ELIZE’S SPICY BBQ PORK CHOPS WITH COLCANNON

The Ultimate Pork Chops – so tender and juicy. You can cut them with a butter knife!!! Pork chops brined overnight in water, sugar and salt. Rub in a mixture of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, dry mustard, pepper and chilli powder.

Brine:
¼ cup coarse salt
¼ cup sugar
2 cups water
2 cups ice
4 (1-inch thick) bone-in pork chops
Rub:
3 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon chilli powder

In a large pan, combine salt, sugar and water. Cook over medium heat until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat. Add ice to cool brine to room temperature.
Place pork chops in a non corrosive container, add cooled brine. Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
Remove pork chops from brine. Rinse and pat dry.
Combine ingredients for rub. Sprinkle on both sides of pork chops.
Prepare grill and cook pork chops until they reach an internal temperature of 62º C.
I served mine with colcannon and beetroot salad.

COLCANNON
An Irish side dish made with potato and cabbage.

100 g butter
140 g sliced back bacon, finely chopped
1 small Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
150 ml double cream

Tip the potatoes into a large saucepan of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15-20 mins, or until the flesh is tender when pierced.
Meanwhile, heat quarter of the butter in a saucepan, then fry the bacon and half the cabbage for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Drain potatoes in a colander and peel while still hot. Mash potato until smooth.
Heat cream with remaining butter and, when almost boiling, beat into the potato.
Add bacon and cabbage to potato and mix.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper if you want.

Recipe for Colcannon: Amanda Conradie
Photo and recipe for the pork: Elize de Kock