Tabasco Chipotle Stuffed Pork Chops

Tabasco Chipotle Stuffed Pork Chops

Last week we went up the mountain to BBQ with Dad. He being a big Tabasco fan had just received a case of goodies he had ordered from them. He gave me 4 different bottles of Tabasco sauce, their new mustard and a bottle topper. The topper is a basting brush that screws onto a Tabasco bottle… You can guess where things went from there.

Me being a BIG CHIPOTLE fan, I took the Chipotle Tabasco Sauce and have given it a good work out. I have only had it for 4 days and it has been the star at 3 BBQ’s. Patti has even asked me to try and go a few days without Chipotle… I could not quite pull it off…

We did two of these stuffed pork chops tonight, hers and mine… Where I know that hers was good because there is no way that a hickory smoked pork chop isn’t always good. But mine was better…

The plate you see is a Chipotle Tabasco stuffed pork chop, smoked garlic and potatoes.

Ingredients: Pork Chops & Stuffing

2 extra thick pork chops

Garlic Primavera Risotto rice for stuffing

½ cup Parmesan cheese

Directions: Rice

Sauté rice with ½ Tbsp. olive oil in a 2qt. saucepan over medium heat.  Add 2 ½ cups of broth and the seasoning that came in the box, stirring to blend seasonings. Heat to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Do not cover, cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Parmesan cheese, mixing until blended. Stuff your pork chops with the rice and you’re ready to grill.

Directions: Pork

For this one, start with Direct High Heat (400-450). Season your chops and place them on a hot oiled grill to sear in the juices. This will take just a few minutes on each side. Then, move them over off the direct heat so you are now cooking with INDIRECT HEAT round 350. Let them soak up the hickory smoke until you reach a internal temperature of 160 to be safe. But I like it around 130-140 for my taste…

See the “Topper”?

Preparing Grill: High Direct Heat

Preheat your grill to High heat (400-450). Add your wet hickory chips to the fire and oil the grill. A cooking spray is easiest for this. (Note: you can add your hickory directly to the grill or you can use foil smoke packets.(Two handfuls wet chips and one dry, fold foil into a packet, poke holes in it with a fork and you’re good to go.)

Note: I use a spray bottle when cooking on the grill filled with a Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke mix that keeps things moist and adds tons of flavors. (Mix is 3 parts Worcestershire with 1 part liquid smoke)

Preparing Grill: Medium Indirect Heat

Turn down your grill to medium heat (350) and turn off one side so you will be cooking with indirect heat. Add more hickory chips over the fire and oil the grill. A cooking spray is easiest for this.

On the grill…

Directions: Garlic and Onions

Not having any big bulbs for the grill, I thought I would try to build a bird’s nest of rosemary and fill it with garlic like eggs. Cut the onions into ¾ inch or so slices and put on the grill with the garlic.

I sprayed a little olive oil on them and a shot of steak seasoning. These will take longer than your meat so start them about 30 minutes before you put your chops on. I gave it a shot of my Worcestershire sauce spray every now and then to keep things moist.

Texas Caviar

Remember that a recipe is simply an outline; it is not written in stone. Don’t be afraid to make changes to  suit your taste.

Take it and run with it….

Enjoy,

Ken & Patti