Brazilian Habanero Basting Sauce for Pork Chops

This is part of a traditional Brazilian Churrasco, or mixed meat barbecue. Many habanero relatives grow in the Amazon Basin, where the species was domesticated.

Ingredients

4 boneless loin pork chops
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons salt
6 juniper berries, bruised (lightly bashed all over with a spoon)
2 fresh habanero chiles, seeds and stems removed, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground white peppercorns
1 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
3 bay leaves, crushed
4 whole cloves
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

Place the pork into a non-reactive bowl. Combine the water, salt, and sugar in a bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the
remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour the marinade over the pork and add additional water to cover the pork, if necessary. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove from the marinade and place on a plate. Discard the marinade.

Grill the pork for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until done to 160 degrees F.

Heat Scale: Medium