Here’s another recipe in which vanilla is featured as a savory flavor.  I admit, I had my doubts.  But this was delicious!  It had a great spicy/sweet flavor, and marinating it made it really tender!

Ingredients:

• 9 cups hot water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 2 tbls cracked black peppercorns
• 6 (1-1/4-inch to 1-1/2-inch thick) center-cut loin pork chops

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, add the vanilla to the hot water, then dissolve the salt and sugar in the hot water.
2. Add the black pepper.
3. Cool to below 45 degrees F. in the refrigerator.
4. Trim any excess external fat from the meat, and submerge the pork in the bowl. (Make sure the meat stays under the surface during curing.)
5. Refrigerate the pork in the cure for 4 to 6 hours.
6. Grill the pork on an outside grill or a grill pan (we used a grill pan, and it turned out great!)

Enjoy!