Barbecue Journey with Dan ‘The Man’ — Bourbon Soaked Pork Chops

I had one concern when bourbon-soaked pork chops from "Ribs, Chops, Steaks, and Wings" was voted the winner in this week's barbecue journey poll: How much is bourbon going to cost me?

I even debated not putting this recipe out there as an option. About a month ago, I made a cognac sauce that cost $25. Back then, I said I was not a comfortable liquor buyer. I'm still not, and my wallet isn't getting any heavier.

It was an incredible relief when the liquor store attendant referred me to the mini-bottles of bourbon -- for $1 each! I needed only 4 ounces, so two Red Stag mini-bottles did the trick. Out the door I went having spent a little more than $2 after taxes.

Then, my luck continued at the grocery store because the mammoth 1.5-inch thick pork chops were on sale! I spent only $3.50 on two pounds of meat. The other ingredients I had in the house. For less than $6, this recipe yielded enough for two meals, well within most people's budget.

Now, let's talk about the meat. The thickest cut of meat I've ever had was at John Thomas, a high-end restaurant in Ithaca. I had a 20 oz. prime rib that was about as thick as "Ulysses" and cost about $50. It was delicious. I'm glad I didn't have to cook it.

Using meat that thick obviously adds to the cooking time. I followed the recipe by the book and found that my meat was pretty rare due to the shear thickness of the cut. I had to throw them back on the grill for an additional 3 minutes per side. After that, perfect.

If you try this recipe at home, I believe a temperature gauge would come in great. Otherwise, try cooking the chops for about 7-8 minutes per side instead of the recipe's recommendation of 4 minutes. I found that after returning them to the grill for that additional time, the pork retained its juiciness and was able to cook through.

Don't be scared of this recipe by its title. It was pretty inexpensive and yet full of great flavors. Overall, I give this a 7 out of 10.

Big Chuck Tries It

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Here's what you need:

2-6 boneless pork loin chops (1.5 inch thick)
1/2 cup Kentucky bourbon
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed

Directions