For Memorial Day: Start off grilling season right with a famed BBQ pork chop sandwich
Summer is quickly approaching, signaling the start of a barbecue season that runs unofficially from Memorial Day through Labor Day. For a small group of us that volunteer at the Barrington High School Chuckwagon concession, our season extends into November if we are lucky. We're out there grilling pork chops for the legendary BHS Chuckwagon BBQ Pork-Chop Sandwich as long as our team's football season lasts.
If you have ever been to a high school football game, you will remember sitting on bleachers in often chilly weather wishing for something warm to eat. Nachos, popcorn, candy, pizza and hot dogs are often on the menu, and if you're lucky, perhaps a warm cup of coffee. While the BHS concession stand offers all those things, they are famous for the barbecue pork chop sandwich.
Imagine a thick boneless pork loin chop gently grilled over low heat to ensure the finished "chop" is juicy and tender before being dipped in thick barbecue sauce, placed on a bun and wrapped in foil. The sandwiches are then placed under heat lamps where the rest of the magic happens.
The soft bun becomes warm and gradually absorbs some of the tasty sauce, making the entire sandwich "become one." These sandwiches are not magazine cover-worthy because the bun is usually a bit squished and soft, but that is precisely what makes it so good. I am hungry just thinking about it!
I will be honest, I used to shy away from cooking boneless pork loin. So often, it seemed to lack flavor and ended up being so dry my family would want to cover it in a sauce of some kind. Thanks to instruction from a father and son duo, Dennis and Jon Sander, I no longer make dry pork chops.
Dennis has been grilling pork chops for these concession sandwiches for roughly 25 years, starting as a parent when his son and current grill-master Jon played football himself. While the source of the meat and brand of barbecue sauce has changed over the years, the cooking method has remained the same - low and slow, with a sprinkle of Lawry's Seasoned Salt.
My husband and I joined the grill team about eight years ago, my husband helping with the hot dogs and me, fortunate enough to be trusted with the "chops." It is a task I will admit has been stressful at times, as I don't want to make a mistake under their watchful eye, but one I am proud to say I have mastered.
Here are a few tips for grilling the perfect pork chop. Start with a clean grill, and this includes a heat source that will not promote flare-ups from an earlier grilling experience such as burgers. Flare-ups will inhibit the low and slow grilling needed to maintain even cooking.
Thick pork chops help keep your chops from drying out, and using tongs instead of a fork helps moisture stay inside the chops. The most important thing is even temperature during cooking, so keep a watchful eye on your temperature at all times. A spike in temperature is a juicy pork chop's biggest enemy.
A thick barbecue sauce that will cling to the chop is essential for the sandwich itself, as is a good quality bun. We have been using Rose Packing Company's barbecue sauce since I have been helping, but feel free to use your favorite sauce.
I have made these at home too and once last summer prepared them just as we would at the chuckwagon, and I delivered them with homemade sides to family and friends so we could enjoy a taste of "normal," remembering when we could gather at a football game. One time, I experimented by brining the chops and had good results, but I'm not sure it is really necessary.
These sandwiches have earned a loyal following. Everyone from game referees and sports reporters to grandparents and local law enforcement approaches the side of the concession looking for our red aprons and smoking grills, indicating it is pork chop time.
We have been known to slice the thick chop in half for those who ask, yielding two sandwiches with thinner chops. We occasionally receive a request for no bun or sauce, which we happily accommodate.
The last secret I will share is how when you start with a whole sliced pork loin, the loin tapers off at the end, leaving you with a couple of very small chops that often include part of the tenderloin. These are the best and usually too small to serve individually on a bun, so we either put two on one sandwich or cut them up and snack on them ourselves. Consider yourself extra lucky if when you open your foil-wrapped sandwich you find one of these.
There you have it, the secrets of the perfect barbecue pork chop sandwich. I hope on Memorial Day, your grills will be filled with pork chops, just waiting to take a bath in barbecue sauce and sit on a bun.
You will not regret the results. And, in case you ever attend a BHS football game, be sure to stop by the grilling area and say hello!
• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the 2011 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge.
The Legendary BHS Chuckwagon BBQ Pork-Chop Sandwich
Vegetable oil
6 boneless pork loin chops - each 1¼- to 1½-inch thick, brined if desired (see recipe below)
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce - we use Rose's which is nice and thick, plus a little extra
6 large hamburger buns
Aluminum foil
You'll need grill tongs and an instant-read thermometer. If using a gas grill, preheat grill to 325 degrees. If using a charcoal grill, you may want to consider an indirect cooking method so your grill does not become too hot. Clean grill well and brush with a little vegetable oil to help prevent chops from sticking.
Place fresh chops on the grill and sprinkle generously with Lawry's Seasoned Salt. Close the grill and allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, checking the grill temperature frequently to make sure the temperature stays below 325 degrees. One of the keys to great chops is not to "fiddle" with them too much while they are cooking. Chops are ready to turn when they start to appear cooked around the edges.
While chops are cooking, place barbecue sauce in a bowl as deep as possible, but able to accommodate one of your chops.
Turn the chops with tongs and sprinkle again with seasoned salt. Close the lid and allow to cook 15 additional minutes, again watching the grill temperature. Chops are done when the internal temperature of the center of the chop registers 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. (Be sure to insert the thermometer through the side of the chop.)
When they are ready, remove the chops from grill one at a time, immediately placing each chop in barbecue sauce, turning to generously coat, and then placing on a bun. Wrap each sandwich in aluminum foil and place in a warm oven, approximately 225 to 250 degrees for at least 15 minutes. Please do not skip this step as it allows the meat to rest and the bun to absorb some of the sauce. Yes, the bun does "squish" a little, but this is all part of what makes the sandwich so good. Enjoy!
Brine: Dissolve ¼ cup each kosher salt and sugar in 2 cups boiling water. Remove from heat and add two cups of ice water to chill. Place pork chops in a gallon zip-top bag and add the brine. Place the pork chops in a large resealable plastic bag; add the cooled brine. Seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Turn to coat. Place in 9-x-13-inch baking dish to catch any leaks. Refrigerate a minimum of 6, but no more than 12 hours. Remove chops from brine, drying each with a paper towel before placing on the prepared grill. Discard the brine.
What should the internal temperature of the pork chop be? Per the FDA - "Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming." For details, see fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-
temperature-chart.
Serves 6