Dale’s ‘Kick-A**!’ Grill Sauce

As Will Smith, PKA “The Fresh Prince”, so eloquently chanted, “Sitting with your friends as y’all reminisce about the days growing up and the first person you kissed. And as I think back makes me wonder how the smell from a grill could spark up nostalgia.”

Isn’t it funny how that happens in the summertime? You smell a grill, and not only are you instantly hungry, but you’re instantly taken back to summers spent as a kid – playing outside all day long, smelling the aroma of a charcoal grill in the air around dusk. Something about that aroma – so indescribable and unique yet so familiar. Ah, summertime! It is here at last.

In the summer, we lay back and take it easier.  We eat dinner later in the evening now that we don’t have to worry about homework and early bed times, so we grill A LOT! Almost every night. My husband is the grill master in this house. Although I’m learning how to stack and light the charcoal briquettes (no gas grill for us), he is the grilling ace! He grills anything and everything he can get his hands on…well…almost everything.

Let me tell you about this grill sauce he developed. It’s a splendid concoction of just about any and every flavor note you’d expect from and want in a grill sauce.  The perfect blend of tangy & spicy, sweet & smoky. Slather it on chicken, ribs, pork chops, you name it. It’s a winner every time. No need to salt & pepper the meat beforehand.

Just like the wifey, hubby doesn’t measure his ingredients either.  I’ve estimated the measurements below, but taste the sauce as you mix it up and adjust according to your preference.  Slather a little sauce on your meat before it hits the grill, and baste every 15 minutes or so as the meat continues to cook. Relax and reminisce as the aroma of the grill hits the summer evening air.

• Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients (Approximate Measurements)
1/2 cup prepared BBQ sauce (the higher the quality, the better)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 tbs vinegar (balsamic, red wine, apple cider) – any kind you have on hand works well.
a few grinds of fresh ground black pepper

Possible add-ins: Dijon mustard, brown sugar (light or dark), horseradish, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic powder (not fresh garlic as it will burn), onion powder.

Stir together and slather on meat prior to, during, and at the end of grilling. Discard any left-over sauce to avoid cross-contamination.

Addictive Sauteed Pork Chops

It’s the “other white meat” that has given me a cooking fit for years!  It seems there’s not a broad enough error margin when cooking pork chops; if you cook them a minute too long, they’re dry and tough, but if you cook them a minute too short, the chops are undercooked.  It took me many years to master that delicate balance. Pork chops are yet another endeavor at which I failed enough times to give up on just like my creamy white cheddar shells and cheese.

The truth is, I love pork, and it is rather lean and healthy, so I decided to read up on cooking methods and cooking times.  I found this handy-dandy cooking chart released by the National Pork Board. I was amazed to discover that pork only needs to cook to an internal temperature of 145 degrees, and it can be a little pink inside.  With my new-found knowledge, I was ready to revisit this endeavor, and I’ll tell ya that I now love cooking pork chops!  These addictive sauteed pork chops come out perfectly cooked every time, and they only take minutes to prepare – a quick dry spice rub made from whatever dried herbs & spices you have on hand – and you’ve got it! Need a healthy, super quick dinner option for a busy week night?  My addictive sauteed pork chops are just the ticket.  Guaranteed to be gobbled up by adults and kids alike!

Below are the spices I used, but go ahead and get crazy and experiment with whatever you have on hand…

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops, about 1/2 to 3/4″ thick
2 tbs canola oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tbs onion powder
1/2 tbs garlic powder (or mince 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic – I would’ve done this, but I was out of fresh garlic)
1 tbs parsley flakes
1/2 tbs rosemary leaves
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
a few shakes of seasoned salt
1/2 tsp paprika

Method

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat chops dry with paper towel. You can either mix up the spices in a bowl, or do what I did, and just sprinkle each ingredient over the chops individually. Why dirty another bowl?

Rub seasonings into both sides of pork chops with your hands. Give those babies a good rub down – really work the rub into the chops, but be gentle enough to not overdo it.

Sautee pork chops according to the chart. About 4-6 minutes per side. Obey the pork. If you attempt to turn it, and it sticks, don’t force it! They will naturally release when they’re good and ready. Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer. When thermometer reads about 135/140 degrees, remove chops to serving plate, and let them rest for 3 minutes! Doing so allows the juices to redistribute. The temp will also continue to rise while the chops rest bringing the internal temperature up to 145 degrees.

Serve with Easy Herb Roasted Potatoes