Asian Spiced Pork Chops

Here is a meal that works great when you don’t have a lot of time to prep or cook, but still want something interesting and flavorful for dinner.
Gather Up:

• 3~6 pork chops of your choice – I’ve got bone-in at about 3/4″ thick here
• 2 tbsp dark sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Tamari (wheat-free low-salt soy sauce)
• 1/2 tsp five-spice blend
• 1/2 tsp dried orange peel
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp fresh fennel fronds, chopped fine
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.

Using a basting brush, coat both sides of the chops with the mixture, making sure to get all of the chunks of ginger and spices spread all over everything.  Set them aside and get the grill warming up to 350 degrees.  You can do them on indirect or direct heat.  Of course, if the weather isn’t cooperating with grilling, you can bake these in the oven as well.  While you are waiting, you can get started on a salad or other side dish.  One that we typically will have alongside pork chops is warmed up homemade chunky applesauce with cinnamon.

Once your preferred cooking implement is up to temperature, then it’s time to finish things up.  If cooking on the grill with direct heat, go for 5~8 minutes per side depending on thickness.  If cooking with indirect heat, or in the oven on a baking pan, then around 15~25 minutes total (again, depending on thickness) with an optional turn half-way.  For these chops on my indirect grill, I was done at 20 minutes.  Serve with your salad and applesauce on the side.  Enjoy!