So, you want to impress some friends with your grill skills? Well, nothing says barbecue like pork. Pork is an amazingly versatile meat that is often overlooked for the rugged simplicity of Beef. Now don't get me wrong I like a well cooked steak just as much as the next omnivore, but Pork can give your party that little something extra. This dish goes very well with traditional BBQ side dishes like, potato salad, baked beans and corn on the cob. It also goes very well with fancier dishes like twice-baked potatoes, scalloped potatoes and mashed potatoes.
- Prepare the pork by removing any unnecessary gristle or fat. These are typically pretty lean cuts, so this shouldn't be a real problem. Lay some shallow (1/4 inch) scores into the meat in a hatched pattern. Don't go nuts with this, we just want to cut some "Flavor Trails" into the meat.
- Lightly coat the meat with pepper, salt and Italian seasoning. With your hands, rub the seasoning into the meat. Work the yummy stuff into the scores you cut. Massage it. Love it. That's it, give it what daddy wants... Enough! On to the next step you pervert.
- In a mixing bowl combine A-1 sauce, honey and oil. Whisk until well integrated. It won't completely combine as the steak sauce has a vinegar base, but you can get pretty close. Why oil instead of water? Personal preference, I think it makes the meat juicier and tastes better. If you're paranoid about too much oil, use an equal amount of water.
- Place the meat in a shallow bowl and completely cover it with the A-1 mixture. Refrigerate and let the marinade do it's business. Generally speaking, the longer you marinade the better but there is a point of diminishing return. Between 2 and 48 hours is best. If you marinade for less than 6 hours leave the container uncovered. If you leave the meat uncovered it will attempt to dry out and it will suck in the marinade, but if you leave it uncovered for too long it just gets ucky.
- Turn the meat occasionally, making sure it remains covered with the sauce.
- Fire up the grill.
- Shake off any excess sauce and cook over a medium heat for about twenty to thirty minutes, until the meat is firm to the touch.
- While the meat cooks, transfer the sauce to a small dish and heat it to a boil, stirring constantly. The sauce will try to separate, but if you stir it well, you can prevent most of this.
- Towards the last half of the cooking time, use a brush or spoon to cover the meat with the sauce, turning it occasionally to baste both sides.
- As always, when the meat is done, let it stand for at least 5 minutes before cutting to let the meat finish cooking and absorb all the juices. You may need to bribe a burly, well fed, friend to stand between the meat and your guests as they will be anxious, displays of mob aggression are normal during this mandatory waiting period.