Sticky, Spicy, Sweet Pork Chops

A Meat and Potatoes Foodie original!

Sticky, Spicy, Sweet Pork Chops
* This marinade would also be great on two juicy New York strips.

2 bone-in, center cut pork chops, about 1 " thick
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup Maker's Mark or other good bourbon
3/4 cup coke
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or a little more if you really like heat
small handful cilantro sprigs, washed
salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the molasses, bourbon, Coke, lemon juice, chili powder, ginger, and red pepper flakes until molasses has fully dissolved and incorporated into the mixture. Stir in you cilantro sprigs.

Add the marinade to a large ziploc bag as well as the pork chops. Seal well and turn over a couple of times to make sure the chops are well coated. Place in the fridge in a shallow bowl (in case the bag leaks) overnight, or at least for 6 hours.

Preheat your oven to 350.

Remove the chops from the marinade (reserving) patting dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

Heat up a grill pan on your stove top over medium high heat. Spray with nonstick spray, then grill the chops for 3 minutes per side, just until you have nice, dark grill marks. Remove to an aluminum lined baking sheet, also sprayed with nonstick spray, and bake in oven on 350 for twelve minutes.

Meanwhile, add 1/3 cup orange juice to a medium sized pot along with the reserved marinade. Bring to a boil and boil down to 1/3, JUSt until it has become thick and syrupy. This may take slightly longer than the time the chops take in the oven, but you'll need to let the meat rest for a few minutes anyway. Reducing a sweet sauce like this is one of those things that just when you think it's not going to happen - it happens all at once - so be careful not to leave it alone or it will burn and stick to the bottom of the pot.

Serve drizzled over your chops with fresh cilantro snipped over.