Grilled Adobo Pork Loin Chop with Blueberry Barbecue Sauce
Paired with Catena Malbec 2008, Argentina
The secret to juicy pork chops is to grill on medium low heat. The chops are first marinated in an adobo sauce, a fragrant paste of cumin, garlic, oregano and lime juice which is used extensively in Latin cuisine. The standout here is the sauce. Ginger and red chili flakes make the blueberry flavours pop. You’ll want to eat the sauce by the spoonful-though it goes equally well with grilled chicken, duck or homemade meatloaf.
Try the chops and sauce with a Malbec which boasts lots of concentrated fruit like Catena Malbec 2008.
Serves 4
Adobo Marinade:
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
4 pork loin chops, bone in (look for chops about 1 inch thick)
Salt and pepper
Blueberry Barbecue Sauce:
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup ketchup
/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated on a rasp or minced
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
pinch of red chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the adobo ingredients in a small bowl until a paste is formed. Pour over the pork loin chops and allow to marinate several hours or overnight.
While the chops marinate, make the sauce. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the sauce into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and allow sauce to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Season to taste. Can be prepared 3 days ahead.
Preheat the grill to medium low. Season the chops with salt and pepper. Lightly oil the grill. Grill chops 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn over and grill second side 5 minutes. Turn chops again, grill for 4 minutes then turn once more for another 4 minutes. At this point, depending on how thick the chops are you may need to turn the chops once again. Total grilling time should be about 18 to 20 minutes. Serve chops with blueberry barbecue sauce on the side.
Recipe created by Christie Pollard for Trialto Wine Group
