Grilled Pork Chops

with Sweet and Sour Glaze

Makes 4 servings

When I grill pork chops, chicken, and other glaze-friendly meats, I like to build up a thick layer of the glaze, which becomes sticky with little crunchy bits of caramelized sugar. To do this, I build a pretty hot fire and turn and brush the meat frequently. It’s OK to let the occasional flame kiss the meat as it grills, but if your grill is flaring up a bunch (which is common with fattier cuts of pork, especially when they’re dripping with glaze), keep moving the meat around the grill away from the flame. Leave the spray bottle alone; water will just create smoke that makes the meat taste sooty.

These sweet-and-sour chops will pair nicely with lots of vegetable sides from this book, including Roasted Sunchokes with Paprika Oil and Lemon-Oregano Vinaigrette, Fresh-Corn Polenta with Butter and Herbs, Grilled Broccoli with Orange Aioli and Pistachio Vinaigrette, and Pan-Roasted Asparagus with Spring Onions and Lemon-Mayo Dressing.

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Finely grated zest of 1 medium orange
• 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon hot smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large white onion, halved and cut into ¼-inch slices
• Flaky sea salt

In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, maple syrup, coriander, paprika, cumin, kosher salt, oregano, and thyme. Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag, add the pork chops, and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours.

Remove the pork chops from the marinade and pat dry. Strain the marinade and discard the solids. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until they begin to soften and caramelize, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the marinade, bring the liquid to a boil, and reduce until glazy. Set aside about ½ cup of the glaze for brushing on the pork, and pour the rest into a bowl.

Prepare a medium-hot grill or preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with kosher salt and grill, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Brush the pork chops with the reserved glaze and continue grilling, flipping, and glazing them every minute or two, until nicely charred and coated with glaze, about 4 minutes. The pork chops are done when an instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone registers 130°F. Transfer to a platter and spoon the onions and the glaze from the bowl over the pork. Sprinkle with flaky salt and serve.

The Takeaway

I think it’s a waste to throw away a marinade after it’s done flavoring meat, so I’ll turn it into a sauce or glaze—or in this case, both. (In addition to this recipe, I use the technique in the pot roast). One thing to remember when creating a double-duty marinade is to hold back on the salt; otherwise the reduced glaze will be too salty.