The flavor, a bold blend of sweet and savory, with herbs and onions most obvious, but sugar and brine almost as pronounced. The thick pork chops are drenchingly moist and wildly flavorful. Each bite has briny and spicy and rich and savory.
This recipe is an attempt to recreate a Bogotá asado mix. Instead of a mix of meats, this option is for easy-to-cook, richly flavorful bone-in pork chops. Typically it includes achiote, a seed that adds vivid red-orange color and mild, earthy notes. Easier-to-source sweet paprika is substituted here, and cider vinegar is a stand-in for apple wine (a beverage similar to dry hard cider) to bring tart, fruity notes that balance the spices and herbs.
A blender makes quick work of the seasoning paste, half of which coats the chops for marinating; the rest is brushed onto the pork midway through cooking. If desired, serve with roasted potatoes and/or fried plantains, as asado is served in Bogotá. We paired ours with grilled broccoli and pickled shallots.
Don’t scrape the seasoning paste off the chops before grilling. The paste aids with browning and develops a rich, heady aroma along with depth of flavor on the grill.
Colombian-Style Asado Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sweet paprika
- 2 scallions, roughly chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. ground allspice
- 2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 4 10- to 12-oz. bone-in pork loin chops (each ¾ to 1 inch thick), patted dry
- Lime wedges, to serve (optional)
Directions
- In a blender, combine the paprika, scallions, bay, cumin, thyme, allspice, garlic, vinegar, sugar, oil, ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Blend, scraping the jar as needed, until smooth, about 30 seconds. Measure ⅓ cup of the paste into a small bowl, then stir in 2 tablespoons water; cover and set aside or cover and refrigerate if you will be marinating the chops for more than 2 hours. It is preferable to marinate a full 24 hours if possible.
- Coat the chops on all sides with the remaining seasoning paste, rubbing it into the meat. Set on a large plate or baking dish, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- When you are ready to cook the chops, remove from the refrigerator (along with the reserved seasoning paste, if refrigerated) and let stand at room temperature while you prepare a charcoal or gas grill.
- For a charcoal grill, ignite a large chimney of coals, let burn until lightly ashed over, then distribute evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high. Heat the grill, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, then clean and oil the grate.
- Without scraping off the seasoning paste, place the chops on the grill (on the hot side, if using charcoal). Cook, uncovered, until nicely charred on the bottoms, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Brush the chops with about half of the reserved seasoning paste, then flip the chops and brush with the remaining reserved seasoning paste. Cook, uncovered, until the second sides are well charred and the centers near the bone reach 135°F or are just barely pink when cut into, another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Flip the chops once again and cook for about 1 minute to heat the newly applied seasoning paste. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil; let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with lime wedges (if using).
Recipe from an adaptation by Diane Unger for Milk Street
Accounting for Taste 