Gluten Free Fridays: Spicy Grilled Pork Chops

When I went gluten free, I had to learn how to cook meat. You see, I was a vegetarian before the gluten free days, and I was eating wheat three times a day. It's hard to be a gluten free vegetarian when you can't eat dairy, soy, or corn. I gave all those foods up when I was battling the fibroids and trying to save my uterus. I still do not eat much soy or corn, though I don't eliminate them completely.

One of the meats that used to really baffle me was pork. I have since learned how to cook some great pork meals, and this is one of them. Even my "vegetarian" husband loves this recipe. The great thing about pork is that you can find some cheap cuts of pork that are yummy. In a difficult economy, I've been buying more of these less expensive cuts. You can make this recipe with pork chops or pork shoulder steaks. The latter are inexpensive. I can find pork shoulder steaks periodically at Whole Foods Paycheck. You might be able to get a butcher to cut a pork shoulder into steaks for you as well.

In my opinion, the only way to cook juicy pork chops is on the grill. I've tried cooking them in a pan, but they always end up overcooked. This rub is the best!

Spicy Pork Chops

For 4 pork chops or pork shoulder steaks. It is helpful to have a small spice grinder for this. I have a mini Cuis.inart that cost me $20 and works great for grinding spices.

2 Tbsp cumin seeds
2 Tbsp coriander seeds
2 Tbsp black peppercorns
2 Tbsp ground dried chile (I like mild chili, but mix in some chipotle for my spicey loving family)
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Grind the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and black peppercorns separately in the spice grinder so they are part powder, part chunky. Grind more or less to your preference. Mix all ground spices together with the chili powder and kosher salt.

Start heating your grill if you haven't already done so. Pat pork chops dry with a paper towel. Brush one side of a chop with olive oil, then sprinkle the mixture over it and pat in. Repeat on all sides of the pork chops until you are finished.

Make sure your grill is oiled before cooking the pork chops. Take a paper towel, fold in quarters, and soak with olive oil. Use tongs to hold the olive oil soaked paper towel, brush the paper towel over the grill and coating it lightly with oil. I usually do this while the grill is heating.

Once you grill is hot, 400 degrees, grill the first side about 5 minutes and the second side about 3 minutes. How long you grill will depend on how thick your chops/steaks are. To check for doneness, make a small cut about an inch away from the bone. The meat next to the bone will always cook the slowest, so if you want your pork chops juicy, they might be a little rare next to the bone. The pork should have a hint of pinkness. If it's still read, cook for another minute and check again. The chops will cook a little bit more once you remove them from the grill, so no need to make sure they are completely cooked through on the grill. Enjoy!