Anyway, maybe it was the pigs blood, the pig in the tub (I am really whetting your appetites right?), or the incredibly dry pork chops my Grandpa use to make (he is serious about well done), but pork has never been my fav. Don't get me wrong, I've never had any problem with BBQ pork because BBQ is well BBQ. I think that everything tastes somewhat good with BBQ sauce. No one can ever claim that I have turned down BBQ pork ribs or even a pulled pork sandwich. Ordinarily pork is just not something I cook.
However, on the home front, I felt like I had to shake things up. We have been on a beef binge. You know that song "Pump Pump a Jam"? In my house, instead of "Make my day!" the line has transformed into "Make my steak!" It has gotten that serious. I needed to change up the program. So I decided to make Barbequed Pork Chops with Honey Mashed Sweet Potatoes. This is what you need if you want to follow:
Cooking Spray
4 pork bone-in center cut pork chops
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of red pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of worchestire sauce
2 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons of butter
First, I put the oven on 400 degrees and coated a small jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Then I punctured the sweet potatoes four times with a fork. This helps them soften up faster. I place in the oven for 1 hour.
When the sweet potatoes are 30 minutes in I start to get the homemade BBQ sauce going. It is ridiculously easy and I am even considering bottling some of it up for Holiday Gifts. I am doing all kitchen made gifts this year. Can't wait to get started on that project! Anyway, I have to focus, BBQ sauce. I grab a small bowl and mix up the brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and worchestire sauce until well blended. Then viola! Homemade BBQ sauce made. I may never buy from the store again.
I then take out the pork chops and coat with salt, garlic powder, thyme, and red pepper flakes. I spray the grill pan and throw the chops on the pan cooking on medium high. 6-10 minutes on each side.
While that's going I remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Then cut in half. They are of course piping hot and of course you have to peel the skin. It truly is playing hot potato.
The sweet potatoes are then thrown into a mixer along with the honey and butter. Mix until completely mashed. There is nothing worse than lumpy mashed potatoes.
I turn back to the pork chops and baste one side with the BBQ sauce and flip. I allow the sauce to crisp into the chops then baste the other side then turn. This takes about two minutes each side. I would even amp up the heat get this going even faster. Then I serve.
The meal ends up being magical. The BBQ sauce is huge hit with Mark (he is a BBQ sauce connoisseur) and he is thoroughly impressed that I made it myself. I guess I could of lied and pretended it was as complicated as it one would think, but instead, since I had to tell someone, I told him how incredibly easy it was. I hope that didn't take away too many stars in his book. The potatoes ended up sweet, but light. I was really glad, because it was a test run for Thanksgiving. I usually do the traditional sweet potato casserole with the marshmallows and such. I wanted something healthier. The pork chops were just as good. Crispy and BBQ sweet on the outside and savory on the inside, with enough juiciness to make them divine. Mom bring on that pork! Lechon anyone? xoxohappy nibbling
1 comment:
I came across your site from the foodieblogroll and I'd love to guide Foodista readers to your site. I hope you could add this Foodista widget at the end of this post so we could add you in our list of food bloggers who blogged about pork chop recipes, Thanks!
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