by James Coulter
Once upon a time, I hated pork chops. My late mother used to make them all the time. She prepared them without any seasoning, not even salt or pepper, and with only apple sauce. I’d rather eat a car tire. They’d probably taste better.
However, my opinion quickly changed upon recently moving to Virginia. Both my niece and nephew had prepared pork chops for dinner. And in both instances, their pork chops tasted lightyears better than the ones my mother used to make.
What especially shifted my opinion was how my sister’s children seasoned their chops. That is, they actually seasoned them in stark contrast to my mother’s bland chops. My nephew even seasoned his with taco seasoning.
It was then that I realized that I didn’t hate pork chops. I hated unseasoned pork chops. And I actually loved them–when they were properly seasoned.
As I mentioned in a previous article, I’ve been experimenting with barbecue since my big move up here in Virginia. I’ve been cooking barbecue ribs and chicken wings, preparing my own rubs, and even fermenting my own hot sauces and barbecue sauces from fermented peppers.
Again, I’ll be saving my foray into fermentation for another article. For now, allow me to share my experience with preparing pork chops.
*****
Barbecue Pork Chops
Ingredients
Pork Chops
Four pork chops, boneless or bone-in
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
Olive oil
Dry rub
Dry Rub
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Directions
1. Mix dry rub ingredients together until combined.
2. Pat pork chops dry with a towel. Drizzle with oil and apply dry rub evenly on each side. Let sit for half an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pork chops for 20-25 minutes, or until the meat is almost cooked thoroughly.
4. Remove chops and brush on barbecue sauce, coating both sides completely.
5. Cook the chops in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and caramelized. If desired, broil for the last three minutes for an extra sticky, caramelized crust.
6. Remove from oven and let sit for five minutes until cool. Serve with the remaining barbecue sauce.
