Caribbean Jerk Pork Chops

Occasionally I like to meander down memory lane and dabble in what I consider 'retro' foods....you know, those foods we were forced to eat as children and now love. Or maybe something that we ate every week that we swore would never cross our lips once we were in charge of our own kitchen.

One thing that I didn't eat for years after leaving home was boiled potatoes. Nine out of ten days my mother put a big bowl of boiled potatoes on the table for dinner.  On the other days, they were fried or mashed. I have 65 different recipes for potatoes.  Boiled isn't one of them.  Don't get me wrong,  my mother was a good cook, but she didn't enjoy it; it was a chore, something she had to do every day.  It was a rare occasion when she found a new recipe or tried something slightly different.  She would ask my aunts:  "How do you fix your chicken" or "how do you cook your asparagus".  The implication was that each cook in the world had one, and only one, tried and true way to cook something, whether it was chicken or asparagus or pork chops.

This is one of my many recipes for pork chops; I made these for dinner last night and they were delicious.  I hope you enjoy!

• 1 habanero chile, seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped 
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced 
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced 
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice  
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for brushing 
• 1 cup store-bought Kansas City–style barbecue sauce
• 4 pork rib chops (12 ounces each)
• 1/2 cup hickory, pecan or oak chips

1. In a mini food processor, combine the habanero, onion, scallion, garlic, allspice, thyme, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Process until finely chopped. Add the 1 tablespoon of oil and process to a smooth paste.
2. In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of the paste with the barbecue sauce. Spread the remaining paste all over the chops and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Light a gas grill. Wrap the wood chips in heavy-duty foil, pierce the packet all over with a skewer and add to the grill. Cover and let the chips begin to smoke, about 5 minutes.
4. Lightly brush the chops with oil and season with salt. Grill the chops, covered, over moderately high heat, turning and shifting the chops occasionally, until they are lightly charred and a meat thermometer inserted nearest the bone registers 140°, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the chops to a platter and serve with the spiced barbecue sauce on the side.