Spanish Rice with Pork Chops

Spanish Rice with Pork Chops

Hello loyal follower(s)

The misadventures continued (not on purpose) as I attempted to make dinner with a fool proof recipe.   In the  May 7, 2011 I first presented the recipe for Spanish Rice with Gas-Grilled Pork Chops.  Cyndy had been out most  of the day running errands and dinner needed to be made and the above recipe it looked  so easy that nothing could go wrong.  Thus I  decided to do it again.  I actually had all the ingredients and lots of confidence.

Based upon my "vast" experience with brining I cut down on the salt and sugar called for in the original recipe. and modified the directions for grilling the pork chops.

The pork chops had just finished  "browning"two minutes on the down side, and were just starting the two minute browning process on the other side.

Then they were placed just off the heated part of the grill and covered until the internal temperature reached 135℉.





Meanwhile the sauce that was to be poured over the uncooked brown rice was prepared.  The oven was heated to 375℉ ( I forgot to write that information into the original recipe). The sauce was poured over the rice and baked in the oven for 45 minutes,

After baking for 45 minutes this was what it looked like ----NOT GOOD.  Too dry and the rice was not cooked enough.  And that's where the title of this blog comes from.
Rechecking the recipe I found that it called for two cans of tomatoes not just one.

I finished the pork chops, added them to the rice dish, added the second can of tomatoes and baked the mess for fifteen more minutes.

Meanwhile I turned my attention to The vegetable for dinner.  It is hard to screw up steaming carrots, you may cut yourself and if you don't pay attention you could over cook them.

They came out perfect.

The end result - not pretty but not bad tasting

You cannot see it but I added shredded  Cheddar cheese before the second can of tomatoes.  It was suppose go on the top of the finished product, but hey! it was in there somewhere.

Cyndy came home while I was in the middle of this creation and immediately fell asleep in her queens chair (located about 20 ft from my work station).  It didn't phase her, when I almost dropped the whole mess on the floor when I burned my hand through a too thin hot pad.

Anyway we now have an extra meal done for Wednesday evening.

Revised recipe from May 7, 2011 follows:

À bientôt,
Mr Nut

SPANISH RICE WITH GAS-GRILLED PORK CHOPS

Spanish rice based on Better Homes  & garden 75th year edition 2005

Pork chops based on Cook’s  Illustrated website Published May 1, 2002

Serves 4 

Brining the chops to pump up their flavor and lock in their moisture; is the  secret to the juiciest, most flavorful pork chops.    

      

Brining Ingredients:

      1/4 cup  Sea salt or table salt

      1/4 cup granulated sugar

      4 loin pork chops or center-cut loin chops, each 3/4 inches thick

Pork Chop Instructions:

1. Dissolve 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup sugar in about 20 ounces cold water in 1-gallon zipper-lock plastic bag (or a flat glass container). Add chops and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate, turning bag once, until fully seasoned, about 30 minutes. Remove chops from brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels. 
2. Light grill and turn all burners to high; cover and heat grill about 5 minutes. Use wire brush to scrape cooking grate clean then oil the grates. Turn off all but one burner. Place chops over hotter part of grill, cover, and cook until browned on each side, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move chops to cooler side of grill. Cover and continue cooking, turning once, until instant-read thermometer inserted through side of chop  registers 135 degrees, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer chops to casserole of cooked rice and sauce. . 

Spanish Rice ingredients:

      1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)

       I/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper

      1 teaspoon clove minced garlic

      1 tablespoon olive oil
      1 teaspoon chili powder

      2 cans of 14.5 ounces can diced tomatoes, undrained 

      1 cup water

      1/8 teaspoon Sea salt

      1/8 teaspoon black pepper
      Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)

     1  cup uncooked brown rice

     1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 

Preheat oven to 375℉

1. In a large skillet with 1 tablespoon hot olive oil,cook 1/2 cup onions, 1/2 cup sweet pepper, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic tender ( about one minute). Add teaspoon chili powder; cook 30 seconds more. Stir in TWO cans diced tomatoes undrained, hot pepper sauce, 1 cup water, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to boil. 
2. In a Casserole about 12 inches square and at least 2 inches deep, place the uncooked rice in the bottom and pour the results of step one over the rice and stir. Cover the casserole and bake  in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.  Embed the grilled pork chops  in the rice sauce mixture and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese. Bake for another 15 minutes.