In our last blog, we went through the beginning stages of preparing for your dinner party by making a roux and turning it into gravy and by marinating our pork chops in a red wine marinade. To see part one in our series that’s entitled “Buy a Propane Tank and Start Cooking for Your Next Dinner Party,” you can click here.
The “Buy a Propane Tank and Start Cooking” series is designed to be the perfect way for seasoned grilling veterans and newcomers alike to get behind the grill and make an incredible meal that’s easy to prepare.
Get yourself caught up, fire up your grill (if you’re wondering where to buy a propane tank, click here to see our propane cylinder exchange locations), and then let’s get started cooking!
Buy a Propane Tank- Check. Make the Roux and Marinade- Check.
Once you’re done with that, let’s get started with our red wine stuffed grilled pork chops with mushroom pan gravy, baked potatoes, and zesty corn on the cob!
Fire up your grill to medium heat. Take a look at our Easy Grilled Corn on the Cob Recipe here. They’re so simple and your guests will love them. For your potatoes, simply poke a few holes in each potato, wrap them in tinfoil, and throw them right on the grill. However you serve them, your guests will be thrilled, but we suggest serving both with our cayenne pepper and onion powder butter recipe that can be found just below the recipe for our grilled corn on the cob.
The star of the show in the “Buy a Propane Tank and Start Cooking for Your Next Dinner Party” series, of course, is our pork chops.
Start by making a cut in the side of each of your pork chops, essentially creating a pocket. Make a mixture of sauteed mushrooms (retained from yesterday’s preparation), garlic powder, onion powder, a dash of nutmeg, and salt and pepper and fill your pork chop’s pocket with them. At this point, all it takes to keep your pork chops closed is a simple toothpick or two strategically placed to hold the filling in. Top with a dash of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.
At this point, begin reheating your mushroom gravy on the stovetop.
Cooking your pork chops is a breeze. At this point, your side dishes should be nearly done, so all it takes is lightly oiling your grill and placing each pork chop on. Cook for about 5 minutes, then turn and cook for 3 or 4 more minutes. You should see some nice grill marks on each side.
Your goal is to create a pork chop that is done without being overcooked. If it’s tender, you’ve done your job right. Pork chops should be cooked to at least 145 degrees and then allowed to rest for a few minutes before serving so juices can distribute evenly.
If you timed it right, everything should be done cooking at approximately the same time. You should, however, note that baked potatoes and and corn can both cook a little bit longer if need be and they’ll end up just fine.
To serve, top your grilled corn on the cob and baked potatoes with butter (or whatever you like) and serve your stuffed pork chops with plenty of mushroom gravy on top. Trust us when we say that you and your guests will both be thrilled with how things turn out!
The key to pulling off your dinner party is to plan ahead and not worry if things don’t go according to plan. Your goal should be to provide your guests (and yourself!) with a great evening that’s filled with lighthearted conversation. The food is just the icing on the cake. And speaking of dessert…
Check Out “Buy a Propane Tank and Start Cooking: Dessert Edition!”
You might be thinking at this point that you’ll have to leave your guests to whip up a batch of cookies or put a cake together. All it takes is a quick glance at the “Buy a Propane Tank and Start Making Dessert” to see a few of our favorite recipes that are as simple as cleaning off the grill and throwing a few ingredients together.
Or, of course, you can invite your guests outside to make their own peanut butter s’mores and banana splits or have them create their own combination of fruits in a bag. However you prefer your evening to go, finishing the night with a grilled dessert is sure to be a big hit.
It’s the perfect way to end the evening and you’ll be glad that your kitchen is filled with dishes needing to be cleaned. It’s as easy as turning off the grill, wiping it down, and stepping back inside to enjoy a dessert that’s a great way to cap off your night.
Wondering Where to Buy a Propane Tank?
At Mighty Flame, we have a number of propane cylinder exchange locations across the United States, so wherever you are, propane (and hence a great, easy meal and dinner party) are always right around the corner.
If you’ve enjoyed our series of blogs about getting started with grilling, stay tuned, because we’ll continue to bring our readers great recipes that are a breeze to make and a joy to your taste buds. We wish you all of the best with your dinner party and we’ll see you next time!