Cocoa & Chile Rubbed Pork Chops

Dan spotted this recipe in the new Food & Wine Magazine, and thought it sounded too good to pass up. We got some pork sirloin chops from Sea Breeze Farm at the market, and paired them with some braised kale greens & bacon, and popovers. You can really tell I used farm fresh eggs in the popovers, because they were bright yellow.

Cocoa & Chile Rubbed Pork Chops
2 quarts of water
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper
Kosher salt
Four 1 1/2 inch thick boneless pork loin chops
1 Tbspn unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbpsn light brown sugar
1 Tbpsn pure ancho chile powder
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing

In a large bowl, combine the water with the red pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and stir until the salt dissolves. Add the pork chops and let brine at room temperature for 1 hour. Light a grill and create a cool zone. In a bowl, mix the cocoa, sugar, and chile powder with 1 tablespoon of salt. Drain the pork chops and pat dry, removing any bits of crushed pepper. Brush generously with olive oil. Roll the pork chops in the cocoa rub and pat to help it adhere. Grill over moderately high heat for 4 minutes, turning the chops once or twice until lightly browned. Transfer the chops to the cool zone, cover and grill for about 15 minutes, until center is 135 degrees. Let the chops rest 10 minutes before serving.