Chipotle Pork Chops
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 645
- Total Fat
- 45
- Saturated Fat
- 13
- Carbohydrates
- 6
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 3
- Protein
- 53
- Cholesterol
- 166
- Sodium
- 860
- Total: 4 hr 45 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Inactive: 4 hr
- Cook: 30 min
Ingredients
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeds removed, plus 2 tablespoons sauce from the can
4 cloves garlic
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 cup canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
6 bone-in pork blade chops (1/2 to 3/4 inch thick; about 3 1/2 pounds total)
Directions
- Combine the chiles and adobo sauce, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, thyme, cinnamon and 5 teaspoons salt in a food processor and pulse to make a paste. Transfer to a shallow dish and add the onion, tomatoes, cilantro and 1/3 cup olive oil; mix well. Add the pork chops, turning to coat; cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat a grill to medium. Meanwhile, remove the pork chops from the marinade, scraping off the excess, and transfer to a plate. Transfer the marinade to a skillet; add 1/4 cup water and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid simmers and the onions start sizzling, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for basting. (You can also do this in a cast-iron skillet on the grill.)
- Brush the chops with olive oil and transfer to the grill. Cook until marked, 7 to 8 minutes, rotating the pork 45 degrees halfway through to create a crosshatch pattern and brushing with the liquid from the marinade. Flip and repeat, brushing with more marinade, including some pieces of onion and tomato. Remove from the grill and let rest 5 minutes.
Cook’s Note
These are cut from the shoulder end of the loin. They're more marbled with fat than other chops and have great flavor, but they can be chewy, so don't skimp on the marinating time.