Grilling goes beyond the
summer season and not just in the fair weather regions. Add sizzle
to your winter menu with this pork chop recipe. Grilling time
may need to be extended depending on how low the mercury drops.
Round out the meal with grilled squash and a fresh winter slaw.
Keep the chef warm by using the remaining apple juice for a hot
apple drink.
Maple-Pepper
Chops with Sizzling Applesauce
- 4 pork chops, 1-inch thick
1/3 cup thawed apple juice concentrate
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons dry sage, crumbled (or 1/4 cup fresh sage,
snipped)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
Sizzling Applesauce (recipe follows)
- In large self-sealing
bag, mix together the apple juice concentrate, apple cider vinegar,
maple syrup, sage, salt and pepper. Add pork chops and seal bag;
refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.
- Prepare Sizzling Applesauce
while chops marinate.
- Prepare a medium-hot fire
in a charcoal or gas grill; remove chops from marinade (discard
any remaining marinade) and grill over direct heat for a total
of 10 to 15 minutes, turning once. Serve with Sizzling Applesauce.
Serves 4.
Sizzling Applesauce: In a medium saucepan, combine
3 large Granny Smith apples (cored and sliced), 1/2 cup sugar,
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar,
3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 whole clove, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 jalapeno
chile* (cored, seeded and cut in half). Bring to a boil, lower
heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until apples are soft.
Remove from heat; discard clove and cinnamon stick. Puree mixture
in food processor. Cover and let cool at room temperature up
to 3 hours or, if making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up
to one week.
*Wear rubber gloves when
handling hot chiles.
Recipe and photograph provided
courtesy of Pork, The Other White Meat.
