CHEF JEFF -- ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Maple-Chipotle Pork Chops

Fire up the grill for this pork chop recipe, which was a finalist in a Southern Living cook-off.

Maple-Chipotle Pork Chops

½ cup barbecue sauce

½ cup maple syrup

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can

6 1¼-inch thick) bone-in pork chops

Salt and pepper

Heat grill to 350 to 400 degrees (medium-high). Whisk together the barbecue sauce, maple syrup, chipotle peppers and adobo. Set aside. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.

Grill, covered, 20 minutes, or until thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155 degrees, turning once. Baste with half the barbecue sauce mixture during the last 5 minutes of cooking or when thermometer reaches 145 degrees. Serve over grits or rice, with remaining sauce drizzled on top.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 338 calories, 41 percent of calories from fat, 15.3 grams fat (5.2 grams saturated), 77.1 milligrams cholesterol, 27.5 grams protein, 21.5 grams carbohydrates, 0.7 grams fiber, 402 milligrams sodium.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at

GrandForksHerald.com.