Grilled Pork Chops with homemade Barbecue Sauce and Days of Thunder

The smell of the charcoal grill burning on a summer night never fails to take me back to my childhood. Add the smell of fresh barbecue cooking away and you've got one of the classic scents of summer. There are quite a few good quality BBQ sauces on the store shelves these days but I'm going to share my quick recipe to make your own. Sweetened with brown sugar, a splash of cola and spiced up with some chipotle peppers, it's the perfect balance of sweet and hot. Since the smell of charcoal brings me back to my days of summer as a kid, I wanted to pair this dinner with a movie that did the same. Few things capture the attention of a little boy than race cars and in the late 80s and early 90s, NASCAR was one of the hottest trends going.  Hollywood caught on fast and the movie Days of Thunder was released in the summer of 1990. Though I'm no longer the race fan I was a as a kid, I still love the watch this film every now and then to help me relive the excitement it brought me as a child. Here is how we'll make our dinner before we start with this weeks film.

2 thick cut boneless pork chops
For the BBQ Sauce
1 cup of Ketchup
½ cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon of butter
1 shallot (minced or grated)
2 cloves of garlic (minced or grated) 
2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 canned chipotle pepper chopped finely
¼ cup of Coca-cola
Freshly cracked black pepper and kosher salt

In a sauce pan, melt the butter and sweat the the shallot and the garlic together for about 2 minutes. Sweating is different than when we sauté because we aren't looking to achieve a browned color. All we are doing is heating them so that they literally sweat and release moisture. Next, add the ketchup, brown sugar, and the mustard to the pan and stir together until the brown sugar dissolves. Add the remaining ingredients to the sauce and bring to a low simmer. Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
 
Sprinkle a little paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder onto the pork chops and rub the spices into the meat. Spoon a bit of sauce on each pork chop but make sure you don't touch the pork chops with the spoon and then dip it back into the sauce, you don't want to contaminant the whole pot of sauce. Once seasoned and sauced, leave the chops sit in the refrigerator while you prepare your charcoal, or gas, grill. If you don't know how to prepare or cook with a charcoal grill, an entire post is coming either this week or next on how to do so.

Pour a bit of our homemade barbecue sauce into a separate bowl that you can take out to the grill with you. Add just enough for the amount of pork chops you are grilling because like before, once we spread the sauce onto the pork and dip our brush back into the sauce we won't be able to use the sauce at a later time. You can always pour more sauce into your dish if need be. If you don't have a BBQ brush, look for a heat resistant silicone one like mine. There are much more sanitary and easier to clean.

Once your grill is ready, place the chops on the grates and grill for about 6 to 8 minutes on each side. After you flip your chops the first time, spread a bit of your BBQ sauce on top. Continue grilling on the opposite side until done. The FDA recommends pork to be cooked to 145 degrees so if you're unsure you can always use a meat thermometer to see if your chops are cooked. Once your remove the pork chops from the grill, pour a bit more sauce over top and just like with steaks we want to let these rest for a few minutes before we cut into them. I know it's tempting to but slicing into the chops now will only allow all of our delicious juices to escape. Serve up your pork chops with any of your favorite summer sides and a nice cold coke and dinner is served.


Days of Thunder starring Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, and Nicole Kidman was a film based in the fast and unpreditable world of stock car racing. Robert Duvall plays Harry Hogge, a sucsessful pit crew chief who left the world of racing when his driver died in a crash during the Daytona 500 the year prior. When car owner Tim Daland (Randy Quaid) comes to try and talk Harry into working for a new race team he's putting together, Tim guarantees that he'll get Harry a driver capable of driving their car to victory. They turn to the young hot headed driver named Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise).

While Cole has raced his way to the top in other forms of racing, he'll have to learn to trust Harry's knowledge to survive in the world of stock cars. Cole's level of talent only rivals his temper, and it's not long before her builds a strong rivalry with other racers on the track. Just as Cole and the team begin to hit their stride, an accident threatens to keep the young driver off the track for good. In the world of racing, Cole soon finds you are forgotten about faster than he can drive a lap around the track. Cole will have to use every bit of determination he has to get in the drivers set and make his way back to the top. John C Riley, Cary Elwes, and Michael Rooker co-star in this fast paced early 90's classic. Check out the trailer here for Days of Thunder.

Grilled Brats with Beer Braised Onions and "Moneyball"

What food is classically associated with baseball? A grilled hotdog and a nice cold beverage. Since this week I'm focusing of films about baseball it was easy to think of what we'd cook up this week. To mix things up a bit, I'm using beer brats for my recipe but feel free to use a classic hot dog instead of a brat. Brats are similar to a hot dog but contain different spices. You still serve them up the same way, on a bun with your favorite condiments. Top these grilled brats off with some shredded cheddar and beer braised onions with a side of french fries or onion rings and I think we have ourselves dinner. Of course we always have a movie to go with dinner and this week we have the reveal of my #1 baseball movie from Monday's post - the 2011 film "Moneyball."

For the Brats and Onions

1 Package of Beer or Stadium Brats
1 large onion
Kosher Salt and freshly cracked pepper (About ½ teaspoon of each)
1 teaspoon of sugar
¾ cup of Beer (Any regular beer you like to drink)
8 ounces of freshly grated cheddar
1 package of good quality buns

For a side of fries or onion rings, click below to go to those posts:
Onion Rings
Fresh cut French Fries

Start by peeling the onion and slicing the onion into thin slices. Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat and add the onions to the butter. Cook the onions in the butter for 7-10 minutes, stirring them frequently. Add your salt, pepper, and sugar to the onions and mix.

Next add the beer to the onions and stir everything together to combine. What to do with the beer you don't add to the pan? Well if your of age I'll let you decide how to handle this but I think we both know the answer. Lower the heat slightly and allow the onions to cook for about 20 minutes until the onions are slightly browned and have absorbed some of the beer. Season to taste.

Once the onions and beer are simmering, fire up the grill. If you're using a gas grill, have your flame on medium heat. Charcoal grillers should evenly distribute their coals and wait until the charcoal has turned white before placing the brats over the heat. Place the brats on the grill, keeping them apart from each other if possible so the heat can surround them. If you're cooking fresh brats, cook the brats for about 17-20 minutes or until they've browned and are cooked through. If you're cooking with brats that have been smoked and precooked, cut the grilling time in half as all we have to do is heat them through. Remember to always turn your brats with tongs so that we don't pierce the skin.

Once the brats are cooked, it's time to assemble. I like the put the cheddar on the bun first and then place the brat over top the cheese - the heat from the brat will melt the cheddar. Add your desired condiments to the brat and top it off with some of our braised onions. Serve with your desired side dish and dinner is served. Since we won't be going out to the ball game tonight, lets bring it to our living rooms.

Thanks so much to everyone who commented on Monday's posts. There are so many great films about baseball, it's difficult to pick which one is our favorite. For me there was little competition once I saw the 2011 film "Moneyball." It's not only the best movie I've seen about baseball, it's one of the best movies I've ever seen in general.

Based on a true story, Brad Pitt plays the real life general manger of the Oakland A's - Bill Beane. After loosing to the star filled and super rich roster of the New York Yankees, Billy approaches his team owner to ask for more money so that he can sign and resign players so that they can compete with New York. The trouble is, there is no more money to be had and Billy sees most of his skilled players leave Oakland for other teams and bigger contracts. 

While meeting with another team and trying to discuss possible trade deals, Billy meets Peter Brand (Jonah Hill). Brand was an economics major from Yale and brings new insight on how teams should choose their players. Beane is automatically hooked on the idea and soon hires Peter to help him find quality players that his team can afford simply because other teams in the league under value them. Not everyone in the organization is sold on Billy's new concept including his scouts and his teams manager Arte Howe (Phillip Seymour-Hoffman). When the team begins to flounder and find themselves in last place in their division, Billy must find a way to rally his team together and get over his past and the lingering affects it has on him or he may soon find himself out of a job. A gripping drama, an underdog story, and an interesting look at what happens behind the scenes for a baseball team all rolled into one- "Moneyball" is a very solid film that I can watch over and over again.

Both Pitt and Hill were nominated for Academy awards for their performances, as well as the movie for Best Picture. The true beauty of "Moneyball" is that it's a film that can easily be enjoyed by anyone. Viewers who aren't even a fan of sports will find themselves getting lost in the story and pulling for the Oakland A's to shock the baseball world. Fan of the game or not, don't let "Moneyball" be a film you miss viewing. Watch the trailer first, then go out and see this film anyway that you can!

Top Five - Favorite Baseball Movies

Winter has all but ended and spring time for so many means it's time to play ball!! Baseball and movies are two of America's favorite past times so it's no surprise that putting the two together is a recipe for success. Over the years Hollywood has hit many "home runs" of their owns giving audiences compelling films about the game so many of us love. Baseball movies range from tales from the big leagues, young boys playing in the backyard, unlikely underdogs, and even stories from behind the scenes of the game. Here is my Top 5 list of my favorite baseball themed movies and a quick run down of each. What do you guys think? I'd love to hear what your favorite baseball movie is!

5.) Rookie of the Year - Disney's 1993 film "Rookie of the Year" was a favorite of mine as a kid and after seeing it again recently, I still found a lot of enjoyment from the film. Thomas Ian Nicholas stars as young Henry who wishes nothing more than to play baseball in the major leagues one day. Only problem is, he's terrible at executing every possible aspect of the game. That all changes after Henry suffers a broken arm while playing ball with his friends in the park. Henry's tendons in his arm heal tighter than normal and he soon learns he can pitch a baseball like nobody has ever seen. Now the newest sensation in baseball - Henry joins his favorite team, The Chicago Cubs, and brings some child's play to the big leagues. This a great light hearted and fun movie, check out the preview here!

4.) The Sandlot - "The Sandlot" is another timeless classic about a group of young boys and their love for the game of baseball. Scotty Smalls is the new kid on the block and when his mother encourages him to go out and make new friends, he stumbles across a group of young boys playing ball. The baseball guru of the group, Rodriquez takes Scotty under his wing and soon Scotty is part of the group. One day while playing ball, their baseball is hit over the fence into the neighbors yard where a gigantic dog they call, "the Beast" resides and the boys are about to call it a day. Still trying to prove himself within the group of boys, Scotty runs home to grab his step-father's baseball so they can continue to play. When this ball sails over the fence and into the jaws of the Beast, Scotty panics and then informs his friends the ball was signed by some famous baseball player - Babe Ruth. The group of young friends now go about the task of getting the ball back before it's gone for good! You've never seen this movie?? "You're killing me Smalls!" Here is the trailer for "The Sandlot."

3.) Trouble with the Curve - The newest addition to my list. I reviewed "Trouble with the Curve" a few weeks ago but I have to mention it again here on this list. Clint Eastwood plays Gus Lobel, an aging baseball scout who is struggling with that fact that his poor vision may soon cause him to give up his beloved career as a scout for the Atlanta Braves. With pressure from the organization to scout a young player they're interested in drafting with their first pick, Gus is sent to see if the player lives up to the hype. Gus's daughter Mickey (Amy Adams) accompanies her father as she recently found out about her father's poor vision. Along the journey they will try to mend their rocky relationship and realize that baseball is the true passion in each of their lives. Here is the preview for "Trouble with the Curve".

2.) A League of Their Own - If  I'm being honest, this movie could solely contain Tom Hanks' famous line "There's no crying in baseball!!!" and it would still be number two on my list. When World War II sees most of the star baseball players of America heading over seas, a league of professional female baseball players is formed to fill the void. Twin sisters Dottie (Geena Davis) and Kit (Lori Petty) are discovered by a scout and sent to the tryouts. Both sisters eventually make the team for the Rockford Peaches coached  by former baseball star Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks). Due to an existing injury, Jimmy wasn't able to fight in the war nor is he able to continue playing his beloved game of baseball. He reluctantly takes the offer to manage the Peaches from the dugout. Throughout the season, Jimmy and the team go through the ups and downs of baseball and life together and create memories that would last forever. "A League of their own" is such a great film that I'm sure most of you have seen but if not, please watch this trailer and go out today and see the full film.

1.) ?????? - What's my favorite film about baseball?? Come back Wednesday for the answer, my full review and recommendation of the film, and of course a recipe for a great dinner to go with it!

Movie Review - "Trouble with the Curve"

Baseball is widely called America's favorite past time, and watching movies may be a close second. It's no surprise than that so many fantastic films about baseball have been made over the years. In 2012, director Robert Lorenz brought yet another tale from the dugout to the big screen with the movie - "Trouble with the Curve."

Clint Eastwood plays Gus Lobel, a well known and long time baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves. In his twilight years, many in the Braves organization feel that Gus is best suited for retirement when his contract expires in a few months. His long time friend Pete (John Goodman) doesn't share their own sentiments and decides to send Gus to scout a hot shot high school baseball player, Bo Gentry, that could be their first round pick in the upcoming draft. When Pete visits Gus at his home, he can tell that something is right with his old friend and decides to contact his daughter Mickey (Amy Adams) to assist her father on his scouting trip. The truth is that Gus' eye sight is beginning to deteriorate and he knows if the Braves were to learn this they'll feel he'll be unable to scout anymore.

Gus and Mickey soon find themselves dealing with their rocky relationship and Gus' health issues all while they try to determine if Bo Gentry is the next biggest star of baseball. Along the way they meet Johnny (Justin Timberlake) who was once a promising young ball player that was scouted by Gus. Due to a career ending injury, Johnny now scouts for a rival team but hopes that by scouting a new young star he can soon be calling games from the broadcasting booth. The ups and downs along the way and a strong cast all help bring "Trouble with the Curve" together and make for a very enjoyable film.

"Trouble with the Curve" is not only an engaging film about the game of baseball but it's an, at times, emotional story between an aging Father and his daughter. Clint Eastwood gives a strong performance as usual and Amy Adams continues to show that she deserves to be mentioned as one of today's best actresses in film. Without giving anything away, I couldn't think of a better way for this movie to conclude and I'd recommend this film to all - baseball fan or not. Click here for the trailer for "Trouble with the Curve" and be sure to add this movie to your "must see list" if it wasn't there already.