You can think of this smoky entrée from W. Park Kerr’s “Burning Desires: Salsa, Smoke and Sizzle From Down by the Rio Grande,” as pork chops with red-hot scented applesauce all grown up. If you can’t find smoked pork chops and don’t feel like smoking your own, just grill thick-cut chops that have been dusted with chile powder instead. Serves 6.
Ingredients
CHOPS
6 1 1/2 inch thick loin pork chops (about 4 1/2 pounds total)
3 tablespoons pure, unblended chile
Chunks or logs of pecan or other fragrant hardwood
Salt to taste
COMPOTE
2 1/2 pounds (about 5 large) tart apples, such as Granny Smith, cored, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
2 cups medium-dry white wine
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup Dried Red New Mexico Chile Purée (directions below)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
Directions
Chops: Rub pork chops on both sides with chile powder. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
Prepare a smoker according to the manufacturer’s directions, using the pecan wood and achieving a steady temperature of 275 to 300 degrees.
Place pork chops on the smoker rack in the central part of the smoker. Lower cover and smoke for about 1 1/2 hours, or until pork chops are about half cooked and well impregnated with smoky flavor.
Remove from smoker and cool to room temperature. (The pork chops can be prepared to this point 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Return them to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.)
Compote: In a heavy, medium nonreactive pan combine apples, wine, sugar, chile purée, lemon juice and cinnamon stick. Cover and over medium heat, bring to a boil. Lower heat slightly, partially cover and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the apples are just tender but are still holding their shape and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 30 minutes.
Cool to room temperature and discard cinnamon stick. (Compote can be prepared up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate, returning it to room temperature before using.)
When you are ready to serve, light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the coals are evenly white, or preheat a gas grill to medium. Position grill rack about 6 inches above the heat source. Place pork chops on rack, cover the grill, and cook, turning them once or twice, until they are lightly browned and just cooked through while remaining juicy, about 5 minutes per side, depending on how much they cooked in the smoker.
Season pork chops lightly with salt to taste and transfer them to plates. Spoon compote partially over and around them and serve immediately.
WINE IDEAS: Here’s a place where an oaky California chardonnay will do well-the dish is rich and sweet enough to stand up to the wine, and the oak on the wine will meld with the smoke on the chops. Benziger, Rodney Strong and Toasted Head all make fitting examples at $20 or less. Tara Q. Thomas
