Bacon-Wrapped Seasoned Pork Chops With Bar-B-Q'd Onions
"The cooler weather may be here, but don't put your backyard grill away yet. Fire up the grill at least one more time and try this savory twist to grilled boneless pork chops! These bacon-wrapped pork chops are easy to prepare and deliciously satisfying any night of the week. The maple syrup brings out the subtle sweetness of the bacon. Just add your favorite sides and you've got a meal that will have your family shouting: "Thanks, mom!""
- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 11
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon dried basil (rub between your fingers to waken the flavor)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano (rub between your fingers to waken the flavor)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 boneless pork loin chops, 1 to 1 1/2-inches thick
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, 1/4-inch thick slices
- 1⁄2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
directions
- Combine the garlic powder, seasoned salt, basil, oregano, and black pepper; rub the seasoning all over the pork chops.
- Wrap a strip of bacon around the edges of each pork chop and secure with toothpicks; brush maple syrup on bacon and coat each chop well with the olive oil.
- Grill the pork chops and onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning once.
- Transfer the onions to a large piece of heavy duty foil and top with barbecue sauce, seal edges of foil - leaving room for air to circulate.
- Cook the chops and onions for another 10 minutes (or until the pork is cooked through and the onions are very soft).
- To serve, top the pork with cooked onions and add your favorie side dishes.
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Reviews
-
Easy grilling recipe w/ good flavor. I esp.liked the onion/bbq sauce blend; it added a nice, unique flavor. I couldn't taste the maple syrup at all. Perhaps adding it afterward, brushing more on during grilling, or using it as a dipping sauce would help. Thanks for the recipe!
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It was at my Italian grandmother's apron strings, in the "Patterson, New Jersey region" of Italy, that I learned the secrets of creating real home style Italian dishes, and where my passion for food and my culture were nurtured.
Always kept neat as a pin, grandma's kitchen was the centerpiece of our social settings and the focal point of our lives together as a family. Yes, it was the heart of her home. There, friends and family exchanged news, grandchildren stood on stools over the counter and grated chunks of Romano and Parmesan cheese to be served with dinner, and under the watchful eye of grandma the women (young and old) planned and prepared mouthwatering menus that reflected the marvelous flavors and textures of Italian cooking.
On any given day tantalizing aromas would build and escape through her kitchen window, dance about the balcony and drift down onto the street; where men chatting on the corner of Putnum Street would stop in their tracks to inhale the mouth-watering fragrance. So many sumptuous meals were prepared in that modest, yet functional, kitchen.
If I close my eyes and think of Grandma's cooking, I can vividly recall some of those fragrant food memories: tomato sauce with meatballs and sausages simmering on the stove top; onions, peppers and garlic roasting in a fragrant pool of olive oil, Neapolitan pizza with vine-ripened tomatoes (from grandpa's garden), fresh garlic, basil, Parmesan and anchovies bubbling in the oven; Italian bread smothered with creamy butter, minced garlic, and fresh parsley toasting under the broiler ... "Yummmmm - Heaven in your mouth!"
Among the many recipes that I've collected over the years, are those that I hold especially near and dear. They are tattered, faded pieces of paper that provide a glimpse into my past -- Family recipes passed down from mother to daughter, granddaughter to great-granddaughter. Generations of my family's heritage are captured in grandma's recipes for flavorful soups (Minestrone, Pea, Ruccola); hearty meat, poultry and fish dishes (braciole, pot roast, chicken casseroles, seafood stews); fresh vegetable entrees and salads, and those baked goodies that bring a happy ending to every meal (Ricotta pies, Struffoli, Cenci, Pine Nut cookies). Whenever I am 'hungry' for "the good old days" or I want to soothe my soul after a tiring day, these are the comfort-recipes to which I turn.
I once heard it said: "What distinguishes great cooks from good cooks is that great cooks love to cook. Every meal is an opportunity to express that love." A credo that I am certain grandma lived by -- I believe that she prepared her meals to fill her family and friends with love. I am proud of grandma's spirit of "abbondanza" (an abundant table). Indeed, no one ever left grandma's table hungry.
I'd like to share with you some of the foods from my beloved grandmother's kitchen. Enjoy and make these Italian classic favorites in your own family's kitchen.
Buon appetito!
