Sticky Rum & Pineapple Chops

The original recipe I saw for this called for kasundi - a Bengali mustard relish. I debated making some of my own - as I was clearly unlikey to find it in the local supermarkets (until I saw that this involves soaking mustard seeds overnight and we wanted this the same evening) - but then thought that actually as the rest of the ingredients for the glaze seemed rather more Caribbean than Bengali i would substitute hot sauce instead.

As it turned out, it would appear that this recipe first appeared on bbcgoodfood where of course that was exactly what they had used in the first place. I can only assume that the site where I had originally seen it changed that one ingredient so they didn’t have to credit the original recipe: including the photo they had used!

Anyway, I pretty much stuck to the original with the exception of using half honey and half maple syrup in lieu of molasses, and in doubling up all the glaze / sauce ingredients.

I used Cockspur rum and was dubious as despite clearly not being a white rum, neither was it particularly dark. I needn’t have worried however it turns out that it is still a dark rum, just lighter in colour than other’s from the Caribbean (as you can probably tell, I know nothing about rum - despite having visited a couple of distilleries in Dominica a few years ago).


Rum & Pineapple Sticky Chops

serves 2

2 pork chops, seasoned with sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp dark rum
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp West Indian hot pepper sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
a grating of fresh nutmeg
2 tsp thyme leaves, picked 
200ml pineapple juice
baked sweet potato wedges & salad leaves, to serve

Mix all the ingredients, bar the chops (and sweet potato & leaves obviously), together in a plastic food bag or plastic box and then add the chops. Make sure they are thoroughly covered by the marinade and leave aside for at least 2 hours - or you can chill in the marinade overnight.

Heat the barbecue and shake any excess marinade off the chops.

Tip most of the marinade into a pan.

Bring to a boil and simmer until the mixture has thickened and is shiny. 

Barbecue the chops for 4-5 minutes on each side or until just cooked through, basting with a little extra marinade as it cooks.

Serve with the extra sauce to spoon over, baked sweet potato wedges and mixed leaves.