Spice-tacular Pork Chops!

Good Evening Everyone!  As promised, I return for a second time this week with great new recipe.  I'm starting to think that any pork product and the grill were meant to go together.  I seem to find any pork recipe that also just happens to involve a grill.  While I'm not bashing the combination, I find it interesting that I'm drawn to it.  Fortunately enough, there's been enough great grilled pork recipes to share and tonight's is no exception.

The Recipe:  Paprika Pork Chops with Zucchini
Original Recipe Found In:  Cooking Light, July 2014 Issue

What You'll Need:

For the Pork Chops:
2 Teaspoons Paprika
3/4 Teaspoon Brown Sugar
3/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon crushed Red Pepper Flakes
4 (6 Ounce) bone-in, center-cut Pork Chops

For the Zucchini:
3 Medium Zucchini, halved lengthwise
2 Teaspoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Whole-Grain Mustard

To start, preheat a grill to medium-high heat.  While the grill is preheating, make the rub that will go on the pork chops.  In a small bowl, add the paprika, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and red pepper flakes.  Stir to combine all the ingredients.  Place the pork chops on clean plates and apply the rub.  Make sure the mixture goes evenly on both sides of the pork chops.  

By then, the oven should be preheated and the grates are cleaned off (from any previous cooking.)  Place each chop on the grill rack.  Grill for three minutes on each side, or until desired degree of doneness.  For me, this is about six to eight minutes, flipping every three minutes, and ensuring the pork is between 140 to 145 degrees.  Once the pork is done cooking, remove the chops from the grill and cover to stay warm.

Promptly after cooking the chops, add the zucchini halves to the grill.  There might be a bit of spice residue left on the grates, but you can scrap this off with a grill brush prior to adding the zucchini.  Grill the halves on each side for four minutes, or until well marked.  Remove the zucchini from the grill and onto a cutting board.  Cut the zucchini halves into 1/2-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, olive oil, and mustard and toss to coat.  Serve the pork chops with an ample amount of zucchini and enjoy!

The End Result:

The pork chops had the right amount of heat and sweet from the rub.  There was no prevalent flavors in the rub, but that's what made it work.  All the ingredients worked well together to create a harmonious flavor creation.  While hints of paprika and brown sugar might have popped up every now and then, the smokey flavor is what really made this pork chop something delicious.  The zucchini is something all on it's own too.  I don't think I've ever had a vegetable, like zucchini, tossed in olive oil and mustard.  It's definitely a unique flavor, but if you want to try something different with your vegetables, I would highly recommend trying it!

That's all we have for you tonight.  Check back tomorrow as Tyler gives his perspective on a new local restaurant.  Until then,

~Cheers!