Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons water for dissolving sugar- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons water for finishing caramel
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for chops
- 4 1/2-inch-thick bone-in pork rib chops about 2 pounds total for the base recipe
kosher salt to taste
vegetable oil for brushing and grill- lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Bring the sugar and first water amount to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until dissolved. Stop stirring and cook for about 5 minutes, until golden.
- Remove from the heat. Carefully add the fish sauce and remaining water; the hot caramel will bubble vigorously. Add garlic and the measured pepper, return to medium heat and stir for about 2 minutes, until smooth. Reserve a clean portion for serving.
- Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and oil the grate. Pat the chops dry, season with salt and pepper and brush lightly with oil. Grill, turning about every 2 minutes, until browned and nearly cooked through.
- Brush with some caramel and continue grilling, turning and brushing often, until the chops reach at least 145°F in the thickest meat, away from the bone. Move to a cooler part of the grill if the glaze darkens too quickly.
- Rest on a clean platter for 5 minutes. Drizzle with the clean reserved caramel and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Add liquids to caramel slowly and carefully off the heat; use a saucepan with enough room for bubbling.
Keep the serving caramel separate from the brush used on the chops.
Cook pork to at least 145°F and rest for at least 3 minutes; this recipe allows a 5-minute rest.
