Baked Pork Chops with Chili Rub - Recipe

(Another Gluten-free Recipe)

Pork chop with chili rub

Baked sweet potato

Green salad

Now and then I make a pretty good dinner. As I've mentioned before, the trick to making a good dinner is to THINK about it the night before I go to bed and decide what I want to make for dinner, so that I can move meat from the freezer to the refrigerator or put meat in a marinade, etc. I had three pork chops thawing in the refrigerator, so I went online on a search for some irresistible pork chop rub. I'm not sure that it could be classified as irresistible, but it turned out to be the best pork chop I've had in a long time. (To be honest, it was the only pork chop I've had in a long time, and I was very ready for something other than chicken.)

The following is the result of modifications to a recipe I found at at finecooks.com

Pork Chops with Chili Rub - Gluten Free Recipe

4-6 pork chops

Aye, there's the rub:

1 T. chili powder

1 T. paprika

1 T. salt (I couldn't bring myself to use a whole tablespoon, so I used a teaspoon instead)

1 T. brown sugar

In a bowl, thoroughly mix the seasonings. Generously rub the pork chops, both sides, with the rub. (I had only three pork chops and used probably 2/3 of the rub on those three chops.) Place on a heavy jelly roll pan that been sprayed with a non-sticking GF cooking spray.

I also washed and dried a large sweet potato, cut it in half, and placed each half cut-side down on the same jelly roll pan - but I did make an aluminum foil barrier between the pork chops and the sweet potatoes, just in case the sweet potatoes had a mind to leak over onto the pork chop side of the pan. They did not.

Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven on middle rack.

I baked those chops for about 50 minutes, then I tested them with my digital instant-read thermometer. It read 168 degrees. I'd read somewhere that pork should be at 165 for medium and 170 for well done. As it turned out, I would not bake them that long next time. I'd go for 160 degrees and take my chances. They were delicious, but a little more done than I'd hoped. The sweet potatoes were perfect.

And now I'm wondering if I should have had a hotter oven, like maybe 375 for a half hour - in order to result in a more tender, juicier pork chop. Any guesses? Any suggestions? And what would have happened to the sweet potato at that temp? All comments are very much welcomed.

Moving along. The salad: Mixed greens, sliced mushrooms, tomato, kalamata olives, grated parmesean (sp??) cheese.

I think there are enough leftovers for tomorrow night.

I love a meal like this. I know it's good nutrition - enough protein, good carbs, soluble fiber, and I know I won't feel stuffed after eating it. That means there will be room for a little Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate with Hazelnuts later in the evening. :-)

Ah, my favorite!

This post is linked to some or all of the following:  Mop it Up Monday and Skip to My Lou and Bedazzle Me Monday and  What's in the Gunny Sack and  Making the World Cuter Mondays and Make the Scene Monday and  Made By You Monday and  Something I Whipped Up Monday and  Motivate Me Monday and  Making Monday Marvelous and Get Your Craft On and Tip Me Tuesday and  Made from Scratch Tuesday and  Take a Look Tuesday and  Tasty Tuesday and Tasty Tuesday and  Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays  and Two Maids a Baking and Overflowing With Creativity and What's New Wednesday and Exodus 35 Creativity and  What's Cookin' Wednesday and Cast Party Wednesday and  We Did it Wednesday  and It's a Party at Creative Princess and Link it Up Thursday and Crafty Friday (Thursday) and Threading Your Way and Lisa's Gluten-Free Blog and Favorite Things Friday and I'm Lovin' it Friday and It's a Hodgepodge Friday  and Creative Bloggers and  Serenity Saturday and  Home and Family Friday  

'Morning Brew'

All-natural homemade soap

...and more! Check out all my handcrafted soaps at

HomemadeSoapNSuch