Lunch: Caribbean Jerk Pork Chops

At Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, Lilly uses a cut called picnic shoulder for his spiced jerk pork, cooking it over low heat for eight hours. Rubbing a vibrant jerk paste on chops before a throwing them on the grill gives them an insanely good, peppery heat.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Caribbean Jerk Pork Chops

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

1 habanero chile
1 small onion
1 scallion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. ground allspice
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. store-bought Kansas City–style barbecue sauce
4 pork rib chops
1/2 c. hickory, pecan, or oak chips

Instructions

In a mini food processor, combine the habanero, onion, scallion, garlic, allspice, thyme, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Process until finely chopped. Add the 1 tablespoon of oil and process to a smooth paste.
In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of the paste with the barbecue sauce. Spread the remaining paste all over the chops and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Light a gas grill. Wrap the wood chips in heavy-duty foil, pierce the packet all over with a skewer and add to the grill. Cover and let the chips begin to smoke, about 5 minutes.
Lightly brush the chops with oil and season with salt. Grill the chops, covered, over moderately high heat, turning and shifting the chops occasionally, until they are lightly charred and a meat thermometer inserted nearest the bone registers 140 degrees F, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the chops to a platter and serve with the spiced barbecue sauce on the side. Looking for more dinner options? Check out our pork chop recipes, chicken recipes, and potato recipes.

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