Dad may not be ready for a throwdown with Bobby Flay, but that doesn't mean the big guy doesn't know his way around a pair of tongs and a grill.

He'll throw another shrimp on the barbie, slap down a slab of meat or skewer kabobs any day of the week, in any weather. Even on Father's Day, he's likely to tell other family members to step away from the grill - that he's the grillmaster and to keep their kitchen mitts off his sauce mop.

So maybe what he really needs are a few new recipes for his grilling arsenal. Both of these grilled pork recipes scream "Try me!" The first is from Adam Perry Lang's new "Serious Barbecue" (Hyperion, 2009) cookbook (a great gift idea), and the second is from the National Pork Board's recipe file at www.theotherwhitemeat.com.

Spice-Crusted Thick Rib Pork Chops

When grilling these chops, it is best to move them to a clean area of the grate when flipped during the initial charring. Depending on the grill size, they may need to be cooked in batches to ensure there is a clean portion of the grill to flip to.

Servings: 8

For the brine:

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons boiling water

4 cups apple cider

2 cups cool water

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

4 garlic cloves, minced

Six 1 1/2-inch-thick pork rib chops (8 to 10 ounces each)

For the seasoning blend:

2 tablespoons mild chili powder

2 tablespoons mustard powder

1 tablespoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the dressing:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon honey

1 medium shallot, peeled and finely grated

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 bunch thyme sprigs, tied together in a bundle

Kosher salt

Finely ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine red pepper flakes and boiling water. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes to rehydrate flakes. Add cider, cool water, salt, brown sugar and garlic. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Place chops in an extra-large zip-close plastic bag (or divide between 2 large bags). Pour brine over chops, squeeze out any excess air, then seal bag and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 1 day.

When ready to cook, heat one grate of a well-oiled charcoal or gas grill to medium-high and the other to medium-low. To make seasoning blend, in a small bowl mix together chili powder, mustard powder, garlic salt, black pepper and cayenne. Set aside. To make dressing, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, honey, shallot and garlic. Shake well, then set aside.

Remove pork chops from brine, letting any excess brine remain in bag. Lightly pat dry chops with paper towels. Sprinkle seasoning blend evenly on all sides of chops. Evenly but lightly coat chops with the canola oil. Place chops on medium-high grate, and grill with lid open until they are well marked and lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Flip, still over medium-high, to a clean part of grate, then grill with the lid open for another 3 minutes.

Brush chops with butter using thyme bundle. Move to medium-low grate and close lid. Open lid every few minutes, turning and moving chops as needed. Cook for about 9 minutes for medium, about 12 minutes for medium well, and about 15 minutes for well-done. Remove from heat and brush with butter using thyme bundle.

Give dressing a quick shake and drizzle about half on a cutting board. Top with chops and let rest for about 5 minutes. Cut chops to separate meat from the bone and slice meat on a diagonal into 1/4-inch slices, drizzling with the remaining dressing, and making sure all slices are coated. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and pepper.

Bacon-Wrapped Pork with Spicy Mango-Basil Relish

4 boneless pork chops, 1 1/2-inch thick

8 strips bacon

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 to 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Spicy Mango-Basil Relish (recipe follows)

Wrap 2 strips of bacon around the outside edge of each pork chop, securing in several places with toothpicks. Mix together the soy sauce, lime juice, cayenne pepper and garlic. Reserve half of the mixture for basting and place half in a shallow baking dish. Add pork to dish and turn to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning pork occasionally. (Marinate longer for more flavor.) Remove from marinade, discard marinade, and place pork on grill over medium coals. Cook for 12 to 16 minutes total, basting with reserved marinade several times, until pork is 160 F, as measured with an instant-read thermometer. Serve with a large dollop of Spicy Mango-Basil Relish. Makes 4 servings

Spicy Mango-Basil Relish: In a small bowl stir together 1 peeled, pitted and chopped mango, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.