Season the pork:
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, paprika, cumin, sugar, chipotle powder, and garlic. Rub all over the pork and refrigerate, covered, for at least 12 and up to 48 hours.
Gas grilling instructions:
Heat all burners of a gas grill to medium low. An oven thermometer resting on the grill grate should register about 450°F with the lid down, or you should be able to hold your hand a couple of inches above the grill for 3 or 4 seconds. If it’s hotter than this, lower the burners slightly. Brush the grill grates with a stiff wire brush and then wipe with a lightly oiled wad of paper towels.
Set the pork on the grill, meat side down. Cover and cook until it’s nicely browned and easily releases from the grates, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully during this stage and if a flare-up occurs, move the meat away from the flames until they die down. If necessary, squirt the flames with a little water to quench them.
For a three-burner gas grill, turn the middle burner off and set the front and back burners to medium low. For a two-burner grill, turn the back burner off and set the front burner on high. Flip the pork and move it to the cooler zone of the grill—an oven thermometer set on the cooler part of the grill (with the lid down) should register about 350°F. Cover, and cook, checking the grill temperature every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 145°F, 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool for 10 minutes. Slice into chops by cutting between the bones and serve the chops with the salsa.
Charcoal grilling instructions:
Prepare a charcoal fire with a hot zone and a cooler zone by pushing all the coals to one side of the grill. An oven thermometer resting on the grill grate should register about 450°F with the lid down, or you should be able to hold your hand a couple of inches above the grill for 3 or 4 seconds. If it’s hotter than this, let the coals cook down. Brush the grill grates with a stiff wire brush and then wipe with a lightly oiled wad of paper towels.
Set the pork, meat-side down, over the hot zone of the fire (directly over the coals). Cover and cook until it’s nicely browned and easily releases from the grates, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully during this stage and if a flare-up occurs, move the meat away from the flames until they die down. If necessary, squirt the flames with a little water to quench them.
Flip the pork and move it to the cooler zone of the grill—an oven thermometer set on the cool zone (with the lid down) should register about 350°F. Cover, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 145°F, 1 to 1-1/4 hours. As the pork roasts, check on the temperature and fire every 15 minutes; it may be necessary to add fresh charcoal as the fire dies down. Transfer the pork roast to a cutting board and let cool for 10 minutes. Slice into chops by cutting between the bones and serve the chops with the salsa.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with Tomato, Avocado, Corn & Black Bean Salad.
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories
(kcal):
460;
Fat
(g):
27;
Fat Calories
(kcal):
240;
Saturated Fat
(g):
7;
Protein
(g):
48;
Monounsaturated Fat
(g):
15;
Carbohydrates
(g):
5;
Polyunsaturated Fat
(g):
2.5;
Sodium
(mg):
890;
Cholesterol
(mg):
130;
Fiber
(g):
1;
Photo: Scott Phillips
