BBQ Rub for Pork Chops

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Tonight’s Dinner: grilled pork chops with a BBQ rub, grilled zucchini and a side of greens.

Below is the rub recipe for the pork chops.

Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
2 Pork Chops
1/4C of BBQ Rub
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Cajun RubRub Ingredients
2 Tbsp Ground Cumin
2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
2 Tbsp Xylitol (natural sugar substitute; found in health food sections of grocery stores)
1-1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1-1/2 Tbsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tsp Powdered Mustard
1 Tsp Ground Allspice

Directions
Mix the rub ingredients together. Take a portion of rub to use on pork chops and store the rest in a air tight container. Use your fingers to cover the pork chops with the rub. Place the pork chops in a ziplock bag and add the olive oil. Ensure the oil coats both chops. Let the chops sit for 1 hour, flipping half way through.

For thick chops: Set the heat to high to sear the meat first. Put the chops on the grill and close the lid. After one minute open the grill and flip the chops. Close the lid for one minute. Now turn down the heat on your grill to medium. Rotate the chops about 45 degrees to get your crosshatch marks and let them cook for about 3 more minutes with the lid down. After this time flip the chops over and continue cooking for about 4 more minutes. It is best at this point to turn your grill down to its lowest setting.

Your pork chops should be done when the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Place the chops on a plate and cover with aluminum foil for 5-10 minutes. This recovery period lets the meat loosen up and the juices flow through the pork chop. After 10 minutes, serve.

Kicking Chicken Up a Notch: Rubs!

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Image courtesy of Dan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Image courtesy of Dan/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I tend to use Sunday to cook for the week. Just makes it easier as I plan out my weekly menu. This week’s main staple: Chicken! Excited? Yeah, me neither. Since chicken can get a bit dull, and I’m making about 12 breasts, I have 2 rubs and a marinade I’ll be using on the chicken – 4 breasts per concoction. I find that I’m more likely to eat the chicken during the week if there is a bit of zip to the tasty goodness. Below are recipes for a blackened cajun rub and a moroccan rub that I discovered on the Atkins site. The amounts for each ingredient is what I use to make each rub in large batches. I started making the rubs in bulk so that I don’t have to constantly pull out all of the ingredients each time I want a rub. The batches can usually last about a month.

Rub 1: Blackened Cajun Rub
Good with beef, chicken or fish

1/2 C Paprika + 2 tbsp
1/2 C Dried Oregano
1/4 C Salt
1/4 C Garlic Powder
4 tsp Dried Thyme
4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Place ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside a small portion of the rub, enough for 4 chicken breasts.

Rub 2: Moroccan Rub
Good with chicken, lamb or shrimp

1/2 C Cumin + 2 tbsp
1/3 C Ground Coriander
1/3 C Salt
2 Tbsp Black Pepper + 2tsp
2 Tbsp Ground Ginger + 2 tsp
2 Tbsp No Calorie Sweetener (granular is better than powder)
4 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Place ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside a small portion of the rub, enough for 4 chicken breasts.

Applying The Rub
After you’ve cleaned your meat, pat it dry. Take the rub in your hands and being rubbing it onto the meat, making sure to coat all sides. Some of you might be inclined to drop the rub in a baggie add the meat and shake the bag a la Shake n’ Bake. You could, but I like to physically rub the seasoning on the meat. Its the best way to ensure the meat is fully coated and that you have enough rub mix actually on the meat and not just a dusting.

Once you have rubbed the mix onto the chicken breasts, place it in a large resealable baggie and add 1-2 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil. Let the bag ‘o meat sit for about 30 minutes, flipping half way through. You want the olive oil to coat the chicken. After 30 it’s ready for grilling or baking.