgers or thin-cut pork chops, it’s not so important to close the lid. 7. Don’t baste with BBQ sauce till the end of cooking time. The sugars in the sauce will burn before the meat can cook through. 8. DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE GRILL!!! I think we have all done this before only to end up with a big fire and a burnt dinner...and possibly minor damage to the house. 9. BE SAFE!!! Know your internal temperatures. Also, do not reuse the same sauce you marinated your food in. Set some marinade aside for basting. 10. Let your meat rest! Don’t spend all that time making the perfect dinner only to drain all those yummy meat juices all over your plate. Cover it and let it be! Keep in mind that the cooking temp will rise a few degrees while resting.
I like to make a double batch of this marinade to have on hand for chicken, steak, fish, and seafood....so, all proteins ;-) ASIAN BBQ PORK CHOPS 4 Triple S Farms Pork Chops Marinade: 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbs. fresh ginger, grated 1/2 C. Soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos 1/4 C. Rice wine vinegar 1/4 C. Apple cider vinegar 1/2 C. Honey, brown sugar, or mango purée 2 tsp. Toasted sesame oil 1-2 tsp. red pepper flakes 2 Tbs. miso paste Add all of marinade ingredients to a saucepan and cook over medium heat till boiling. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool. Combine half of marinade with pork chops and let marinate for at least 2 hours up to overnight. Remove pork chops and discard marinade. Pat pork chops dry. Preheat grill. Sear over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. Flip and continue searing for another 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully so as not to burn. Move to indirect heat and cook, with lid closed, for about 10-15 minutes. Now start to baste with reserved marinade. Flip and baste every few minutes. Continue flipping and basting until the internal temperature reaches 145°. Let it rest!
