Grilled Pork Chops with Blueberry Chipotle Sauce

This post is sponsored by Oregon Fruit Products. Sponsored posts, along with affiliate links, are what enable bloggers like me to maintain and operate sites that are free to the public. That said, I only work with products and brands that I personally use and would feel proud to give as a gift.

This recipe for glazed grilled pork chops with grilled cinnamon apples is one of the more popular pork recipes on my blog. If you liked that recipe, you’re going to LOVE this grilled pork chops with blueberry chipotle sauce recipe.

Not only is this blueberry chipotle sauce great on grilled pork chops, it’s excellent on a juicy grilled chicken breast. I know juicy and grilled chicken breasts aren’t always synonymous, but using my technique for grilling juicy chicken breasts will make you a believer. 

In this blog, not only am I going to teach you how to make the best blueberry chipotle sauce, I’ll also share some tips for grilling the perfect pork chop, every time.

Jump to Recipe

How Do You Make Blueberry Chipotle Sauce?

Like my how to guide for making homemade barbecue sauce, this blueberry sauce couldn’t be easier.

Starting with canned blueberries from Oregon Fruit Products (which are harvested fresh at peak summertime ripeness) I add some chipotle peppers and a few other ingredients. Then, simmer till it thickens.

It’s that easy. If you have a medium sized saucepan and a heat source, you can make this sauce in about 20 minutes. No food processor or blender required.

How Do You Grill Pork Chops Without Drying Them Out?

Pork chops are typically very lean cuts from the hog, so naturally they can dry out quickly. Especially if grilling them to the USDA recommended temperature of 145 °F. 

So, I like to wet brine (soak) pork chops for a period of time in order to keep them from drying out, and to add flavor. You can start to taste the results from brining your pork chops for as little as 30 minutes, but it’s most effective if you can brine them for a few hours.

Brining your pork chops in a solution of water, salt, and a touch of sugar is the perfect way to get not only moisture, but flavor into the meat. This will keep the pork chops from drying out when they’re on the grill.

Unlike seasoning only the outside of a pork chop, brining allows the salt to penetrate into the meat, and keeps it amazingly moist while grilling it.

How Long Do You Cook Pork Chops on the Grill?

How long you grill pork chops depends on a couple of different variables. First, the thickness of the pork chops? Thicker cut chops like these, will of course take more time to grill than thinner cut chops.

The next variable to consider when determining how long to grill your pork chops is how hot the grill is. For grilling pork chops, I like to use a medium high to high direct heat. Using either a charcoal or gas grill, whatever you have.

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

Ingredients for Blueberry Chipotle Sauce

• Blueberries: I’m using canned blueberries from Oregon Fruit Products. These berries are juicy and delicious and in the can you’ll only find: fruit, water and cane sugar. You can find these in the baking aisle or the canned fruit aisle at just about any grocery store and on Walmart.com.
• Brown Sugar: This is an optional ingredient as the berries themselves are already pretty sweet. I prefer the complexity of flavor the brown sugar adds, but that’s personal preference.
• Adobo Sauce: This is one of my favorite ingredients to put into sauces, but understand that a little goes a long way if you are heat averse. The recipe as I have it here isn’t going to burn you down, but if you absolutely dislike anything hotter than the mild sauce at Taco Bell, feel free to reduce the amount of adobo sauce you use here.
• BBQ Rub: I love to use my homemade BBQ rub. The one I use on these tangy grilled chicken quarters is my go-to; but if you have a favorite, use that. Or, go without a rub altogether.

Active Prep Time: 30 mins. | Cook Time: 20 mins. | Serves: 4

Ingredients

Pork
4 pork chops, thick cut bone in
6 cups cold water
2 tbsp table salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp bbq rub (optional)

For The Sauce
1 can Oregon Fruit Blueberries – Classic
2 chipotle peppers, in adobo sauce, diced
2 tbsp adobo sauce
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp fresh thyme

How To Make Blueberry Chipotle Sauce [With Grilled Pork Chops]

Step 1: Dissolve the salt and sugar for the pork into the water in a large mixing bowl. Then, add the pork chops to the water and place into the refrigerator for 6 hours, or overnight.

Step 2: To a medium saucepan, add all of the ingredients for the sauce and whisk together over medium heat until the sauce is boiling. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer, and allow the sauce to thicken. About 30 minutes. Keep warm and set aside.

Step 3: Preheat your grill and set up for medium high direct heat.

Step 4: While the grill is preheating, remove the pork chops from salt water brine and pat them dry with a paper towel. Season with optional bbq rub.

Step 5: Place the pork chops on the grill over direct heat. Flip the chops often, every 30-45 seconds or so. Cook them until the internal temperature of the pork reaches desired doneness as indicated by a reliable instant read thermometer.

Step 6: Remove the pork chops from the grill, and let them rest for five minutes. When cooking hot and fast like this, the meat needs some time to relax. If you cut into them too quickly, the juices will run out and the chops won’t be as juicy as they can be.

Then, dress with warm blueberry chipotle sauce and serve hot.