Glazed Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Cinnamon Apples

If you liked my recipe for grilled maple glazed pork chops, you’ll love this recipe for grilled pork chops too. I’m here to tell you, pork chops are a delicious, juicy addition to any dinner table, and don’t need to be dry or tough.

If you grew up in a family that served meat, chances are you’ve come across a pork chop at some point in your childhood. These memories may or may not be fond ones given the old school recommended pork chop temperatures.

Pork chops are a great meal, but can be tricky to cook. Way too often, if you’re not careful, they’re dried out and tough. I’ll teach you how to fix that in this blog.

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How Long To Grill Pork Chops

How long you grill pork chops depends on a couple of key factors. First, how thick are the chops? Thick cut chops like these below will of course take more time to grill.

The next factor to consider when determining how long to leave the pork chops on the grill is how hot the grill is. Remember that charcoal grills tend to get hotter than a gas grill when planning your grilled pork chops.

The best advice I can give, and I give it often, is to get yourself a reliable instant read thermometer. Then grill the pork chops (or any other meat you’re cooking) to a desired internal temperature as opposed to a specific time.  

What Goes Well With Pork Chops?

One thing I love to serve with pork chops is an old favorite, apples. The sweetness of the apples and the savoriness of the grilled pork chops make a flavor packed combination. With this recipe we’re grilling both, bringing a charred flavor into the mix as well.

The icing on the cake for this recipe, however, is the glaze. It’s a crowd favorite for pork—from chops, to loins, to bacon—but it’s also fantastic on a burger topped with melted brie.

How Do You Make Apple Glaze?

Apple glaze starts with some good apple jelly. By heating it up in a saucepan, the jelly will liquify. This makes it much easier to incorporate the other ingredients for the glaze.

A word of advice, don’t get the pan too hot. You don’t want the jelly to burn and because of the high sugar content in the ingredients, it will burn easily.

Why Does Pork Go Well With Apples?

Pork and apples go way back, but the reality is that pork goes well with a number of fruits. Back in the day, like way back in the day—before refined sugar was a thing, people routinely used apples as a sweet companion for savory pork.

It’s also rumored that farmers used to feed their hogs apples that had started to get rotten. Their claim was that a diet high in apples helped to flavor the meat. I don’t know about that, but I do know that adding a sweet fruit like apples makes a perfect pairing for pork chops.

Which Apples Are Best For Grilling?

I grill apples with these pork chops of course, but I also just really enjoy grilled apples. It’s a fall favorite of mine, after going apple picking at a local orchard.

The key to a good grilled apple is to get an apple that’s hearty enough to stand up to the grill. My favorites are the honeycrisp variety, which are super sweet but can get expensive. They don’t look all that appealing, sort of multicolored, but man are they good!

Granny Smith apples are also sturdy enough for grilling. They have a distinct flavor and appearance. This sour but beautifully green apple differs greatly from the sweeter honeycrisp.

Ingredients For Glazed Grilled Pork Chops

• Pork Chops: I’m using thin pork chops for this recipe, and grilling them hot and fast. I’ve also done this with thick cut pork chops as well. Both are delicious. For thicker chops, consider brining them for 4-6 hours in salt water.
• Apple jelly: I love the apple jelly I find at local farmers markets, but you can absolutely use store bought jelly as well. For a little twist, consider also using apple butter in place of the jelly.
• Honey: If you watched the Netflix documentary about honey you know there are some sketchy folks in the honey biz. Try to source your honey locally or from a reputable beekeeper like the folks over at Crown and Comb Honey.

Glazed Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Cinnamon Apples

Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 mins.| Cook time: 15 mins.

Ingredients
Pork:
4-6 bone in pork chops, about 1/2” thick
Pinch of kosher salt on each chop

Apples:
3 Honeycrisp apples, cut into 1/2” slices with seeds removed
2 tbsp melted butter
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp fresh ground cinnamon

Glaze:
1/2 cup apple jelly
1 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp Ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Step-by-Step

Step 1: Light your grill and set it up for high direct heat.

Step 2: Rinse the pork chops under cold water and pat them dry. Season the pork on both sides with a pinch of salt and allow them to sit out at room temperature.

Step 3: Using a basting brush, coat both sides of apple slices with melted butter and place on a wire cooling rack. Sprinkle both sides evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Step 4: Melt apple jelly and butter in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking until it’s smooth and the consistency of syrup. Continue whisking while adding honey, Dijon mustard, Ancho chili, and cinnamon. Keep glaze warm and set aside.

Step 5: Place pork chops and apples over direct heat area on grill.

Step 6: Grill the apples for about 6 minutes per side, or until they’re nicely browned and grill marks are formed.

Step 7: Cook pork about 4 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 140°F as indicated by an instant read thermometer. Carry over cooking will take these chops to the required 145°F recommended by the USDA.

Step 8: Remove chops and apples from the grill. Drizzle the apples with honey. Pour the warm glaze on the pork chops.

Step 9: Garnish as desired and serve.

One of my go-to weeknight meals, glazed grilled pork chops are a great way to impress when you don’t have a lot of time. Remember to make the glaze and add it to your favorite pork dish (You can thank me later). If you find a great new combo for my glaze, be sure to tag me on Instagram.

Make this Glazed Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Cinnamon Apples recipe: