A griller’s choice and challenge,
An outdoor feel was a must for this summery shot. To keep control, but still have the natural light look from an afternoon sky, we placed a point light source to come from the back right. This light gave us direction and also produced all the specular highlights on the chop.
By doing this, our indoor set became a realistic afternoon sky with a controlled, simulated sun. To create the look of a natural light, you can’t just create a sun, you also have to create a sky. We put a large white flat behind the set and wrapping around towards the left, thus creating a sky-like impression and producing a large, unbroken highlight on the sauce. Since the front was going a little dark, we filled in with a mirror to light the front and captured the delectable details of both the meat and potatoes.
The shoot was fun, fragrant and we all spent a lot of time licking our lips.
Follow this super easy recipe for the perfect chop, similar to the one photographed:
Shopping list:
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 (1/2-inch) bone-in pork chops (about 3 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Prep:
On a weekday, marinate before you go to work, then it’s 15 minutes on the grill!
Or marinate in a resealable bag for at least an hour beforehand.
Mix honey, oil, vinegar, cumin and red pepper flakes for the marinade.
Grill at medium heat:
Remove chops from marinade and place on grill. After 4 minutes the chops will separate from the grill slightly, then turn and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes.
Enjoy!
Grilled mashed potatoes
Just cut the potatoes, grill and mash with garlic and other favorites.
Shopping list:
3 lbs red potatoes
garlic
1 T olive oil
1/4 cup wine
2 T butter
1-1/2 cup milk (you may substitute 1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream)
(Add bacon bits or onions too, if additional flavor is desired.)
salt and pepper to taste
Prep:
Slice the potatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices. Toss with olive oil.
Cut the top off the head, exposing the clove tops. Drizzle with a little olive oil and wrap with foil.
(Don’t limit yourself to one head if you’re a garlic lover.)
Grill at medium heat:
The potatoes should be golden and have grill marks before the next step. Now wrap them in a large piece of foil and add the wine.
Cook on the covered grill until the potatoes are fork tender.
Place foil-wrapped garlic on the side of the grill, away from direct heat. Garlic is soft when it’s done, so it’s easy to squeeze each fleshy clove and discard the outer shells.
Mash:
Place the grilled potatoes and squeeze the garlic cloves into a large bowl and begin mashing, adding remaining ingredients to create the creamy texture you desire.
Enjoy!
Here are some tips to keep your chops especially moist and tasty:
http://bbq.about.com/od/pork/a/aa120697.htm
The art of grill marks explained:
http://www.bonappetit.com/tipstools/tips/2008/04/how_to_make_grill_marks