Recipe: Smoky Grilled Pork Chops With Broccoli and Lemon-Garlic Relish

Serves 6.

Note: If cooking boneless pork chops, be sure they are about 1 inch thick and decrease cooking time by 3 to 4 minutes. If cooking country-style pork ribs, increase cooking time by 10 to 15 minutes and move to a cooler section of the grill if browning too quickly. From JeanMarie Brownson.

• 6 rib-cut or center-cut bone-in pork chops, each cut about 1 1/4-in. thick and weighing 12 oz. (total 4 1/2 lb.)

• 1 c. apple wood, cherry or pecan wood chips for grilling

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 to 6 c. small broccoli florets or 2 bunches broccolini, ends trimmed

• Salted Lemon-Garlic Relish (see recipe)

Directions

Pat chops dry and place in a baking dish. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Soak wood chips in cool water to cover for 20 minutes or more.

Prepare a charcoal grill and let coals burn until they are at medium-high heat and covered in gray ash (an oven thermometer will register 375 to 400 degrees). Or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. Drain wood chips and sprinkle over the hot coals. Or set wood chips on a double thickness of foil set on the grate over the gas burner. Cover the grill to preheat the grill grates thoroughly.

Use tongs to arrange pork chops in a single uncrowded layer on the preheated grill grates. Cover grill and cook without turning for 8 minutes. Gently loosen chops and flip. Move pieces around as necessary to adjust for hot spots and so pork cooks evenly without excess browning. Cover the grill and continue cooking until the meat is nearly firm when pressed, about 4 to 6 minutes more. (An instant-read thermometer will register 145 degrees.)

Remove the chops from the grill to a large serving platter. Scatter the broccoli over all. Spoon the Salted Lemon-Garlic Relish over everything. Garnish with herb sprigs. Serve.

Nutrition information per serving without relish:

Calories360Fat16 gSodium625 mg

Carbohydrates3 gSaturated fat6 gAdded sugars0 g

Protein47 gCholesterol130 mgDietary fiber1 g

Makes about 1 cup.

Note: This pretty relish tastes great served over grilled pork, chicken and salmon. Try it chopped and stirred into pearl couscous or as a condiment on a grilled Italian sausage sandwich. Or finely chop the relish and stir it into mayonnaise for a lemony tartar sauce for grilled fish or cool seafood salads. From JeanMarie Brownson.

• 2 small lemons, scrubbed, ends trimmed off

• 4 to 6 small cloves garlic, peeled, crushed or finely minced

• 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried

• 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary or 1/4 tsp. dried

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, optional

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Slice lemons as thinly as possible and pluck out the seeds. Put lemon slices, garlic, thyme, salt and rosemary into a small bowl. Use a wooden spoon or clean hands to massage the seasonings into the lemon slices and release the juices. Stir in optional Dijon, peppers and olive oil. Pack mixture, including all the juices, into a glass jar with a tightfitting lid.

Refrigerate mixture for a few hours or up to 1 week. Use at room temperature.

Variation: Add 1 cup sliced pitted olives (such as Kalamata or Castelvetrano) or roasted red and yellow peppers into the condiment before serving.

Nutrition information per 2 tablespoons:

Calories65Fat7 gSodium240 mg

Protein0 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber0 g