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    🏠Home » Recipes » Pork Chop and Loin Recipes

    Grilled Apricot-Glazed Pork Chops

    Jul 18, 2015 · Modified: Sep 11, 2021 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 1 Comment

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4 from 1 vote

    Kick those grilled pork chops up a couple of notches with this amazing apricot glaze. Let's take boring out of the pork chop with this simple dinner recipe. Just follow these easy step-by-step photo instructions.

    Apricot Glazed Grilled Pork Chops from 101 Cooking For Two

    Jump To:
    • 🐖Pork Chops
    • 🧂Brining
    • ♨️The Grill
    • ⏰🌡️Time and Temperature
    • ✔️Tips
    • 📖Pork Chop Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    I love a nice grilled pork chop. But pork can lack a little in taste, so a fruity glaze is a great change of pace.

    I like to grill use a 1-inch slice of center-cut pork loin as my chops. But with this recipe, you can use standard bone-in chops also.

    I decided to use a simple brine to moisturize the loin before hitting the flames. I would normally use some brown sugar in brine for pork, but here I was, adding enough sweetness later.

    My Rating

    My rating system of a 4 out of 5 so very nice.

    A nice change of pace 4.

    🐖Pork Chops

    Pork chop choices can be a bit confusing. Here is a guide to choosing.

    graphic for pork chop location - Image licensed May 17, 2017, from Fotolia. Copyright by foxysgraphic - Fotolia. Image modified in accordance with the license.
    Image licensed from Fotolia. Copyright by foxysgraphic - Fotolia. Image modified in accordance with the license.

    I have listed five types of chops, but only the middle three should be considered "real" chops and will all cook the same. The other two "chops" do not cook the same and, to me, should be avoided.

    Any of the three "real" chops will be good choices. I generally like about 1-inch thickness. A little more or less is fine.

    Bone-in or boneless chops are both good. So people think bone-in will be moister and taste better. I don't feel there is a significant difference. But bone-in does take a bit longer to cook.

    🧂Brining

    Brine is used to add moisture to many types of meat. While brining is optional, it is highly recommended for grilled pork chops.

    A standard pork brine is 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of table salt. 1 teaspoon table salt = 1 ¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

    Most will add some sugar to the brine at about the same amount as the salt. Other flavors like garlic can be added.

    Be sure to rinse the meat under running water after the brine. And never add seasoning with more salt if the meat has been brined.

    You can skip the brine for speed, but it does add some moisture and avoids that "dry pork" thing that is easy to get. But if you grill carefully and don't overcook or use too high of a temperature, you can still get moist results.

    ♨️The Grill

    The grill should be 450°-500° surface temperature. That is usually a bit above medium on most gas grills. If you have questions about grill setup, see A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill.

    This should work fine on a charcoal grill as well as a gas grill. Just get the heat down a little from the maximum.

    ⏰🌡️Time and Temperature

    I like to cook pork chops to 145°-150°. My wife does not like any pink pork, so I tend to go even a little higher to 155°. The FDA recommends 145° minimum with a 3-minute rest.

    Grilling time is mostly thickness-related. A ¾ inch thick chop may only be about 10 minutes. A 1-inch thick chop is more like 12-14 minutes, and a 1 ½ inch may take up to 20 minutes.

    A bone-in chop may take a bit longer than a boneless one. Also, the starting temp of the chop and the exact grill temperature will have large effects. As always,

    COOK TO THE FINAL INTERNAL TEMPERATURE AND NEVER BY TIME ALONG.

    ✔️Tips

    Trim the fat or not?

    There is usually a layer of fat on the edge of a chop. You can trim it if you want, but many think it adds some flavor and helps prevent drying.

    I do suggest if it is over ¼ inch, then trim it to ¼ inch thick. Also, it should be scored every inch to prevent cupping.

    The Glaze

    This recipe uses apricot jam, but you can use a different flavor. Jam usually has a lot more sugar than preserves. If you use preserves, add some brown sugar to the glaze.

    📖Pork Chop Recipes

    How to Grill Pork Chops on a Gas Grill

    Pan Seared Oven Roasted Pork Chops

    Pan Seared Oven Roasted Thick Cut Pork Chops

    Breaded Pork Chops

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Grill Recipes, Pork Chop and Loin Recipes, Pork Recipes
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    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    thick pork chops with apricot jam and seasonings

    Only a few ingredients. My wife likes garlic in the brine. It is not in the recipe, but add ½ teaspoon to the brine if you want to try it.

    adding a pork chop to a bag of brine

    Start with a brine of two cups cold water and one tablespoon salt. Add pork chops and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

    mixing apricot glaze in small bowl

    Preheat grill to a surface temperature of 450°. Clean and oil well. Mix glaze of two tablespoon apricot jam, one teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar, and one teaspoon olive oil.

    brusing glaze on raw pork chops on gray plate

    Remove pork from brine, rinse under running water, and pat dry. Give them a light sprinkle of pepper, then brush lightly with the glaze if you skipped the brine, a bit of salt, also.

    brushing pork chops with more glaze while on the grill

    Place over direct heat for five minutes, then flip. Flip again in 5 minutes and brush with glaze. Continue to flip every 5 minutes and brush with glaze until an internal temperature of 140°-145° about 15-20 minutes.

    tenting pork chops on orange plate with foil

    Remove from grill, tent lightly with foil, and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

    piece of pork chop on a fork
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    📝Recipe

    Apricot Glazed Grilled Pork Chops on blue plate

    Grilled Apricot Glazed Pork Chops

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Kick those grilled pork chops up a couple of notches with this amazing apricot glaze. Let's take boring out of the pork chop with this simple dinner recipe. Just follow these easy step-by-step photo instructions.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4 from 1 vote
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 18 minutes
    Total Time: 28 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 2

    Ingredients

    • 2 pork chops - one inch thick

    Brine

    • 2 cups water
    • 1 tablespoons salt

    Glaze

    • 2 tablespoons apricot jam
    • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Start with a brine of 2 cups cold water and one tablespoon salt. You can add other things to the brine if you want. Add pork chops and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
      adding a pork chop to a bag of brine
    • Preheat grill to a surface temperature of 450°. Just above medium usually. Clean and oil well.
      clean and oil grill crates
    • Mix glaze of two tablespoons apricot jam, one teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar, and one teaspoon olive oil.
      mixing apricot glaze in small bowl
    • Remove pork from brine, rinse under running water, and pat dry. Give them a light sprinkle of pepper, then brush lightly with the glaze. Also, a sprinkle of salt if you skipped the brine.
      brusing glaze on raw pork chops on gray plate
    • Place over direct heat for 5 minutes, then flip and brush with glaze. Flip again in 5 minutes and brush with glaze. Continue to flip every 5 minutes and brush with glaze until internal temperature of 140°-145°. About 15-20 minutes. 18 for me.
      brushing pork chops with more glaze while on the grill
    • Remove from grill, tent lightly with foil, and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
      tenting pork chops on orange plate with foil
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. A brine will add moisture but is optional. You can have good results without it if you don’t overcook and don’t have your grill too hot.
    2. I prefer a pork chop that is about 1-inch thick. Either bone-in or boneless is fine. Bone-in may take a few minutes more to cook.
    3. If there is a rim of fat around the chop, trim it down to about ½ inch thick and score it all the way through about every inch.
    4. Cook to 145°-150° internal temperature.
    5. If you use preserves instead of jam, you will want to add a bit of brown sugar to the glaze.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Grilled Apricot Glazed Pork Chops
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 281 Calories from Fat 99
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11g17%
    Saturated Fat 4g20%
    Cholesterol 90mg30%
    Sodium 771mg32%
    Potassium 518mg15%
    Carbohydrates 14g5%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 29g58%
    Vitamin A 41IU1%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Calcium 9mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Editor's Note: Originally Published July 18, 2015. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

    Can Luke come out to play
    Can Luke come out to play

    More Pork Chop and Loin Recipes

    • BBQ Shredded Pork Loin for Pulled Pork in the Oven
    • Breaded Pork Chops in 30 Minutes
    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Thick Pork Chops
    • How to Grill Pork Chops on a Gas Grill

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    1. Chris

      July 20, 2015 at 7:32 pm

      I like how simple yet flavorful this glaze is. Way to kick up your chops!

      Reply

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