Sweet and Sour Grilled Pork Chops

Sometimes, dinner doesn't work out like you planned.  For instance, tonight.  I was planning on making steak.  The temperature outside had dropped below sweltering, and it would not be torture for Mr. Unwired to stand over the grill to char our dinner.  And I had one marinating in the freezer.


Or so I thought.  Nope, must have had it for dinner already.  Or the carnivore in the house needed a midnight snack.  Could happen- he's pretty wiley when he's hungry.  Back-up plan... we'll eat those pork chops that are in the freezer.  Oh, and pork chops would be great with the corn tortilla casserole one of the kids wanted to make.  Great idea.... except that they stayed late at the library and there wasn't an hour left to make it before dinner.  Okay, corn on the cob can be the side dish.  It's fast and goes on the grill.


Nope, didn't go as planned... but it was so good!  And the perk of using the corn is that it was just delivered today.  And for once, we ate it while it was fresh.... instead of waiting until it's on its last shriveled kernels.  And we ate on the porch without the bugs or the heat chasing us inside.  It was lovely.

This recipe is an adaptation from one found in The Gas Grill Gourmet by A. Cort Sinnes (here's the current version of the cookbook).  It was a housewarming gift when we bought our first home (and our first grill).  A bunch of years, two houses and three grills later, it's still an awesome reference guide when the gas grill is concerned.  We use it mostly for directions on how to cook a certain cut of meat, but occasionally, it provides inspiration too.

I plan for just under a pound of pork for the four of us.

Sweet and Sour Grilled Pork Chops
2 boneless pork chops, 1-inch thick
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp  hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp  apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp apricot preserves
1 garlic clove, minced (1 Tbsp)

1. In a shallow glass bowl large enough to hold the chops in one layer, mix the marinade ingredients (everything but the meat).  Add chops, turn to coat, and allow to marinate 1-2 hours.

2. When ready, turn on the grill to heat.  When hot, turn one burner off and the rest to medium.  Put the chops on the grill over the 'off'' burner.  After 10 minutes, turn the chops, then check in ten minutes for doneness.  Don't let them over cook-- if your grill runs hot, then check sooner to avoid dried out pork.


For those of you who don't eat pork, try this with boneless chicken thighs.  Bet it would be good!

Pizza on the Grill

Mr. Unwired made dinner tonight, and of course, fire was involved. How stereotypical can you get?!  We've made this many times over the years, but I was inspired anew by this post on Dinner: A Love Story.  We buy pizza dough from our local Italian grocer; Trader Joes makes a decent dough, but this one is far and away the winner in taste and texture. Try your local pizza/deli and see if they will sell you the raw dough... doesn't hurt to ask!

Mr. Unwired followed the same basic process as on the DALS post- roll out dough, oil the top then invert onto a baking sheet (we used one without a rim- you could use the back of one if yours all have rims). Slide dough from baking sheet onto hot grill, and cook with the lid open for a few minutes, until the crust is crisp. Mr. Unwired reported that the he knew the first side was done when it smelled like baking bread (smart guy). When checked, the dough was crisp and not sticking to the grill. He removed it from the grill, oiled the uncooked side, then flipped it so that the cooked side was facing up. Toppings went right on top of the grill marks- sauce, cheese, yellow peppers, mushrooms, cooked sausage and pepperocini. The pizza was slid back onto the grill and cooked with the lid closed to melts the cheese. You'll need direct heat for only a few minutes here, so take care to not burn the bottom while the cheese gets melty.  A gas grill makes this simple as burners can be turned on and off.  If you use another kind of fire, please share in the comments how you did it.

Grilled pizza, fully loaded!

The results were delicious.  I like that the kitchen stayed cool since the oven wasn't on 475° for an extended period of time, as it is when we make it inside.  A side benefit of this method-- its faster than making it in the oven.  I also think the dough brushed with olive oil would make a delicious side dish, bruschetta style.  Yum.