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Contact: Amy Portello
415.537.4276
amy_portello@chroniclebooks.com
Char-Grilled Pork Chops with Red Miso Barbecue Paste
Asian accents work magic on grilled pork. The combination of red miso, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and a
touch of fiery sambal oelek gives the pork a sweet, smoky, pungent flavor. Accompany the pork chops with
rice and serve them on a bed of sautéed spinach, or with grilled Baby Bok Choy, or pair them with Asian
Noodle Salad with Cilantro and Black Sesame Seeds.
Serves 4
4 bone-in, center-cut pork loin chops, 3/4 to 1-inch thick (10 to 12 ounces each)
1/2 cup red miso (see Cook's Note)
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek (see Cook's Note)
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on medium-high.
Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes before grilling and place them on a
rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the miso, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and sambal
oelek and stir until creamy. Brush the chops on both sides with the paste.
To create a cool zone, bank the coals to one side of the grill or turn off one of the burners.
Oil the grill grate. Place the pork chops directly over the medium-hot fire. Grill the pork on
one side until nicely seared, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook until seared, 3 to 4 minutes longer.
Move the chops to the cooler part of the grill, cover, and grill until the meat is slightly pink
in the center, or an instant-read thermometer registers 145ºF, 10 to 12 minutes longer.
Remove the chops from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Cook's Note
Miso, Japanese fermented soybean paste, has the consistency of creamy peanut butter and comes in a
wide variety of flavors and colors. White miso, the most common type, is relatively mild and is
typically blended into soups and delicate sauces. Also known as Sendai miso (for a city in northeast
Honshu, Japan's largest island), the red miso used in this recipe is more fragrant and is generally
used in heavier dishes. Look for miso in Japanese markets, natural-foods stores, and well-stocked
supermarkets. Once opened, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep indefinitely.
Sambal oelek (or sambal ulek) is an Indonesian hot chile paste made from chiles, salt, vinegar, and
sometimes garlic and tamarind. It is a fiery paste with bright flavors, and a little goes a long way.
Other Asian chile pastes with garlic can be substituted, but this one is a favorite of mine. It is sold
in jars in Asian markets and some supermarkets. Store it in the refrigerator once it is opened; it will
keep indefinitely.
This recipe may be reproduced with the following credit:
Recipe from GRILL EVERY DAY: 125 Fast-Track Recipes for Weeknights at the Grill by Diane Morgan
(Chronicle Books; April 2008; $24.95/softcover)
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