What's for Dinner?: Grilled Spiced Rubbed Boneless Pork Chops

So what’s for dinner? I usually shop on Mondays and try to plan 5 days worth of dinners.  Come summer, big meals usually go by the wayside, more grilling, cold salads etc.  I usually plan a chicken, pasta, pork, seafood/fish, ground beef/steak dish during the week.  So I like to mix it up so we are not having chicken or beef twice a week.

What I like about this dish is that I can prep it the night before. Anything that can be prepared in advance I do. 

Grilled Spiced Rubbed Boneless Pork Chops 

I take about almost 2lbs (4 large) boneless center cut pork chops and rub them front and back with the following ingredients. You can put as much spice or as little spice in your rub.  You can make a large batch and save ½ for another time. What I do with the remaining half is put 1T of coffee in the rub and place this rub on flank steak.

Spice Rub:  I eyeball all the spices but there is usually more Brown sugar about ½ cup to ¾ cup of brown sugar to coat almost 2lbs of boneless pork chops. 

•  Onion powder
• Garlic powder
•  Chili powder
• Cumin powder (I don’t use a lot of this)
•  Hungarian or regular Paprika
• Cayenne pepper but go easy, it has a kick
•  Kosher salt & Cracked black pepper
• 2/3 to ¾ Cup Brown sugar
• Garam Masala (really fragrant spice and can be found in the spice isle at your supermarket.)

Use as little or as much as you want.  Combine all and rub over both front and back of chops. Place on a tray/dish and cover with plastic wrap and place in your refrigerator overnight or you can do this a few hours before grilling. 

Tip: 1 Hour before grilling I take the pork out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. You don’t want to put cold meat on a piping hot grill.   Cook each chop for about 4 mins on med/hi (adjust to your grill heat) on each side, depending how thick the chops are. When done, cover with tin foil and let them rest for about 5 mins. It seals in the juices if you let your chops rest.  If you cut into it too soon, the juices escape.

Usually I serve couscous, good old box of Near East roasted garlic and olive oil couscous to go with the chop, but I usually sauté a small pepper and a small onion in olive oil then add to the couscous at the very end when I fork fluff the couscous, quick and easy. 

Grew up on the Brady Bunch, so it’s always Pork Chops & Applesauce .  Tossed salad, yes, I make a tossed salad every night, it’s not my favorite thing to do but my family likes salad.  When I don’t have jarred applesauce I look to my pantry and make my own.

Fresh Apple Compote for Pork:

• 1 Apple peeled and diced (any kind of apple)
•  1 small chopped onion
•  2 cloves garlic minced
•   ¼ cup chopped dates
•  dash cinnamon &  dash dried sage
•  3 T sugar
•  kosher salt &  black pepper
•  2 T butter

Directions:  Sauté and then add about ½ cup water and reduce down till apples are soft.  Adjust seasoning if need be. It’s a great alternative to jarred applesauce and doesn’t’ take a lot of time. Again, prep it in the morning and refrigerate till dinner.

That’s what’s for dinner and I hope you enjoy!