Mesquite Grilled Pork Chops with Skin (燒烤豆科木豬排, Siu1 Haau1 Dau6 Fo1 Gun3 Muk6 Zyu1 Paai4)

This is a variation on a previously posted recipe, Grilled Hickory Smoked Rib Eye Pork Chops, which uses the most basic method to wood smoke (mesquite, in this case) pork rib chops on a grill. For this recipe, pork rib chops with the skin on are used. Skin-on pork rib chops can be purchased at your local Asian market. You need to cut the skin in two to three places so that the pork chops don’t curl up when the skin contracts as it is grilled. There’s no marinating involved – just take the pork rib chops out of the refrigerator one hour before grilling, coat with sesame oil, salt or Lawry’s seasoned salt, and pepper, and then grill. The flavor is also at its most basic – just pork and wood smoke.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

2-4	2-4	Pork rib chops, skin on, about ½ lb. (250 g.) each
1 tsp.	5 ml.	Salt or Lawry’s seasoned salt per pork chop
1 tsp.	5 ml.	Ground black pepper per pork chop
1 tsp.	5 ml.	Sesame oil per pork chop

Equipment

		Tongs and an oil coated paper towel
22.5 in.	57 cm.	Covered charcoal or gas grill (or larger)

Instructions

1. Use pork chops with skin at least ½-inch (15 mm.) thick. Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator at least one hour before cooking. Make 2-3 equidistant cuts to the skin to prevent the pork chops from curling up during grilling. Coat each pork chop with sesame oil and then add the salt or Lawry’s seasoned salt and ground black pepper to all the exposed surfaces of the pork chop.
2. Prepare the charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking following the manufacturer’s instructions. Light the charcoal or preheat the gas grill accordingly. Soak the mesquite smoking wood (pecan, oak, or any other wood can be used) for one hour if desired. I use dry and not soaked wood.
3. If using a charcoal grill, arrange the lighted coals on one half of the grill. The side of the grill with the coals (the “hot” side) will be used to grill the pork and the side without the coals (the “cool” side) will be used for smoking the pork. For a gas grill, follow the manufacturer’s instructions as to which burners to leave on for indirect cooking. Clean the grill grate and then, using tongs and a paper towel coated with oil, lubricate the grate to prevent the pork from sticking. Put the smoking wood onto the coals or as per the instructions for the gas grill.
4. Place the pork on the cool side of the covered grill for 2-3 minutes. Uncover the grill, turn the pork over, and cook covered for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Uncover the grill and move the pork to the hot side of the grill. Grill the pork uncovered for 1-2 minutes before rotating 90⁰ to produce the grill marks, and grill for another 1-2 minutes. Turn the pork over and repeat the process to produce the grill marks on the other side.
6. Remove the pork from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Be careful not to overcook the pork. The thickness of the pork, the temperature of your fire, and previous experience with your grill will determine the total cooking time for the pork.