BBQ Pork Chops with Corn Relish

Welcome back from the holiday weekend! Mine was spent visiting friends in Denver, Colorado and it was so much fun. I definitely needed some relaxation and the mountain views, dry air and just having free time without any specific plans were just what I needed. I will say, the best thing about being on vacation is having free reign in the kitchen. Our friends, G & J, hosted us in their home and I was thrilled to cook a meal for them. However, to keep things interesting, they asked I use as much items already on hand in their pantry and fridge/freezer {but can use additional ingredients from the store}... and incorporate truffle oil and truffle salt. Well, it wasn't that big of a challenge since they had some items I could work with. So what did I come up with? Dinner included this BBQ Pork Chops with Corn Relish where thick cut pork are basted with a sweet, smoky BBQ sauce and topped with colorful corn and pepper relish...


All this week I'll feature some of the dishes I prepared during our stay with G&J. For the dinner I prepared, I used some thick cut pork chops and leftover BBQ sauce from their pantry. I supplemented some of the BBQ sauce with a little homemade version but you could use any BBQ -store bought or homemade - for this recipe. As for the corn relish, I used some leftover sweet corn on the cob they had in the freezer. The corn relish made for a nice pop of color, texture and is great as a garnish or side dish.

BBQ Sauce
recipe adapted from The Neely's

2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking uncovered until thickened for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

BBQ Pork Chops

6 thick cut boneless pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup BBQ sauce, prepared above

Preheat oven to 350.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper to your tastes.

In a large cast iron skillet oven high heat, add oil. When hot, add pork chops and sear on both sides for 5-7 minutes to form a nice crust.

Baste pork chops with some of the bbq sauce on both sides, just enough to cover. Transfer skillet with pork chops into preheated oven. Bake uncovered for 12-15 minutes or until juices run clear. 

Baste pork chops again with some of the bbq sauce and serve with more sauce on the side.

Corn Relish
original Joelen recipe

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 medium onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced
2 cobs of cooked corn, removed from cob

1/2 large bell pepper

2 stalks green onion, green parts only

1 tablespoon minced parsley

salt and pepper to taste

In a medium skillet, melt butter. Once melted, add onions and garlic, cooking until softened. 

Add corn and bell pepper and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until warmed through.

Stir in green onion and parsley. Serve over BBQ Pork Chops or on the side.