Hummingbird Recipe.

Grilled Asian-Style Pork Chops

Grilling pork chops seems easy, but to keep them tender and juicy requires a few technical tricks; and to keep them interesting, try this simple recipe.

4 loin pork chops, at least 1-inch thick

1 tbs. sesame oil

1 tbs. soy sauce

1 tbs. rice wine vinegar

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. hot pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly crushed

½ cup freshly-squeezed orange juice

2 scallions, finely chopped

freshly-ground black pepper 

Place the pork chops in a dish in which they will lie flat. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the chops. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Now comes the fun. Preheat the grill to medium (if you are using charcoal, instead of gas, let the coals burn down and raise the grill surface. You don’t want fierce heat.) Dry the chops on paper towels and place on the grill. They must cook gently. Turn after 5 minutes and test occasionally by pressing the meat with your spatula or tongs. Baste with the leftover marinade. When you feel only a small amount of resistance, turn up the heat to high for 1 minute per side. The chops will be done when a meat thermometer reads 140º F. A touch of pink is perfectly healthy. The key is to grill them slowly so they don’t dry out and become tough. The final flash of heat will brown them beautifully.

Serve with assorted chutneys and a green salad. If you are having wine, I suggest a sauvignon blanc. Red wine will be discordant with the Asian spices.

Serves 4

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