Name: BBQ Freaks Tamarind-Glazed Pork Chops
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic; 1 sprig fresh thyme; 1/2 cup rum (añejo); 1 cup honey; 1 cup tamarind pulp; 3 cups beef stock; 4 quarts water; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup salt; 30 whole cloves; 4 whole nutmegs, cracked; 8 center-cut pork chops, about 21/2 inches thick; Kosher salt and cracked black pepper; Granulated garlic, for seasoning; Dried thyme, for seasoning

Image may contain Roast Food Meal Dinner and Supper

Photo by Jose Bengoa, Yolanda Bolivar, Gabriel Antunez

Jose Bengoa, Yolanda Bolivar, and Gabriel Antunez, the BBQ Freaks of San Juan, Puerto Rico developed this easy method for infusing a sweet clove and nutmeg accent into your next back of pork chops. Finished with a tamarind glaze, these chops will likely be unlike any your guests have tried before. You can buy tamarind pulp at health food stores and in Asian, Hispanic, and Indian food stores. We advise throwing in a few extra chops for guests who will want seconds. For a variation, try grilling the brined chops over charcoal or gas, followed by smoking at 250°F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Cooks' Note

Note: You can also make these in the oven. First, sear the chops in very hot oil in a shallow pan for about 5 minutes on each side. Place in a preheated 350°F oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until they register 145ºF on a meat thermometer. Let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Heavenly Halva Cake

Serve a thick slice for breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Kung Pao Cabbage With Tofu

Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.